Dehradun HealthTech Startup Caught Attention & Praise of Bill Gates and Other Global Leaders

Indian health-tech startup Sunfox has caught the attention of global leaders, earning praise from Bill Gates

At the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) headquarters, Sunfox Technologies was showcased as one of the five breakthrough healthcare technologies selected for its potential to transform global health. The event, which brought together some of India's most impactful medical innovations, was further marked by the presence of renowned philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Spandan, a pioneering technology in cardiac monitoring, stood out for its ability to make hospital-grade cardiac care accessible and affordable. In a one-on-one conversation with Bill Gates, Spandan’s impact on reducing cardiac mortality worldwide was acknowledged and praised.

Reflecting on the experience, Rajat Jain, Founder of Sunfox Technologies, stated, “Being at ICMR HQ among India’s most promising healthcare innovations was an incredible honor. Hearing Bill Gates recognize Sunfox Technologies’s potential to change the world was both humbling and energizing. It reinforced our mission to make high-quality cardiac monitoring accessible to millions."

Bill Gates, impressed by the innovation, emphasized the broader impact of India's healthcare advancements, stating:

At Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), I saw how India’s homegrown innovations are saving lives. Fetal monitoring systems are helping mothers and newborns, real-time TB detection is catching cases sooner, and streamlined delivery systems are bringing medicine to remote communities faster. These breakthroughs aren’t just changing health outcomes in India—they have the power to change the world.

At @ICMRDELHI, our chair @BillGates learned about homegrown innovations that are addressing India’s healthcare needs, and have the potential to solve global health challenges.
We remain committed to partnering with the Government of India to support domestic innovations to solve… pic.twitter.com/l3RuRzB2x1

— Gates Foundation India (@BMGFIndia) March 20, 2025

Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death globally, and Sunfox Technologies is poised to address this challenge by placing life-saving technology into the hands of millions. With its innovative approach to affordable, real-time cardiac monitoring, Sunfox Technologies has the power to significantly reduce cardiac-related fatalities and improve healthcare accessibility worldwide.

About Sunfox Technologies:

Sunfox Technologies, founded in 2016 and based in Dehradun, is a leading med-tech company focused on making healthcare accessible and affordable. Specializing in biomedical instrumentation, AI, and IoT-based solutions, its flagship innovation, Spandan, is a portable ECG device that detects over 40 heart abnormalities with 99.7% accuracy. Recognized by the Prime Minister of India and featured on Shark Tank India, Sunfox has impacted thousands of lives by improving cardiac care. With a vision to serve the next billion, the company continues to develop cutting-edge, life-saving medical solutions to bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities worldwide.

Website: https://sunfox.in/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunfox/

3 Indian Startups Among 23 Selected for Google’s 1st AI Academy in Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific Al Academy, an initiative by Google for Startups to support and accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) -focused startups in the region has started this week . It is Google for Startups' first AI Academy in the Asia Pacific region.

The inaugural program, which started with a 3-day boot camp in Singapore, includes 3 Indian Startups, which are among 23 Al startups selected from seven countries: Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Singapore.

These startups will benefit from mentorship, product training, and networking opportunities to refine their Al products and grow their businesses. The program aims to help these innovators leverage Google's latest Al technologies and develop effective and responsible Al solutions.

Three Indian Startups selected are –

1. Clodura.AI (Pune): Optimizing the sales cycle with a GenAI-powered co-pilot.
2. Devnagri (Noida) : Personalizing communications to engage non-English speakers.
3. Sivi.ai (Bengaluru): Delivering multilingual design solutions for instant ad and visual creation.

South Korea (7) and Japan (6) have most number of startups selected for this program. Indonesia, Pakistan and Singapore have 2 startups each, selected for the AI Academy while Malaysia has one startups. Full information is here.

These 23 selected startups are using AI to create opportunities and solve pressing social issues, from saving the environment to increasing financial inclusion.

Over the coming months, these 23 startups will continue on their AI Academy journey which will wrap up in December with Graduation Day.

While the majority of the program will take place virtually, program participants have been invited to join an in-person bootcamp in Singapore from October 15 to 17.

This AI Academy program is an equity free three-month program designed to help startups leverage Google's latest AI technologies, with the goal of accelerating business growth by providing startups with a deeper understanding of AI.

Indian Startups Now Take 5 Yrs to Reach $100 Million from Zero in Revenue Comparing To 18 Yrs Earlier

Indian Startups are now taking about five years to reach $100 million in revenue. This information is given in a report released on Thursday. With the ecosystem maturing over the past decade, the time it takes to reach the $ 100 million mark has been significantly reduced। It took 18 years to reach revenue of $ 100 million in 2000, which has now been five years, according to data from Redseer Strategy Consultants.

The report further said, "There are about 100 unicorns and 170 sunicorns in India। Of these 270 shining stars, more than 40 startups in fintech, ecommerce and logistics have exceeded $ 100 million in revenue by FY 2022। "It has taken 5 to 12 years for these startups to reach this scale."

The report noted that on current valuations, it gives about 4.5 times the return on their investment for VCs. Rohan Agarwal, partner of Redseer Strategy Consultants, said, "Tam extension customized solutions, fit product market, improve profitability and operational efficiency, Our industry experts help take startups to heights and solve their challenges.

There are about 12,000 startups in India, whose revenue classification is less than ( 10 million dollars ), Growth stage ranges from ( $ 100 million ) to large ( 100 million dollars to over $ 1 billion ). Of these, 95% are in the emerging category, 3-4% are in the growth phase and less than 0.5% of companies are large.

Venture capital has played a critical role in assisting start-ups to reach the revenue milestone. Moreover, investors add tremendous value to the companies they fund. In addition, the knowledge of governance, financial prudence, and networks brought by VCs is invaluable for start-ups.

In the last 15 years (CY 2008 to CY2022), VCs have invested about $143 billion in the start-up ecosystem, which is currently valued at $804 billion. At current valuation, it translates to an approximately 4.5x return for VCs on their investments, as noted in the study.

Factors such as inadequate profitability and operational, organisational, and governance limitations are the main problems that cause start-ups to fail.

Canada's TBDC Picks 25 Indian Startups to Participate in Collision — the World’s Largest Start-up Technology Conference

Conference to be held in Toronto from 20th to 23rd June 2022

Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) which is Canada’s India-focused incubator has announced to take 25 selected Indian start-ups to Toronto and participate in Collision 2022. Collision is the world’s largest start-up tech conference, which takes place in Toronto. This year’s Collision conference will be held in Toronto from June 20th to June 23rd, 2022. 

TBDC in the recent past has assisted many Indian founders with innovative start-ups in expanding internationally and is determined to do the same this year as well. This TBDC's initiative is in collaboration with BHIVE, Brampton’s premier start-up incubator program.

Engineer bringing Technology to Life Pvt Ltd (EBTL), Mapmygenome, MakeStories, and UnRemote are among the selected start-ups that will participate in the Collision conference.

During the visit, the founders of the start-ups will get the opportunity to meet investors, technology innovators, potential partners and mentors, and ecosystem players who will assist them in succeeding in the lucrative North American market.

“We are excited to welcome the founders of these startups to Canada, a promising startup destination. Engaging with relevant and meaningful investors, technology innovators, potential partners, mentors, and ecosystem players will undoubtedly be critical to boost and accelerating the growth of these start-ups and will assist them in expanding internationally. The program is divided into two parts: group programming and individualized programming tailored to the specific needs of the Entrepreneur, which will position the start-ups for success in North American markets,” said Mr. Vikram Khurana, Chairman of TBDC and CEO of BHive.

Specially designed workshops will assist 25 Indian start-ups in gaining clarity on issues such as incorporation, immigration, raising capital, and overall successful business setup. The conference will also enable founders of the start-ups to participate in meaningful networking events, such as one-on-one meetings with TBDC’s mentors, angel investors, funders, subject matter experts, and other ecosystem influencers in Ontario.

Other than the Live Pitching, Mentorship, Workshop, the Collision conference also promises to aid and make a commitment of investment to the participating startups. When a startup will receive a commitment from a designated organization, each applicant will hold 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all outstanding shares of the corporation, and up to 5 people can apply as owners. Applicants and the designated organization will jointly hold more than half of the total voting rights attached to all outstanding shares of the corporation at the time of commitment.

As the North America’s fastest-growing tech conference, Collision's annual event brings together market leaders, technology experts, and the media to determine where the world is headed next. It’s therefore widely known as “the Olympics of technology.”

About TBDC:

TBDC is Toronto’s premier start-up accelerator incubator and the designated entity under Canada’s Start-Up Visa program that serves as a soft landing for international companies looking to establish a footprint in Canada. TBDC has been acclaimed as one of the country’s leading business incubators in fostering entrepreneurial community, providing business support, and establishing investor relations.

About BHIVE:

BHive is a leading start-up incubator program with a dedicated focus on the Canadian Government’s Start-Up Visa Program. Through this program, we offer incoming international start-ups and entrepreneurs the tools, resources, and space to establish – and quickly scale – their businesses in Canada and North America. BHive is a collaboration between the City of Brampton and the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) and has been strategically designed to ensure start-ups have everything they need to scale and grow.

Indian Startups Win Big in Bid to Scale Technology for Persons with Disabilities

• Successful startups in inaugural Prosus social impact challenge improve lives of persons with hearing, mobility and speech impairment
• Three assistive tech entrepreneurs secure mentoring and a combined INR 55 lakhs on eve of International Day of People with Disabilities

Reprentative Image

NEW DELHI , Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of International Day of People with Disabilities   on 3rd December, Prosus, the global consumer internet group of Naspers, is pleased to announce that Sohum Innovation Labs, NeoMotion Assistive Solutions and Stamurai from Demosthenes Technologies, all early-stage Indian ventures developing technology to aid persons with disabilities, have been selected as the top three startups in the inaugural Prosus Social Impact Challenge for Accessibility (Prosus SICA). Prosus SICA identifies and supports talented entrepreneurs who are developing and deploying assistive technology. Prosus has committed INR 16,500,000 over three years to the initiative.

• Sohum Innovation Labs founded by Nitin Sisodia and based in Bengaluru was awarded first place for the ingenuity and impact shown by a highly accessible device that has been designed to detect hearing impairment amongst infants and small children. The Sohum device allows for a non-invasive procedure that captures a child's response to sound stimulus in just 90 seconds. Sohum Innovation Labs embodies the theme of this year's International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD), which is that 'Not all disabilities are visible'. 
• In second place is Chennai -based  NeoMotion , which makes bespoke wheelchairs, designed to ensure accurate posture, energy conservation, and compactness to enhance accessibility and mobility. Founded by Swostik Sourav Dash, NeoMotion wheelchairs have a motor-powered clip-on which converts into a safe, roadworthy vehicle, eliminating the need for the user to transfer into other vehicles. 
• Third place has been awarded to Stamurai , a highly cost-effective and easily accessible mobile app which addresses speech and language disabilities. Stamurai, co-founded by Meet Singhal and located in New Delhi , automates speech therapy and serves as a personalised, digital coach to guide the user. Sohum, NeoMotion and Stamurai will receive grants of INR 2,500,000, INR 1,800,000 and INR 1,200,000 respectively.

In the fourth and fifth place are Cogniable and Thinkerbell Labs . Cogniable, co-founded by Manu Kohli , is an autism management tool which has aids with early automated screening and remote guided treatment. Thinkerbell Labs, led by Sanskriti Dawle, was chosen for Annie, a Braille literacy device that helps the visually impaired learn to read, write, and type in Braille independently through interactive audio-guided content. Annie allows for easy monitoring and evaluation of student progress via analytics. It is interactive and gives instantaneous feedback and continuously evaluates the user, making the learning experience engaging.

All five startups will be inducted into a new Prosus SICA mentorship programme, which entitles them to business advice from Prosus, technical guidance and support from World Health Organization (WHO) and an opportunity to incubate with Social Alpha, a group focused on strengthening impact innovation and entrepreneurship across India .

According to the World Report on Disability by WHO, 15 per cent of the world's population, or more than 1 billion people, are living with disabilities. WHO, a technical partner to Prosus SICA, says that in many low-income and middle-income countries, only between 5 per cent and 15 per cent of those who require assistive devices and technologies have access to them.1

Chapal Khasnabis, Head, Access to Assistive Technology and Medical Devices Unit, WHO, Geneva said: "The jury saw diverse ideas from talented startups across India . They reflected a wide variety of capabilities and proficiencies that are existing in the Indian startup ecosystem today. The top startups have incorporated expertise and effective insights into the designs they submitted."

Deepak Bagla , MD & CEO, Invest India , said: "Congratulations to the top startups. This challenge has been aimed at promoting innovation and ensuring inclusivity across the country. The challenge brings to the forefront the excellence of our innovators in developing impactful solutions for global issues."

Manoj Kumar , Founder, Social Alpha said: "Social Alpha has been a huge proponent of high-impact startups that are committed towards enhancing the quality of life of persons living with disabilities. The top startups have made commendable efforts in developing promising assistive tech solutions and addressing the issues of accessibility, affordability and equal opportunity. I congratulate the top startups of SICA and wish them the best in their journey."

Sehraj Singh, Director, Public Policy and Corporate Affairs, India , Prosus, said : "We would like to congratulate Sohum Innovation Labs, NeoMotion, and Stamurai who braved competition from more than 200 startups across India . Prosus is thrilled to work with these transformative entrepreneurs and support them in building sustainable businesses. We are equally excited to be creating social value for people who will benefit from these technologies. This journey could not have been successful without the support of our eminent jury and partners, Invest India, Social Alpha, Startup India and WHO. Together, Prosus SICA is advancing India's assistive technology industry."

Nitin Sisodia , Founder and CEO, Sohum Innovation Labs, said: "Sohum devices have the potential to screen millions of babies and young children in low-income countries for hearing impairments, ensuring timely and suitable medical intervention. Support from Prosus SICA will not only help us pursue this potential, but will also demonstrate the importance of technology in supporting inclusive growth in India and beyond."

The top startups were selected by a specialist and expert jury which evaluated a range of attributes, such as the underlying issue being addressed by each startup, product scalability, market feasibility, outcomes of clinical trials and accessibility for the ultimate beneficiaries. 2020 was the first year of Prosus SICA, this initiative will take place over the next two years.

1 WHO

About Prosus Social Impact Challenge for Accessibility

Prosus Social Impact Challenge for Accessibility (Prosus SICA) is a Prosus-backed social impact investing challenge. Prosus is committing INR 16,500,000 over three years to Prosus SICA, and each year will award grants to the top three winning startups working in the area of accessibility. First place will receive INR 2,500,000, second place INR 1,800,000 and third place INR 1,200,000

For further background about Prosus and partners supporting Prosus SICA, please visit:

Prosus: www.prosus.com
Invest India : https://www.investindia.gov.in/
Startup India : https://www.startupindia.gov.in/
Social Alpha: https://www.socialalpha.org/
WHO: https://www.who.int/india

For more information contact:
Sehraj Singh
Director
Public Policy and Corporate Affairs
Prosus
sehraj.singh@prosus.com

For media enquiries contact:
Sarah Ryan
International Media Relations Director
Prosus
sarah.ryan@prosus.com

2 Indian Cybersecurity Startups among Finalists of Kaspersky Open Innovation Program

Two Indian Cybersecurity startups have selected in top 12 finalists of Kaspersky Open Innovation Program “Cyber Security for Small & Medium Businesses”, a startup support & growth program by Moscow, Russia-based cybersecurity company, Kaspersky. Kaspersky and its partners reviewed 186 applications from 36 countries including the US, UK, Israel, Russia, Germany, and France.

Two Indian companies selected are -- HaltDos and InstaSafe.

An online Demo Day held on 30 September, where all 12 finalists successfully presented their projects to Kaspersky experts. This is the 4th set of startups in the year of the Open Innovation program. The Moscow firm focused on a narrow request from business – a focus on cybersecurity solutions for SMB (small and medium-sized businesses) to protect cloud applications and the network.

In the next stage of the programme, the winners chosed from these 12 finalists, will work jointly with Kaspersky on product development, as well as receiving technical and business mentoring. Those that pass the pilot will also have access to Kaspersky channel partners (including distributors and resellers), clients and prospects.

Noida-based HaltDos is an IT security company providing AI-based network and application security solutions both on-premise and on-cloud. HaltDos claims to be World's first Integrated WAF & DDoS mitigation solution that 'Detects, Mitigates & Monitors' network/Application on a continuous basis to protect from DDoS & Web Application attacks.

Bangalore-based InstaSafe is a cloud-based SaaS solution provider, delivering protection to mobile and remote workers, enabling them to securely access enterprise apps, email and web from anywhere on any network.

The List of Finalists:

1. Blaick (Israel) Сyber-security company which deploys proprietary Artificial Intelligence threats detection technology for early prevention of online cyber crime, including phishing, malware and scam.
2. CyberCyte (United Kingdom) 360° Protection for On-Premise and Off-Premise Users in Minutes. 
3. Cyolo (Israel) The first real zero-trust solution, a safer architecture that allows organizations to securely connect their internal, remote and third-party users to their working environments. 
4. Haltdos (India) IT Security company providing AI-based Network and Application security solutions both on-premise and on-cloud. 
5. InstaSafe (India) Cloud-based Security-as-a-Service solution provider delivering comprehensive and uncompromising protection to mobile and remote workers enabling them to safely and securely access enterprise apps, email and web from anywhere on any network. 
6. Polaris Infosec (Singapore) Next-generation AI engine to monitor and analyse website and API traffic. 
7. Polymer (United States) Real-time detection and redaction of sensitive material such as PII, HIPAA-protected health information, and regulated financial information in popular collaboration tools like Slack, Zendesk, Zoom, Github and more. 
8. Pyxsoft PowerWAF (Chile) Protection against DoS and OWASP top 10 attacks, data theft, server infiltration, blocking of installed malware, and zero-day attacks. 
9. Safetica (Czech Republic) DLP suite which combines data protection with behavioral analysis and endpoint monitoring. 
10. WEBGAP (United States) Browser isolation cybersecurity startup, fully-hosted and fully-managed remote browsers. 
11. Zecurion Data Loss Prevention (Russia) Comprehensive protection against the leakage of information throughout the course of its lifecycle – from creation and recording to archiving and deletion. 
12. Zero Networks (Israel) Preventing attacks from spreading and causing damage by automatically restricting network access to only what is normally needed, everything else goes through 2-step verification.

Source - gotechinnovation.com

Govt Awards 12 Startups for Innovation in Animal Husbandry, Dairy Sector

The government on Friday gave awards to 12 startups for finding innovative solutions to address problems faced by the animal husbandry and dairy sector, a statement said.

Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Giriraj Singh announced the winners of 'Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge'. 

The ministry in partnership with Startup India had launched the 'Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge' to scout for innovative and commercially viable solutions to address the problems faced by the animal husbandry and dairy sector. 

The challenge was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September last year at a national animal disease control programme in Mathura. 

As many as 157 applications were received in this competition. 

"The 12 startups...will be given cash grants worth Rs 1,02,00,000," the statement said. 

Under value-added products category, the winner was Krushak Mitra Agro Services Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, while Studio Carbon, Ahmedabad, was the runner-up. 

In the category of eliminating milk adulteration, White Gold Technologies LLP, Mumbai & Micro Life Innovations, Chennai were selected. 

For breed improvement, Adis Technologies, Belagavi, Karnataka and CisGEN Biotech Discoveries Pvt Ltd, Chennai were awarded. 

Under animal nutrition,  Krimanshi Technologies Pvt Ltd, Jodhpur and 2. Cornext Agri Products Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad were selected. 

For finding e-commerce solutions, MoooFarm, Gurugram, Haryana and AKM Technologies Pvt Ltd, Cuttack got the award. 

Under product traceability, EmerTech Solutions Pvt Ltd, Mumbai and NebulARC Technologies Pvt Ltd, Delhi were selected. 

No startup got an award in the category 'single use plastic alternatives'. "Two winners under each problem awarded with cash grants worth Rs  10 lakh (Winner) and Rs 7 lakh (Runner-up)," the statement said. 

The winners will be provided incubation offers. The incubator would be responsible for physical incubation of these startups for up to 3 months, mentor matchmaking, lab facility and testing facilities. 

The activities of the startups will be tracked  for up to nine months after the completion of the programme. PTI MJH

Microsoft Partners with G7CR to Bring $3 Mn in Benefits for Indian Startups, SMEs

A booster dose to the start-up ecosystem in India, G7CR Technologies, a leading global information technology and cloud services company today announced the launch of the SSB 360 program in partnership with Microsoft. The initiative will provide for start-ups and small businesses benefits of up to $3 million and strategic association. The program will focus on providing support across four key business areas: Capital, Building Competency (Technical & Leadership), Revenue and Technology.

With SSB360 program, companies will have access to funding channels, strategic partnerships and will also be offered access to leading tech and industry experts. The initiative will also help in leveraging the existing channels in order to increase the go-to-market strategy. Positioning, branding and market fitment supports will also be provided in order to help the companies function smoothly from day one.

As a Founding Technology Partner, Microsoft launches a joint initiative with G7CR Technologies to support, sustain and help the start-up's grow. This unique opportunity will help Start-ups to leverage Microsoft products, their platforms and the market reach to scale your business.

Here are just a few of the ways outlined to help start-ups:

1. Digital and social campaigns to promote Start-ups solution.


2. A dedicated Success Manager to unlock the right opportunities.


3. A customized Go-To-Market plan to maximize joint marketing with Microsoft.


4. Targeted industry co-marketing and account planning.


5. A worldwide enterprise sales force paid to sell your solutions into their accounts

Dr. Christopher Richard, Founder & MD, G7CR Technologies, said, “Apart from enhancing the existing eco-system, SSB360 will channelize our expertise and services ostensibly for start-ups and small businesses. The program's edge is that in its simple and helps create multi-faceted value in the ever-growing competitive market. G7CR focuses on demonstrating excellence in innovation and with SSB360 we would want to inculcate the same in businesses associating with us.”

Any company less than 10 years' old with revenue below Rs 100 crore can avail the benefits of the SSB360. Companies can register via a toll-free number 1 800 582 3617, following which a team of experts from G7CR Technologies will shortlist the eligible.

Rajiv Sodhi, Executive Director, SMB, Startup and Partner Ecosystem, Microsoft India said: “Microsoft is committed to nurturing India's emerging startup potential. With our tech expertise, focus on trust and global go-to-market partnerships, we empower startups to scale sustainably. A lot of startups are already seeing deep benefits through our differentiated offerings. We're pleased to be associated with G7CR Technologies in extending support to Indian startups through this comprehensive program that includes access to capital, technology and GTM resources.”

India is home to the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem. This year alone over 1,300 tech start-ups came into existence. However, almost every other start-up faces several challenges and SSB 360 aims to help by leveraging larger strategic engagements.

About G7CR Technologies

G7CR Technologies India is Asia's fastest growing innovative technology and services company. Currently touching over 800+ businesses across India. Some of the disruptive offers of G7CR are free support, monitoring & governance services for Cloud deployment, Hardware buyback program. G7CR has been recognised globally for its technical capabilities.

Indian Startups in Aviation Sector to Pitch for Support at Singapore Airshow

Startups from India with innovative technologies in the aerospace, civil aviation and air services are expected to pitch for support to industry heavyweights such as Airbus and Boeing at the Singapore Air Show 2020 next month, the organisers said.

The Singapore Air Show would be organised from February 11-16 and will witness the participation of some 65 top aerospace and defence companies.

The show, which is being organised by Experia Events Pte Ltd, will also be joined by 1,000 industry exhibitors from 50 countries and 55,000 trade visitors from 150 countries.

"We all know that there is a lot of technologies that these companies hold. We are looking forward to see these startups during pitching sessions," said Leck Chet Lam, the managing director of Experia Events Pte Ltd during the pre-show press conference on Monday.

More than 60 startups from 10 countries, including India, are scheduled to make presentations on a wide range of domains during the show.

The presentations will cover sustainability, smart transport, automation, smart manufacturing, digital solutions, artificial intelligence and cyber security apart from other vital subjects.

"The startups are to pitch for investors and industry support from the global aviation industries, which would include chief executives of industry heavyweights such as Airbus and Boeing," said Leck.

"The Indians have been long-term participants as they value participating in the Singapore Air Show,” he added.

Also, planned along the show is the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leader Summit to be attended by more than 300 aviation experts.

The summit is to be held from February 9-10 and will be addressed by industry experts, including Ajay Singh, chief executive of SpiceJet, the organisers said. PTI GS

Investments in Indian Tech Start-ups Touched $14 Bn in 2019: Report

Investments in Indian tech-enabled start-ups grew 18 per cent to USD 14 billion (about Rs 99,400 crore) in 2019, with Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru accounting for a lion's share of the funds, a report by research and consulting firm HexGn said.

India has performed better both in the number of deals as well as funding in value terms with companies like Oyo, Paytm, Ola Electric, Udaan, Bounce and Delhivery raising large rounds, the report said.

"While the number of startup deals in India fell by only 15 per cent (down 27 per cent globally and in Asia), funding in value terms in startups rose by 18 per cent (compared to a 22 per cent decline globally and 56 per cent fall in Asia)," it added.

Globally, the total funding for technology start-ups is estimated to have dipped by 22 per cent to USD 293 billion from USD 375 billion in 2018, with a 27 per cent drop in deals, the report said.

In Asia, funding dropped by 56 per cent to USD 83 billion in 2019 from USD 158 billion in the previous year.

HexGn analysed over 60,000 deals and 1 million data points for the report.

Delhi-NCR attracted USD 7.4 billion in funding, while Bengaluru-based start-ups received USD 4.4 billion in 2019, it said.

E-commerce has customarily been the sector to attract the most funding in India and in 2019 too, it continued its strong march and attracted USD 2.2 billion in funding, the report added.

Transportation and logistics start-ups attracted funding of over USD 2.4 billion, while fintech companies raised over USD 4.1 billion, given the considerable potential of the sector and thrust towards transparency and digital payments from the Indian government, it noted. PTI SR

Healthcare Startup GenElek Developing Affordable Exoskeletons for Specially-Abled

With an aim to provide affordable exoskeletons in India, GenElek Technologies, a healthcare startup is developing externally worn robotic exoskeletons that enhance a human's limbic capabilities. The technology helps people suffering from paralysis, stroke, spinal cord injury (SCI) and other neurological conditions to meet eye to eye with the obstacles they face in their day-to-day life. The exoskeleton assists specially-abled people to walk again while making them self-reliant and independent. This not only benefits them physically but also mentally. One such possibility is it will increase their employability.

Some of the benefits of using an exoskeleton include preventing chronic diseases including diabetes and high blood pressure. Additionally, problems like bed-sores are a cause of concern in paralyzed persons which can be avoided if they use exoskeletons. It also helps to maintain normal bowel movement of the user which is the primary reason for becoming prone to life-threatening diseases.

[caption id="attachment_140491" align="alignleft" width="338"] Genelek Exoskeleton[/caption]

The exoskeleton model is lightweight and modular which enables the physiotherapist to increase the much-needed care and standards of therapy required by the affected persons. At home accessibility to healthcare is also a benefit with our exoskeleton. RnD regarding enabling the specially-abled persons is deficient and hence the devices available have limited relevance, with independence a significantly ignored focus.

John Kujur, Founder, GenElek Technologies said, "We at GenElek Technologies are on a mission to make this technology affordable therefore collaborations with leading hospitals with Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation facilities and NGOs are being actively pursued. After, having discussions with many Doctors, Specially-abled persons, and Medical Institutions, we have come up with added intangible benefits for the persons willing to purchase the exoskeleton such as access to dedicated medical experts, occupational therapy, counseling, etc. which will help them to become employable along with the therapy”.

GenElek is incubated at Electropreneur Park which is an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and IT and managed by STPI and implemented by IESA.

GenElek Technologies at CYBATHALON 2020

GenElek Technologies will now represent India in CYBATHLON 2020, Zurich in the Powered Exoskeleton Race discipline. GenElek’s exoskeleton will compete with 17 other teams in the 'Powered Exoskeleton Race' discipline. It is for the first time that a team from India has been selected for the ‘Powered Exoskeleton Race’. Over 79 Teams from across the globe will come together in Zurich for CYBATHLON. The pilots for the exoskeleton race are ex-Indian army men who were injured for life in the line of duty.

CYBATHLON is a unique competition where specially-abled people compete against each other using the most advanced assistive systems. The latest developments assistive systems including wearable exoskeletons are put to the test at the CYBATHLON. The technologically-advanced assistive systems are pushed to their limits at CYBATHLON. Specially-abled people compete in specially designed racecourses that include solving everyday tasks like- getting up from the sofa, climbing stairs, walking on a slant path and rough terrain and many others.

You can support Team GenElek to participate in CYBATHLON 2020 by donating on the following link: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/help-team-india-win-cybathlon-2020-zurich

TiECon Mumbai 2020; The Decade of Startups - Kickstarting the Future

The 11th edition of TiECon Mumbai is scheduled to be held on 28th - 29th January 2020 at NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai with a vibrant theme “The Decade of Startups - Kickstarting the Future".

TiECon Mumbai 2020 will focus on how startups are going to drive the future by changing how we use and consume goods and services, interact with technology and deploy them to solve pressing problems. The innovation driven by startups may make many current businesses redundant and create opportunities for new ones. TiECon Mumbai 2020 will spotlight all of this and more.

In the last decade, startups have emerged as a force to be reckoned with. They have proven their worth to the economy of the country and to the world. But this is just the beginning, as startups and entrepreneurs are now focusing on more industries with the use of upcoming technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain.

TiECon Mumbai is the largest Entrepreneurial Leadership Conclave that takes place once a year in Mumbai. TiECon has been an integral part of TiE’s efforts to bring the industry leaders and startups together for thought leadership, inspiration, experiences and stories, mentoring and potential path breaking innovative disruptions. In addition, myriad-networking opportunities created at this event makes it a hot bed of ideators, potential leaders and influencers.

“TiECon 2020 is designed to contemplate on the future of ideas that entrepreneurs and the leaders needed to embrace to navigate through remarkable breakthroughs and journeys paving the way for the next decade of the startup world,” said Atul Nishar, President, TiE Mumbai.

Key Highlights of TiECon Mumbai

2 Days Leadership Conclave with Multiple session & Parallel workshop.

• Melting pot of entrepreneurial ecosystem – 2000+ Entrepreneur, Professionals, Corporates, Industry Leaders, Regulators, Government bodies & related Department.


• 500+ growth startups participating: 100+ curated Pitches to investors (TiE Angles Mumbai) & corporates.


• 250+ Angel Investors, 50+ Institutional Investors: Growth Hack Clinics, Advisory Clinics on Fund Raising for Growing startups (Series B, C++).


• 300+ Charter Members, Analyst, Media, Industry Commentators.


• Formats: Keynote sessions, Workshops, Pitch sessions, Mentor & Investor Roundtables, Startup Expo, etc.


• Peer to Peer Thought Leadership.


• Master Class on Future Technologies.


• Exclusive one on one’s with policy makers, Minister, Principal Secretaries, Govt. agencies. Etc.


• Special Interest Group discussion forums (Through the 2 days)


• 125+ globally recognized Speakers from various parts of the globe are expected to be a part of the conference this year. In addition, 350+ Global Charter Members, 500+ Investors, 750+ CXO's, 750+ High Potential Startups, 12 Country Delegations and World Media, Top Analysts & Press promises to make TiEcon Mumbai 2020 a well-attended signature event in its fraternity.

The TiECon Mumbai held in past have seen speakers like Ratan Tata, Shri Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra Government), N Chandrasekaran, (Chairman Tata Sons), Narayana Murthy (Founder, Infosys), Salman Khan (Actor), Rakesh Jhunjhunwala (Investor), Katrina Kaif (Actor), Sanjay Nayar (KKR), Uday Kotak, Travis Kalanick (Uber), Jitendra Gupta (PayU), Bhavin Turakhia (Directi), Jyoti Bansal (AppDynamics), Brad Feld (Foundry Group), Sanjay Mehrotra (Sandisk), Deep Nishar (Softbank), as Keynote Speakers. Other speakers at TiE conference include Jack Welch, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk, Deepak Chopra, Thomas Friedman, Ted Turnder, and Nobel prize winners Dr. Amartya Sen, Kailash Satyarthi and Dr. Myron Scholes to name a few.

About TiE

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE: mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE’s focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE’s mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE’s focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs.

CES 2020 - India Tech Park to Promote Indian Startups Globally

Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist, Asha Jadeja Motwani has announced the launch of India Tech Park at CES 2020, the largest and most influential technology event worldwide, which is going to be held in Las Vegas from January 7-10, 2020.

India Tech Park is a platform for Indian startups working towards a sustainable future utilizing technological innovation and creating products that tackle pressing global problems.

The purpose of the first ever India Tech Park is to showcase India’s blooming consumer electronic systems startups globally and provide them exposure to the international startup ecosystem. The startups chosen are driven by responsible young entrepreneurs with sensitivity to climate, water, and sustainable food practices.

Sharing her vision about the India Tech Park, Asha Jadeja Motwani, Founder of

[caption id="attachment_140325" align="alignright" width="300"] Asha Jadeja Motwani, Founder of Motwani Jadeja Foundation[/caption]

Motwani Jadeja Foundation, said, "The startup ecosystem in India is still evolving. The promise shown by Indian startups is incredible. Buoyed by bold, fresh economic policies and reduced red tape, Indian startups can truly lead the world and can contribute to the goal of a $5 Trillion economy by 2025 and even overshoot it to reach a $10 Trillion economy if nurtured and supported well.

The government has taken a lot of initiatives to provide a push to the startup culture in the country but the international exposure to the enterprising startups is still relatively low. Indian policy makers need to be part of the macroeconomic world and talk in global terms to compete in the world economy."

At the time, when connectivity and reach are no longer problems, the government must take a stride forward and push the startups to get the global exposure which would benefit the country as a whole and India Tech park is igniting the spark. She further added.

Few of the startups promoted by India Tech Park in CES 2020 are - Calamus, Hyper Lychee, Wagr, Altifarm, Strom Motors and Stempedia.

About Asha Jadeja Motwani

Asha Jadeja Motwani is a Silicon Valley based Venture Capitalist, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Change agent for “exponential change” in the world. She is an influencer with a humanitarian vision to uplift the downtrodden masses and tackle global power inequalities.

As a Venture Capitalist, she has invested in over 100 startups, some of which have gone on to become public companies including Kaltix (now Google), Jareva (now Veritas) and Mimosa Systems. She has been a speaker at TiE Global Summit, Stanford University, Ink Talks, World Economic Forums to name a few.

About Motwani Jadeja Foundation (MJF)

Motwani Jadeja Foundation (MJF) is a non-profit organization which has created a network of entrepreneurs in South Asia trained to think and drive exponential change. The areas of work include disruptive entrepreneurship, poverty alleviation, gender parity, and sustainable development. Motwani Jadeja Foundation supports a global network of entrepreneurial thinkers, artists, writers and tech innovators driven by the values of individual freedom and excellence. Most of the projects are designed from the ground up to become self-sustaining social movements fuelled by local communities.

MJF’s main initiatives are education, the maker movement, and women’s rights. Based out of the Bay Area, NYC, and India, the foundation has a strong global footprint across various tech sectors and academia.

~ Newsvoir

Pune Startup launches ‘CYMOUR’ - India's 1st Private Cycle Sharing Option

Adding a new leaf to the sharing economy, a Pune based startup, Renacle Cycling Private Limited has launched India’s first private cycle sharing option under the brand ‘CYMOUR’.

In recent times, many countries have encountered an explosion in public bike sharing model. Out of their love for cycling, the founders of CYMOUR has reimagined CYCLE’s position and its utility. “It is a delight to see our consumers defying traffic, addressing pollution and inspiring others as they ride for sustainability and health. We, at CYMOUR, believe that Cycling will no longer be believed to be a poor man’s vehicle.”- Rahul Arya, CEO of Renacle Cycling Private Limited.

CYMOUR serves and manages over 60 gated premises and has deployed around 300 cycles. These premises are interconnected on CYMOUR platform with easy pick and drop service at CYMOUR PODs, which are usually of one car parking size. These CYMOUR Pods are placed inside the premise and are exclusively made available for the consumers residing in them.



CYMOUR has seen over 40,000+ rides with 5,000+ active riders and 20,000+ downloads on 300 cycles in 15 months only. With huge consumer demands to deploy more cycles at more locations in Pune, CYMOUR plans to create a dense network of pods in Pune with 10,000 cycles, serving 2,000 curated locations and extend that further to top 50 cities of India in coming years.

[caption id="attachment_138727" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Aniket Mahashabde & Rahul Arya[/caption]

CYMOUR brings a unique proposition of providing premium cycles and electric cycles at user’s doorstep through subscription-based model. City can now spot cyclists, cycling for fun, fitness and commute and not worry about maintenance and service part. CYMOUR’s urban rider can choose cycles of their choice from single gear, multiple gear and electric cycles deployed in their own township and ride to his workplace, gym, or even participate in races. The subscription deal is easy on pockets, motivating consumers to ride and experience branded quality cycles which they can passionately flaunt about.

About CYMOUR:



CYMOUR is a brand, introduced by Renacle Cycling Private Limited, headquartered in Pune. The brand is known in cycling circles since 2011 and began its humble journey from being a cycling tours and events company. It has seen several evolutions over the years from planning 500+ cycling tours to retailing 2,000+ premium cycles and over 1,500+ doorstep cycle servicing. CYMOUR provides unparalleled quality cycling experience with easy its pick and drop, and maintenance services.

WTFL Announces 16 Finalists at Indian Startup Innovation Camp 2019

In association with IHCL and Tata Trusts, WTFL commits to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the sector

Sixteen finalists  in travel, tourism and hospitality sector to reach the next level of evaluation; categories being culture, commerce, community and conservation respectively

Innovation Camp 2019 to give wings to the innovative startups and support them to adopt sustainable development approach

After attaining a successful stature at global level, World Tourism Forum Lucrene (WTFL) is making its debut in India this year with first-of-its-kind competition – Indian Startup Innovation Camp 2019. Over 200 startups focusing on culture, community, conservation and commerce in the field of travel, tourism and hospitality from the Indian subcontinent applied for the competition.

[caption id="attachment_138641" align="alignleft" width="300"] Martin Barth, President and CEO, World Tourism Forum[/caption]

After rigorous evaluation of these startups, WTFL today shortlisted 16 finalists for the final round of selection and the winners will be announced during the event finale on December 18th in Bengaluru. One winner under each category will take home USD 10,000 each along with a personalized two-year mentoring by industry experts.

The globally renowned platform that provides world’s leading tourism, travel and hospitality leaders along with innovators to meet and shape a more sustainable future. For the past 10 years, WTFL has given an exclusive ground to the budding businessmen by nurturing their innovations in this sector. With this platform, our country will brace up to revive Brand India with the help of 5 Ts: Tradition, Talent, Tourism, Trade and Technology.

While congratulating the top 16 finalists on reaching the finale round, Martin Barth, President and CEO, World Tourism Forum said, “We are overwhelmed to experience truly innovative and game changing ideas of 200 startups that participated. Also, we are happy that we choose India this year as it gave us an opportunity to come across intelligent minds. India has a niche product portfolio in travel and tourism sector and is expected to grow at a rate of 100% by 2028. We are sure to make a mark and create awareness around the on-going environmental issues and look forward to holding more such engaging events in India in the coming years.”

In 2017, Global Himalayan Expedition became the first Indian start-up to have won the prestigious WTFL competition. Here is the list of the finalists in four verticals - culture, community, conservation and commerce in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry -

1. Culture


2. Augtraveler, Delhi


3. NotOnMap, Chamba


4. Authenticook, Mumbai


5. WildTrails, Bangalore


6. Commerce


7. Cab Dost, Bangalore


8. Camp Monk, Bangalore


9. MeTrippling, Bangalore


10. Outsite VR, New Delhi


11. Community


12. F5 Escapes, Bangalore


13. Kaarwan, Thane


14. Planet Abled, Delhi


15. Rural Odyssey, Gurgaon


16. Conservation


17. Lootel, Indore


18. Eco-wrap, Jaipur


19. Padcare Labs, Pune


20. Quick Ride, Bangalore

About WTFL

The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is an exclusive platform where the world’s leading tourism, travel and hospitality companies meet to shape a more sustainable future for tourism. It provides decision-makers with in-depth insights into the core themes of the tourism industry and a unique global network. The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is the only platform to integrate start-ups, young executives and students into one program. Over the past ten years, it has evolved into a year-round network of leaders and innovators who are driving positive change in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. This includes an influential network of leaders from the business, education, politics, finance and community sectors.

The focus area for the upcoming India camp is the positive social impact of travel, tourism and hospitality across the globe in the following categories:

• Conservation (Of nature and natural resources and assets including green infrastructure, water management, recycling, up cycling)


• Community (Rural, eco, ethnic and authentic tourism experiences in remote locations that lead to positive economic, environmental and social impact)


• Culture (Collaborative and inclusive preservation of tradition, local culture and skills including food, and culinary co-hosting and revival)


• Commerce (An open category for all tech enabled, disruptive, innovative, change making, groundbreaking ideas in the sector)

Indian Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019 is scheduled for December 18th at the Taj Bengaluru and is inspired by unique start-ups operating in the categories of Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. The event will give the attendees a chance to interact with the founders along with an opportunity to vote for their favorite winner!

Visual Discovery Platform Charmboard Wins the Best Design Award at 2019 SPOTT Awards

Charmboard has been named a winner in the Best Design/User Interface technology category of SPOTT Awards, 2019. SPOTT Awards honours excellence in video and audio content and recognises best-in-class efforts in creating the most innovative and disruptive design / user interface in last one year. The Awards by ET Brand Equity took place in Mumbai on the weekend.

Charmboard won the award for a discovery campaign it ran for Myntra during their flagship event - EORS. The campaign ran on all major TV shows of Zee5. Viewers watching India's top ranked TV series at Zee5 could simply tap to discover what they loved in the episode; and had an opportunity to buy or wishlist the product seamlessly from the show. The world's first implementation of in-video product discovery at scale brought millions of first-time users to commerce platforms.

Charmboard is currently available on videos at OTT platform Zee5 across eight languages and on tens of thousands of shared videos at its owned property. The shows on Zee5 include some of the highest rated in India such as Kumkum Bhagya & Kundali Bhagya. Top brands like L’Oréal, Amazon, Marico, Myntra, Amway, Jockey are amongst the brands who have been using Charmboard.

Global retail giant Target Corporation, USA and Venture fund 3one4 Capital had invested $5 million Series A round of funding of Charmboard

For brands, Charmboard provides an excellent opportunity to be present in the precise moment they need to. The user is a potential buyer, who is genuinely interested in the product and that’s what brings her to Charms, a visual bookmark of the inspiring moment in a video. This means that the brand has a likelihood of developing 5x brand affinity in the mind of a potential buyer. This also provides a space and context to place the right products in front of a curious user cutting through the clutter of forced digital ads, beautifully. Essentially showcasing the products to willing users with exceptional reach and engagement.

“We are delighted by this recognition from ET Brand Equity and this award will spur us to continue innovating and creating new value for our brand partners. Marketers increasingly want to put the customer at the center of their thinking and allow them to define each moment that matters. With our product offering marketers can create smarter journeys that delivers on-demand brand creatives in the right context,” said GBS Bindra, Founder and CEO of Charmboard.
About Charmboard

Founded in 2014, Charmboard is a web company that uses artificial intelligence to operate a service designed to discover more from popular culture, mainly video. It is transforming the way users engage with video. In the last two years since the company launched the service, it is reshaping the future of visual discovery and transforming how brands communicate with their audiences.

The emergence of a Charm - a personal visual bookmark marking a moment that has inspired the viewer, is helping brands build deeper connections with the users. A typical Charm comprises of three images and a GIF. The business model of Charmboard revolves around making brands discoverable. Brand ROI is guaranteed via inspired exposure during high points of consumer desire and consequent engagement reaching Charmboard’s large and growing audience.

~ Business Wire India

VC Arm of Samsung Invests $8.5 Mn in Four Indian Startups

Samsung Venture Investment Corporation (SVIC), the investment arm of Samsung, on Wednesday said it has made its maiden investment in India by pumping in USD 8.5 million (approximately Rs 58.28 crore) in four Indian startups.

SVIC, which has invested in a number of startups globally and has over US$2.2 billion in assets under management, hopes to invest in 100 Indian startups over the next three-five years.

The startups chosen by SVIC include system apps company OSLab (Indus OS), speech technology startup Gnani.ai, IoT solutions provider Silvan Innovation Labs, a Sequoia backed firm, and an unnamed early stage computer vision startup.

Samsung's investment in Silvan’s products and IoT platform will add value to its efforts to have all its products IoT ready by 2020.

Samsung recently introduced SmartThings platform to help consumers wirelessly connect with a whole range of smart devices. It is expanding the line-up of these products with new SmartThings camera, SmartThings Wi-Fi plug and SmartThings light bulb.

Samsung closely works with a host of startups that are committed to building innovative and purposeful technologies across the globe, Aloknath De, Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Samsung R&D Institute Bengaluru, told PTI.

SVIC will invest in early stage and growth-stage startups in India that are engaged in technology areas or work on services, like healthcare and vernacular content, digitally.

Himachal Startup NotOnMap gets 250,000 Euro Grant from Booking.com

Chamba, Himachal Pradesh-based startup Notonmap, which seeks to create livelihood for people in rural areas by connecting them to offbeat travellers, has bagged a Euro €2,50,000 grant (~ US $2,80,887) from travel portal Booking.com.

The grant of € 2,50,000 to NotoOnMap is the highest grant received by any startup and the Indian startup has received the money for its proposed expansion plans in the future.

The grant was announced Friday after ten shortlisted startups completed a 3-week accelerator programme called Booster accelerator program, which culminates with pitches for the grants.

Fuounded in 2014, by Kumar Anubhav, NotOnMap empowers communities and creates a livelihood for marginalized, vulnerable people in rural areas through the preservation of culture and heritage, connecting travelers with unique, differentiated experiences.

[caption id="attachment_130391" align="alignleft" width="750"] Kumar Anubhav[/caption]

Besides offering accommodation in rural areas, the startup also offers deep rooted cultural exchanges which give equally rewarding for travellers and also for the host house/family/village.

"The commercial validation of our model built around social enterprise from an industry leader like Booking Booster gives us immense confidence to pursue our mission more vigorously and passionately." Kumar Anubhav, Founder

NotOnMap is currently working across 60 villages, covering some 20 communities. Among other states they have presence are Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Karnataka.

The other sustainable tourism startups that are being awarded grants from the 2019 Booking.com Booster Program's €2 million fund are Avy (Netherlands) for €200k, SASANE Sisterhood Trekking and Travel (Nepal) for €175k, Picha Eats (Malaysia) for €175k, Clean Travel (Australia) for €100k, Hydrao (France) for €100k, I Like Local (Netherlands) for €100k and Sumba Hospitality Foundation (Indonesia) for €100k.



In addition to the Booking.com scaling grants, the finalist startups also get support from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will allow them to join its Startups program 'AWS Activate'. With this program, AWS provides startups with the resources they need to quickly get started on AWS - including credits, training, and support - to bring their ideas to life.

[All Images Except top featured taken from Bookingcares.com]

Via ~ Outlook India

Huddle Incubated 'Silky Cup' to Improve Hygiene for Women

Silky Cup, a female wellness startup incubated by Huddle, a Gurgaon based sector-agnostic incubator, is being provided acceleration support by HealthStart.

Silky cup is made to improve hygiene for women with a key focus on areas around India where there is limited access to sanitation and basic needs for women. Therefore, Silky Cup is a reusable and highly cost-effective product that is made keeping in mind the well-being of women, as well as providing an environmentally friendly alternative.

A menstrual Silky Cup offers many advantages such as sleeping well, visiting the pharmacy less, holds more liquid, wards off rashes, lightens your purse requires less changing, saves money, allows for an extra five hours in between changes, cause you to suffer fewer leaks. Silky Cup can easily manage heavy bleeding, irregular periods, prolonged menstrual periods and perimenopause.

Silky Cup provides 12 hours of leak-free protection. Silky Cup offers up to 12 hours of hassle-free day and night menstrual care and covers your heaviest to lightest menstrual flow. Silky Cup is ideal for women of all shapes and sizes. Silky Cup keeps you clean, dry and super active throughout periods. Ideal for all daily activities such as playing sports, traveling, swimming, cycling, diving, trekking, caving, dancing, climbing, bowling, walking, driving, sitting and sleeping; now no more odors, wetness, stains, itching or leaking during periods. Hole-less Menstrual Silky Cups are designed for higher capacity, so now you don't need to awake till midnights. No more leakage; even you don't feel its presence! Periods of care made easy. Travel, exercise, play sports, dance and swim with no fear of leaks during your periods. Silky Cup can hold up to 30 ml discharge during periods, which is 3 times more than tampons or pads can absorb. Silky Cup is easy to insert, remove and use. Silky Cup is a reusable and washable feminine hygiene product.

Gurinder, who is the founder, came up with this product post his travels around India and realizing the need for such a product mainly in tier 2/3 and rural areas.

Gurinder was born in Delhi in 1972 and his family hails from Amritsar.

He holds a commerce degree from Delhi University and was an avid sportsman during his college years. Post college, Gurinder studied textile and garment technologies and set up his own silk fabrication factory in 1995. He possesses more than 20 years of experience in silk manufacturing, import, and distribution PAN India.

In 2013, Gurinder read an article in TOI about 42 school-going girls in Amritsar who resorted to using old socks, ash, and sawdust during their menstrual cycle. This greatly exposed them to vaginal infections that could severely deteriorate their health. Discouraged by their plight, Gurinder extensively researched the field of menstrual hygiene and found that this problem was widespread in India. Existing solutions were either inaccessible or too expensive for the masses. During this study, he stumbled upon the concept of menstrual cups. While these were reusable, they were expensive, not easily available and lacked authentic health certifications. Determined to solve this problem, Gurinder started his own line of menstrual cups, known as Silky Cup. He created a safe, reusable, easy to dispose of, comfortable and hygienic solution that would uniquely cater to the Indian demographic.

Silky Cup has been distributed PAN India since 2015 and close to 90,000 units have been sold thus far.

Huddle, a co-working the incubator was founded in 2017 by Mr. Sanil Sachar & Mr. Ishaan Khosla. They fulfill the needs of a variety of segments, including start-ups, SMBs, and corporates, by providing a flexible workspace, convenient accessibility, and proximity to clientele. It not only offers an office space but a dynamic destination where people from different fields of startups come together, works together and grows together. An incubator with a core focus on mentorship, Huddle brings together start-ups and industry leaders, to provide intellectual, social and financial capital for each Huddler.

Huddle is a leading sector-agnostic incubator working with startups across industries and 7 different cities in India, with the primary focus of working closely with the founders of each venture and supporting them through the business functions that require assistance in order to get them to the next stage of their business life cycle.

Robotics to Blockchain, Game-Changing Products Unboxed at India Internet Day Launchpad

The Launchpad at TIE India Internet Day had the audience sitting on the edge of their seats, when Mitra - the Humanoid took to stage to welcome six disrupting products from India. Conceptualised by BoringBrands, #iDay Launchpad, was anchored by Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital, provided an opportunity to the curated startups for presenting their new products/services to an audience of VCs, entrepreneurs, and other prominent leaders of the industry. TiE Delhi-NCR hosted its 8th edition of India Internet Day, following the theme, 'India Internet Unboxed: Getting ready for a 100 Unicorns'.

Products presented at the event included:

Bandikoot by Genrobotic Innovations- The first robotic scavenger, the delight of the Launchpad, solves for manual scavenging. The founder revealed a heart warming story of how an erstwhile manual scavenger was now a robot operator at their startup.

Mirrar by StyleDotMe- A Fashion Tech startup providing virtual experience to try jewellery with the help of Augmented Reality (AR) on their iOS devices. Working with top jewelers across the country already, Styledotme launched its app version at Launchpad.

Appstract- While Blockchain has found immense popularity in the payments world, Appstract revealed an app built on the blockchain technology to reinvent the digital distribution of game items. The jury at Launchpad believed that this would open up the world of gaming and take it to next-level.

Ambee- A data-driven environmental intelligence technology to improve health, is drilling pollution data block by block. The startup founders believe that this data can help government to take constructive action towards better living.

Probus- A full suite of IoT solutions that monitor the health of distribution sub- station. The founders believe that every product result from the ideas formed on their lab's whiteboards and worktables must bring smiles in the lives of people using them. Acting as a IoT platform, Probus is working on building energy efficiency in the power distribution industry.

Clinikk- A one-stop shop for affordable and accessible point of contact for health assistance. The founders believe that India continues to have unmet services when it comes to healthcare. With Clinikk, people can now avail healthcare services at one click.



A set of four jury members that comprised of Rajan Anandan, Managing Director at Sequoia India; Vani Kola, Managing Director of Kalaari Capital; Deep Kalra, Group CEO at MakeMyTrip, and Pankaj Makkar, Managing Director at Bertelsmann India Investments selected the six startups out of the 70+ received.

Commenting on the event, Rajan Anandan - President, Director , TiE Delhi-NCR said, “This is the first time that we have organized a session like Launchpad at India Internet Day. It is a part of one of our many initiatives to 10x the startup ecosystem in India. NCR has emerged as a hot bed of ideation and startup activity and we are working to take things towards their logical course. The event was amazing with top 6 entrepreneurial companies from across the country showcasing their innovative products. We have already received a lot of appreciation and we look forward to more such years of success."

Adding to this, Aakriti Bhargava, Co-Founder at BoringBrands said, “Indian entrepreneurs are building some fantastic products. It was heartwarming to see the products showcased here solving some real issues with Robotics and Data Science. It is mesmerizing to see young entrepreneurs taking initiatives to identify and plan to bridge prevalent issues in society."

It has been a great experience working with TiE to bring out a successful session like #iDay Launchpad. ’’, she added.

Networking at the event, one of the new-age entrepreneurs stated, “The #iDay Launchpad is a great session that aims at raising a hundred new start-ups and ventures backed up by internet-centric innovations with the prospect of being global”. TiE believes in the power of innovation by startups, and the zest and zeal shown by entrepreneurs at the Launchpad, empowered the next-gen pioneers to pick up a more profound knowledge into the chances and advancing patterns in the business, he added. Sharing views on the concept of Launchpad, another entrepreneur said “The energy at this platform is insane and this is one of the greatest places to be at. It also gives the exposure to meet different investors and connect on a higher level to give the startup culture a hope of the future,”

The India Internet Day is an annual meet which brings together different stakeholders along with pioneers of the internet and entrepreneurial community to deliver ideas for the benefit of young entrepreneurs. It aims at empowering the next- generation leaders in getting a deeper insight in the advancing patterns in the industry. This year, the main theme at the 8th edition of India Internet Day, 2019 is India Internet Unboxed : Getting ready for a 100 Unicorns. The event plans to have focused and thought-provoking discussions to target entrepreneurs which attracts start-ups, unicorns, industry leaders, investors, mentors, policy-makers, and many more key domain experts from across the country every year.