970rfs7p-YS Akamai India Emerging 100 Report PDF
970rfs7p-YS Akamai India Emerging 100 Report PDF
970rfs7p-YS Akamai India Emerging 100 Report PDF
EMERGING 100
YOUNG STARTUPS SHAPING INDIA’S DIGITAL ECONOMY
© Copyright Akamai Technologies Inc. and
YourStory Media Pvt. Ltd.
10 15 19
FINTECH ENTERPRISE TECH E-COMMERCE
23 27 30
TECH FOR IMPACT CONSUMER INTERNET DEEP TECH
34 38 42
EDUCATION PUBLIC SECTOR TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY
46 47
ANNEXURE:
METHODOLOGY
EVALUATION
CRITERIA
TABLE of
CONTENTS
02
INTRODUCTION
YourStory began chronicling the evolution of the Indian startup ecosystem
before the word “startups” was commonly understood or used in India. It was
our mission to tell the stories of entrepreneurs who were taking huge
personal and professional risks and had set out to do things differently. Very
soon, we had a huge database of startups. But more than that, we had an
insider’s view of the startup ecosystem unlike any other research/data agency
that tries to look at the ecosystem from the outside in. We knew the founders,
what they did, the challenges they faced, how their ventures were evolving
(or not).
Today, as per YourStory data, there are close to 40,000 startups in India and
we continue to follow their growth. At the same time, we keep an eye out for
the ones that are doing something truly disruptive, the ones that aren’t a
me-too and are actively leveraging growth opportunities.
Together, Akamai and YourStory sought to put the spotlight on the poster
boys of tomorrow – the ones that have seized opportunities in their journey
to growth and are consequently showing gravity-defying momentum in the
short term.
This report, which lists the India Emerging 100, is unique in its ability to
identify these startups that have potential to grow and become benchmark
companies in each sector. This will by no means be easy, given that they
function in the world’s third-biggest startup ecosystem behind only the US
and the UK. Competition is fierce.
The ecosystem has already seen euphoric highs and crushing lows and is all
the more mature for it. Late-stage funding is solidifying, as is
early-stage/angel and seed funding. It’s the middle (Series B-C-D) where
startups fail to cross over into the big league. There can be any number of
reasons for that – it is an accepted fact that 9 out of 10 startups fail. The ones
that survive, then, are companies that have battled a huge number of odds
and surmounted challenges, both internal and external, not all of which can
be quantified. As such, this report not only captures the quantitative metrics
that substantiate business health, it also blends in a layer of YourStory’s
on-ground market intelligence to corroborate the final findings. While there
is no way to predict which of these could be the next Flipkart or Paytm, we do
believe that these companies provide much-needed solutions and innovative
products. They also have tremendous potential for growth and could well be
03 trailblazers in the years to come.
FOREWORD
Startups can be powerful instruments of positive change − both in terms of
innovation and economics. From Google, to Microsoft to Amazon, to Apple,
some of the prominent tech giants we see today began as startups. Thanks to
affordable, accessible, ubiquitous technology, people have more opportunities
now to accelerate the pace of innovation and positively disrupt industries.
Over the past decade, startups have evolved from solving problems in a handful
of market segments to now creating opportunities for growth and disruption in
every major industry. New-age startups have developed a two-pronged
approach in their lifecycle – product/technology innovation and building their
own products. The emergence of technology innovation ecosystems presents
an opportunity for startups to make the shift from just problem-solving to
becoming visionaries.
This shift has triggered a confluence globally where SMBs, large enterprises and
governments are finding synergies to fill technology gaps to power online
businesses today like never before. India’s digital transformation journey is
being fueled by initiatives such as Digital India, connecting and empowering
citizens and businesses. For highly disruptive and transformative initiatives such
as Smart Cities, Digital Payments, IoT and Blockchain to be successful, robust
technology platforms are required, which every citizen, be it in metros or remote
villages, can seamlessly access any time, on any device securely.
This report of the Top Emerging Startups was put together by professionals
across industries and editors who volunteered their time and energy towards
this effort. It brings together a list of next-generation innovators who are out to
solve quintessential Indian problems with cutting-edge technology, leveraging
the Internet as a primary business channel.
The sector covers hospitals, diagnostic services, medical device and equipment manufacturers,
clinical trials, outsourcing, telemedicine, medical tourism, and health insurance. A significant
contributor to this growth is the diagnostics market, which is expected to grow to $17 billion by 2021,
according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
What has led to this meteoric growth? Higher incomes, better access to high-quality healthcare
facilities, increased awareness about personal health and hygiene across demographics, and the
penetration of mobile phones and the Internet across the country have all boosted prospects for
these startups. The offerings are diverse and include doctor-patient platforms, online access to
genomic tests, home care solutions for patients, eye scanning devices, menstrual hygiene awareness
sites, hospital information portals, maternal health awareness campaigns, preventive care alert
services, diet calorie counters, cloud solutions for medical records, e-commerce marketplaces for
medical services, fitness apps and wearables, and cancer scanning devices powered by the Internet
of Things (IoT).
05
STARTUP
PROFILES
Mapmygenome Founding
year 2012
Hyderabad-based Mapmygenome™ is a molecular diagnostics company which offers personalised health
solutions based on genetic tests. By combining genetic health profile and health history with genetic counselling,
Mapmygenome™ provides actionable steps for individuals and their physicians towards a healthier life.
Mapmygenome™ is focused on preventive healthcare through healthy habits. They have a range of products and
services spanning several verticals in healthcare such as TB diagnostics, nutrigenomics, and personal genomics,
among others.
Founders: Anu Acharya, Founder and CEO
Theramyt
Novobiologics Founding
year 2013
Bengaluru-based Theramyt is a unique bio-enterprise which develops and delivers novel therapies for disease
areas such as oncology, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.
Founders: Sohang Chatterjee, Founder, CEO & Director
Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues, Founder, COO
Portea Founding
year 2013
Bengaluru-based Portea decided to tap a large opportunity after coming up against the lack of affordable and
quality home healthcare in India. A provider of in-home medical care, it works with certified hospitals, doctors,
nurses, diagnostic centres, and others to improve health outcomes for patients. The services offered include
physiotherapy, nursing, attendant/home health aide, doctor visit, lab tests, and newborn and mother care.
06
Medgenome Founding
year 2013
Bengaluru-based Medgenome is a genomics-based diagnostics and research company delivering healthcare by
decoding genetic information in an individual’s genome. It applies the latest in genomics technologies,
bioinformatics, computing, and big data analytics to the genetically diverse South Asian population; this helps
understand the genetic basis of cancer, metabolic disorders, eye disorders, and other rare diseases.
Founders: Sam Santhosh, Founder and Chariman
iGenetic
Diagnostics Founding
year 2013
Mumbai-based iGenetic Diagnostics is a comprehensive diagnostics laboratory covering the spectrum of
pathology, including routine tests like biochemistry and immunology. It specialises in molecular diagnostics,
which applies molecular biology to medical testing to provide quicker and more accurate results. Services are
focused on three verticals: infections, infertility, and oncology.
Founders: Arunima Patel, Founder & MD
Madhusudan Sharma, Founder
Siddharth Patodia, Co-founder
Tricog Founding
year 2014
Bengaluru-based healthcare analytics startup Tricog has developed India’s first cardiologist-certified instant ECG
solution which provides instant, accurate ECG interpretations diagnosed by Tricog’s medical team within 6
minutes. Through instant reports, round-the-clock availability and high accuracy, Tricog aims to change the
outcome of a heart attack, from an 80 percent possibility of death to an 80 percent possibility of survival.
Founders: Dr. Charit Bhograj, Founder & CEO | Dr. Zainul Charbiwala, Co-founder
Dr. Udayan Dasgupta, Co-founder | Abhinav Gujjar, Co-founder
07
Bugworks Founding
year 2014
Bengaluru-based Bugworks is a drug discovery company that aims to discover novel pharmaceutical assets for
combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The team is engineering a new class of antibiotics targeting Gram
Negative Bacteria, designed to be significantly immune to bacterial resistance and work on all known forms of
drug-resistant bacteria.
SigTuple Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based SigTuple builds intelligent disease screening solutions powered by advancements in artificial
intelligence, image processing and cloud computing. The company aims to create a data-driven,
machine-learned, cloud-based solution for detection of abnormalities and trends in medical data, which improves
the accuracy and efficiency of disease diagnosis.
Founders: Rohit Kumar Pandey, Co-founder & CEO | Tathagato Rai Dastidar, Co-founder & CTO
Apurv Anand, Co-founder & COO
Netmeds Founding
year 2015
Chennai-based Netmeds is an online pharmacy with a selection of prescription drugs and non-prescription (OTC)
products. Netmeds has provided more than one million loyal Indian customers easier access to all kinds of
medicine. The app lets you order your medicines from anywhere and gets them delivered to your doorstep.
Netmeds also offers 100 percent cashback for all medicines.
Founders: Pradeep Dadha, Founder
08
FINTECH
The Indian government’s demonetisation move in November 2016 proved to be a much-needed
shot in the arm for the fintech sector. The temporary cash shortage saw millions of Indians – many for
the first time ever – gravitate towards non-cash payment methods, primarily e-wallets. But the winds
of change were blowing within the sector too, which saw a sudden uptick in the number of
early-stage deals (about 60), which indicated that the market was still hungry for more despite the
presence of a seasoned player like Paytm.
According to NASSCOM, the Indian fintech market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22 percent for
the next five years. Another KPMG report states that the transaction value for the Indian fintech
sector was estimated to be approximately $33 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach $73 billion by
2020.
MoneyTap
Within fintech, there is a whole world beyond payments – lending platforms, tech-enabled
Usersmanagement
investment advisory, and money have to pay interest only on the
startups, all amount used.have
of which The process
successfully raised
of applying for
early-stage funding. Several later-stage credit
deals is really
also made simple
theand any individual
news with a
with companies like lending
smartphone and a PAN number can check his or her eligibility
startup Capital Float, mobile payments service provider Mswipe, and digital payments venture
limit in less than 15 minutes through the app. The entire process
MobiKwik all finding backers.
Founding Year: 2015 is largely paperless.
Fintech is also an area where corporates are showing significant interest in partnerships and
acquisitions. Banks have been running hackathons and contests to identify innovative solutions that
EarlySalary Pune-based EarlySalary aims to change the way loans in India
fit within their business and can provide
are taken incremental
with India’s revenue
largest salary or and
advance improve processes to reduce
instant loan
expenses/wastage.
09 young salaried individuals by using a proprietary algorithm and
formulating a SocialWorth score (SW score) based on social
media underwriting systems.
InCred Mumbai-based InCred, which calls itself “credit for Incredible
STARTUP
loan account management, and a human approach to lending,
InCred aims to make lending simple and hassle-free.
Founding year: 2016
Founders: Bhupinder Singh, Founder and CEO
PROFILES
Juspay Bengaluru-based Juspay is a browser that is specially designed
Acko General Insurance Mumbai-based startup Acko General Insurance is an
for online banking and payment applications. It aggregates
independent general insurer that operates through a digital
services across net banking, wallets, and cards, aiming to
insurance policies online, compare insurance quotes, explore
Juspay
other services.
Founding
insurance premium year
Acko to
solutions aims
2012
calculators, and voice claims along with
to make insurance straightforward, so
merchants.
consumers don’t need to consult multiple companies for their
insurance needs.
Founding year: 2017 Juspay is a browser that is specially designed for online banking and payment applications. It
Bengaluru-based
Founding year: 2012 Founders: Vimal Kumar, Founder
aggregates services across net Ramanathan
banking,
Founders: wallets,
Varun RV,
andCo-founder
Dua, Foundercards, aiming to transform digital payments in India with
and CEO
efficient, secure, and cost-effective solutions. Juspay also offers payments technology solutions to merchants.
Founders: Vimal Kumar, Founder | Ramanathan RV, Co-founder
INDIA EMERGING 100 15
Capital
CoverfoxFloat Bengaluru-based
Mumbai-based Capital Float is
Coverfox an online Broking
Insurance platform was
that formed to
make buying insurance quicker and easier. The startup’s
insurance brokerage services include products for cars, bikes,
inventory, service new orders, or optimise cash cycles. People
Capital Float
health, travel, and home insurance.Founding
seeking to borrow can apply online in year 2013
The insurance broker
minutes, select desired
operates in the business-to-consumer segment.
repayment terms, and receive funds in their bank accounts in
three days.
Founding year: 2013 Capital Float isFounders:
Bengaluru-based an onlineVarun Dua, Founder
platform that provides working capital finance to SMEs in India. It
Founding year: 2013 Founders: Sashank
Devendra
offers flexible, short-term loans that can Rane,
Rishyasringa
Founder
be used
andCTO
and Gaurav Hinduja, Co-
to purchase inventory, service new orders, or optimise cash
Founders and MDs
cycles. People seeking to borrow can apply online in minutes, select desired repayment terms, and receive funds
in their bank accounts in three days.
Sashank Rishyasringa,Ahmedabad-based
LendingKart
Founders: Co-founder, MDLendingKart is an online
| Gaurav Hinduja, tech-enabled
Co-founder, MD
Aye Finance
Coverfox needs
to Indian of SMEs inCoverfox
Mumbai-based India.
micro-enterprises The
that company’s
Insurance
have technology
till nowBroking
relied tools use
wasonformed
only to
big data
make analysis
buying and allow
insurance lenders
quicker andto easier.
evaluateThea borrower’s
startup’s
creditworthiness.
insurance brokerage Theservices
tech-integrated
includeloan application
products process
for cars, bikes,
Coverfox
Coverfox
clusters,
only
furniture
their
from
Mumbai-based
takes
health, manufacturers
15 minutes.
travel,
and Coverfox
work
operates
and home
readymade
ininstead
of shoes
Founding
LendingKart
year
ofgarments.
spending
Insurance The
Broking
2013
and aims
insurance.
the business-to-consumer
sports
Thetoequipment
company
their time
was
let SMEsto
insurance
claims
to that
looking
formed
segment.
focus on
broker
for funds.
using
make data analytics
buying insurancehelps keep
quicker operating
and costs
easier. The low and lets
startup’s
Founding year: 2014 it get pastbrokerage
the problem of inadequate documentation of their
Founding year: 2014 insurance services
Founders: Harshvardhan include products
Lunia, for cars, bikes,
Co-founder and CEO; Mukul
Mumbai-based Coverfox Insurance
health,Founders:
borrowers.
travel, and Varun
Broking home Dua, Founder
wasinsurance.
formed to make
The buying
insurance brokerinsurance quicker and easier.
Founding year: 2013 Sachan, Co-founder and COO
The startup’s insurance brokerage Devendra
operates services Rane, Founder
in the business-to-consumer
include and
products CTO
segment.
for cars, bikes, health, travel, and home insurance.
Founders: Sanjay Sharma, Co-founder and MD; Vikram Jetley,
The insurance broker operates in the business-to-consumer segment.
Co-founder
Founders: andDua,
Varun ED Founder
Founding year:
Founders: 2013 Dua, Founder
Varun Devendra Rane, Founder and CTO
NeoGrowth
LendingKart Ahmedabad-based LendingKart is an online tech-enabled
NeoGrowth Credit is a digital lending platform that provides
INDIA EMERGING 100 loans
needsbased on credit/debit
of SMEs in India. The card sales or online
company’s technology 13
sales to small
tools use
LendingKart Ahmedabad-based LendingKart is an online tech-enabled
businesses. They use a
big data analysis and allowproprietary technology platform
lenders to evaluate a borrower’s to
NeoGrowth
process unsecured The
needs creditworthiness.
loans
Founding
to merchants who
year
tech-integrated
of SMEs in India. The company’s
digital payments from customers.
2013
technologyloan
Their
accept card orprocess
toolsapplication
loans
use
are short-term
other
only takes 15 minutes. LendingKart aims to let SMEs focus on
big data analysis and allow lenders to evaluate a borrower’s
and hassle-free,
creditworthiness. with the facility ofapplication
daily repayment, reportedly
their workThe tech-integrated
instead of spending loantheir process for
time looking funds.
non-bankingonly
Founding year: 2013
Mumbai-based a key15customer
takes
financial minutes.
company delight
LendingKart
(NBFC)factor.
aims to let SMEs focus
NeoGrowth on is a digital lending platform that
Credit
Founding year: 2014 their work instead of spending their time looking for funds.
Founders:
provides loans based on credit/debit cardHarshvardhan Lunia,sales
sales or online Co-founder andbusinesses.
to small CEO; Mukul They use a proprietary
Founding year: 2014 Founders: Dhruv Khaitan, Co-founder and MD
technology platform to process Sachan,
Founders:
unsecured Co-founder
Harshvardhan toand
loansLunia, COO and
Co-founder
merchants CEO;
who Mukul card or other digital payments from
accept
Piyush Khaitan, Co-founder and Chairman
Sachan, Co-founder and COO
customers. Their loans are short-term and hassle-free, with the facility of daily repayment, reportedly a key
customer delight factor.
Founders: Dhruv Khaitan, Co-founder & MD | Piyush Khaitan, Co-founder & Chairman
NeoGrowth
Razorpay Bengaluru-based Razorpay allows businesses in India an easy
10 NeoGrowth
NeoGrowth Credit is a digital lending platform that provides
NeoGrowth Credit is a digital lending platform that provides
loans
loans way
based based
toon on credit/debit
integrate payment
credit/debit card
gateway
card sales or sales or to
solutions
online sales online
with sales
small to small
merchants’
businesses.
businesses. They
website. useThey
Apart afrom use a proprietary
proprietary technology
subscriptions technology
routes,totheplatform
platform
and to
startup also
process
process
allows unsecured
unsecured loansaccounts
loansoftovirtual
creation to merchants
merchants who accept whooraccept
card
on demand, other card or of
and sharing other
PiyushFounders: Dhruv Khaitan,
Khaitan, Co-founder Co-founder and MD
and Chairman
Piyush Khaitan, Co-founder and Chairman
14 INDIA EMERGING 100
Razorpay Bengaluru-based Razorpay allows businesses in India an easy
Users have to pay interest only on the amount used. The process
MoneyTap Founding
of applying for credit is reallyyear 2013
simple and any individual with a
smartphone and a PAN number can check his or her eligibility
Acko General Insurance limit in less than
Mumbai-based 15 minutes
startup throughInsurance
Acko General the app. The
is anentire process
Coverfox Mumbai-based Coverfox
insurerInsurance Broking was formed to
Bengaluru-based MoneyTap is India’s first app-based credit line, offereda digital
Founding Year: 2015 independent
is largely general
paperless. that operates through
in partnership with leading banks. With
make buying insurance quicker and easier. The startup’s
a ‘no usage, no interest’ feature, MoneyTap
insurance brokerage
insurance is making credit
services more
include affordable.
products cars,Users
forexplorebikes, have to pay interest only on
Founders policies
Name: Anujonline, compare
Kacker, insurance
Co-founder quotes,
health,
the amount used. The processinsurance
of travel,
premium
applying andcalculators,
for home insurance.
credit is really The
and voice
simple,insurance
claims along
and anybroker
with
individual with a smartphone and a
Kunal Varma, Co-founder
operates
other in the
services. Ackobusiness-to-consumer
aims to make insurance segment.
straightforward, so
PAN number can check his orBala her Parthasarathy,
eligibility limitCEO in&less than 15 minutes through the app. The entire process is
Co-founder
consumers don’t need to consult multiple companies for their
largely paperless.
Founding year: 2017 insurance needs.
Founders: Varun Dua, Founder
Founding year:
Founders: 2013Kacker, Co-founder
Anuj Devendra Rane, Founder and CTO
Founders: Varun Dua, Founder and CEO
Pune-based EarlySalary aims to change the way loans in India
EarlySalary Kunal Varma, Co-founder
Bala Parthasarathy,are taken with India’s
Co-founder & CEO largest salary advance and instant loan
LendingKart Ahmedabad-based
young LendingKart
salaried individuals by usingisaan online tech-enabled
proprietary algorithm and
Capital Float formulating a SocialWorth score (SW score) based
Bengaluru-based Capital Float is an online platform that on social
needsunderwriting
media of SMEs in India. The company’s technology tools use
systems.
Aye Finance
Founders: Bhupinderloans
process unsecured Singh,toFounder
clusters, from manufacturers of shoes
andwho
Founding
merchants
year
CEO
2014
accept card or other
and sports equipment to
digital payments from customers. Their loans are short-term
furniture and readymade garments. The company claims that
and hassle-free, with the facility of daily repayment, reportedly
using data analytics helps keep operating costs low and lets
Founding a key customer
year: 2013Aye Financeitoffers
get pastbusiness
delight
the problem
factor.
of inadequate documentation of their
Gurugram-based loans and funds to Indian micro-enterprises
Bengaluru-based Juspay is a browser that is specially designed
that have till now relied
Juspay borrowers.
for online banking
only on informal sources of financing, and payment
be it money lendersapplications. It aggregates
or chit funds. It lends working capital to customers
Founders: Dhruv Khaitan, Co-founder and MD
services
across different industry clusters, across
fromKhaitan, net banking,
manufacturers wallets,
of and
shoes and cards,
andMD; aiming
sports to
equipment to furniture and readymade
Piyush
Founders: Sanjay Co-founder
Sharma, Co-Founder Chairman
and Vikram Jetley,
garments. The company claims that using
Co-Founder anddata
ED analytics helps keep operating costs low and lets it get past the
solutions toof
problem of inadequate documentation merchants.
their borrowers.
12
Acko General Insurance Mumbai-based startup Acko General Insurance is an
independent general insurer that operates through a digital
Acko General
insurance policies online, compare insurance quotes, explore
insurance premium calculators, and voice claims along with
other services. Acko aims to make insurance straightforward, so
Insurance Founding 2017
consumers don’t need to consult multiple companies for their
year
insurance needs.
Founding year: 2017
Founders:
Mumbai-based startup Acko General Varun Dua, Founder
Insurance andindependent
is an CEO general insurer that operates through a
digital platform. Customers can buy and renew different types of insurance policies online, compare insurance
quotes, explore insurance premium calculators, and voice claims along with other services. Acko aims to make
insurance straightforward, soBengaluru-based
consumers don’t need to consult multiple companies for their insurance needs.
Capital Float is an online platform that
Capital Float
Founders: Varun Dua, Founder, CEO
Aye Finance
to Indian micro-enterprises that have till now relied only on
13
ENTERPRISE TECH
The rapid adoption of technology to streamline and bring about transparency and efficiency in
businesses has brought about significant transformations in the business ecosystem, and has created
opportunities for startups in the B2B (business-to-business), B2E (business-to-employee) and B2B2C
(business-to-business-to customers/consumers) segments.
With data taking centre stage, technologies such as advanced analytics and machine learning are
ushering in efficiencies. As more organisations jump on the IoT bandwagon, this year is quite likely to
see technologies such as OTT, VoLTE and Machine Learning make great strides. This will also pave
the way for the increased adoption of predictive analytics and intelligent data mining technologies.
The sector has several notable startups including Freshworks, MuSigma, Capillary Technologies
(Facebook’s first acquisition in India), and Druva, among others, which have already made a mark. All
eyes are now on the next generation of startups waiting to make a mark.
14
STARTUP
PROFILES
CrownIt
Belong Founding
year 2013
Gurugram-based Crownit is a leading marketing and consumer
data analytics platform, helping brands and retailers connect
CrownIt Gurugram-based Crownit is a leading marketing and consumer
with consumer groups across the country. Crown It is a mobile
Bengaluru-based HR tech startup dataBelong
analyticshas
platform, helpingthe
predicted brands andof retailers connect
app which is set to revolutionize retailfuture
business inrecruitment:
India. It’s a outbound hiring. The world’s first
with consumer groups across the country. Crown It is a mobile
customer
predictive outbound hiring solution club through
helps peoplewhich customers
discover, get cashand
engage, backhire
each ‘unfindable talent’. Outbound hiring
app which
time is set
they visit andtospend
revolutionize
on retail retail business in India. It’s a
outlets.
is business-aligned, data-driven and candidate-focused.
customer club through which customersIts product,
get cashBelong
back each Hire, aims to be the most powerful
time
recruiting tool for organisations they visit
seeking and spend on retail outlets.
talent.
Founders: Sameer Grover, Funder & CEO
Ashish Munjal, Co-founder
Founders: Sudheendra Chilappagari,
Founders:Co-founder
Sameer Grover, Funder & CEO
Ashish Munjal,
Vijay Sharma, Co-founder & CEO Co-founder
15
SquadRun Founding
year 2014
New Delhi-based SquadRun uses AI and crowdsourcing to automate and scale business processes and provide 5x
improvements on data operations. The startup works in data categorisation, moderation/rating, tagging, and other
data and calling-related tasks for businesses; this is done through their mobile platform used by a qualified
distributed workforce.
Founders: Apurv Agrawal, Founder & CEO | Kanika Jain, Founder
Rishabh Ladha, Co-founder | Vikas Gulati, Co-founder
CrownIt Gurugram-based Crownit is a leading marketing and consumer
data analytics platform, helping brands and retailers connect
with consumer groups across the country. Crown It is a mobile
app which is set to revolutionize retail business in India. It’s a
Crownit Founding
customer
year 2014
club through which customers get cash back each
time they visit and spend on retail outlets.
leading businesses.
Bengaluru-based EnCloudEn is a cloud engine that offers enterprises a complete set of tools to deploy, manage,
Founders: Abhinav Asthana, CEO and Founder
monitor, and orchestrate private cloud-based IT infrastructure. The Bengaluru-based company helps mid-sized
Ankit Sobti, Founder and CTO
organisations attain IT transformation swiftly, at less than half the cost.
Founders: Satya Kishore, Co-founder
Abinash Saikia, Co-founder
Elastic Beam Bengaluru-based security startup Elastic Beam leverages its in-
depth API intelligence to provide precise and accurate detection
*
Elastic
of API misuse, by coupling AI with real-time data. APIs are the
soft point in enterprise and cloud defences, and Elastic Beam
Beam Founding
aims toyear
2015
provide AI-powered cyberattack protection to API
management investments. It automatically detects and blocks
API-based cyberattacks on your data, applications, and control
systems.
Bengaluru-based security startup Elastic Beam leverages its in-depth API intelligence to provide precise and
accurate detection of API misuse, by coupling AI with real-time data. APIs are the soft point in enterprise and cloud
Founders:
defences, and Elastic Beam aims to provide Uday Subbarayan,
AI-powered Founder
cyberattack & SVPtoEngineering
protection API management investments.
Bernard Harguindeguy,
It automatically detects and blocks API-based Founder
cyberattacks on & CEO
your data, applications, and control systems.
Elastic Beam Bengaluru-based security startup Elastic Beam leverages its in-
Founders: Uday Subbarayan, Founder & SVP Engineering
depth API intelligence to provide precise and accurate detection
Bernard Harguindeguy, Founder & CEO
of API misuse, by coupling AI with real-time data. APIs are the
soft point in enterprise and cloud defences, and Elastic Beam
aims to provide
Bengaluru-based AI-powered
LightMetrics, cyberattack
which protection
was chosen by Wiredto API
LightMetrics
management
Magazine as one ofinvestments. It automatically
the top companies detects and blocks
in the race towards
i2e1 API-based
Founding
year
autonomous
2015
cyberattacks
cars, has createdon your data, applications,
a smartphone-based driver and control
systems.solution. It uses computer vision and machine
monitoring
learning to provide better data and actionable insights into
driving
New Delhi-based i2e1, which stands for behaviour.
Information
Founders: To ItsSubbarayan,
Every
Uday RideView, which
One, is creatingintegrates with
the largest
Founder & SVP an
connected platform in the
Engineering
enterprise’s telematics solution, can be used in camera OEMs,
world. Backed by a team of IIT-IIM pedigree, i2e1 uses data collected from user sign-ins at brick-and-mortar
Bernard Harguindeguy, Founder & CEO
Founding year:
establishments. It 2015
also creates an analytics intelligence suite, similar to Google Analytics, which is tailored for
offline businesses. This gives businesses the possibility to connect with customers, get real-time insights, and grow
Founders: Soumik Ukil, Co-founder & CEO
their business. Clients include hospitals, cafés, restaurants, small offices, cabs and buses, and shops.
Ravi Shenoy, Co-founder
Mithun
Founders: Nishit Aggarwal, Co-founder Uliyar,
| Gaurav Co-founder
Bansal, Co-founder | Anugrah Adams, Co-founder
LightMetrics
Ashutosh Mishra, Co-founderBengaluru-based
Gururaj Putraya,
| Maanas LightMetrics,
Co-founder which was chosen by Wired
Co-founder
Dwivedi,
Magazine as one of the top companies in the race towards
autonomous cars, has created a smartphone-based driver
monitoring solution. It uses computer vision and machine
Founding
LightMetrics learning to provide
2015
year better data and actionable insights into
driving behaviour. Its RideView, which integrates with an
enterprise’s telematics solution, can be used in camera OEMs,
Founding year:
Bengaluru-based 2015
LightMetrics, which was chosen by Wired Magazine as one of the top companies in the race
towards autonomous cars, has created a smartphone-based driver monitoring solution. It uses computer vision and
Founders:
machine learning to provide better data Soumik insights
and actionable Ukil, Co-founder & CEO
into driving behaviour. Its RideView, which
integrates with an enterprise's telematicsRavi Shenoy,
solution, canCo-founder
be used in camera OEMs and for fleet management and
insurance claims. Mithun Uliyar, Co-founder
Gururaj
Founders: Soumik Ukil, Co-founder & CEO | Ravi Putraya, Co-founder| Mithun Uliyar, Co-founder
Shenoy, Co-founder
17
E-COMMERCE
There was a time in India when the word startup automatically meant e-commerce sites. MakeMyTrip
was one of the earliest players in the game, debuting in 2000. Flipkart, redBus, Myntra and a host of
others would then go on to revolutionise their respective spaces. And the growth story continues.
According to Statista, Indian e-commerce will be worth $25 billion by the end of 2018. The real
game-changers in the e-commerce story were the advent of cash on delivery, a deal sweetened even
further by easy exchange policies (no questions asked unlike the sales staff at the mall) and the
sudden burst in Internet adoption. With Reliance Jio commoditising high-speed access by making 4G
LTE affordable to previously excluded segments of the population via low-cost smartphones,
suddenly there was a whole new untapped section of online shoppers.
According to eMarketer.com, India is the fifth-largest e-commerce market in the world, after China,
Japan, Germany, and the US. An estimated 75 percent of India’s e-commerce users are below the age
of 35 and are avid social media users. India’s online market is also the fastest-growing among the
BRIC countries.
The sector was also in the public eye for some of the biggest developments and investments in the
ecosystem. Some of the highlights include the mighty battle between Flipkart and Amazon (including
the latter’s steep investments into India), Snapdeal’s failed exit, the emergence of grocery (BigBasket,
Grofers, Zopnow, etc.), and the growing competition in areas such as jewellery (Voylla, BlueStone,
Caratlane [in which the TATA Group acquired a majority stake]), furniture (Urban Ladder, Pepperfry)
and beauty (Nykaa, Purplle).
For recent entrants to the e-commerce pool, the pressure is on to deliver on a range of metrics; more
acquisitions are likely and offline players will also throw their hat in the ring. There is huge headroom
for growth, and it’s far too early to call a winner.
18
Blackbuck Bengaluru-based BlackBuck (ZINKA) is an online marketplace
for logistics transactions, helping customers move anything,
from anywhere to everywhere, seamlessly.
Nykaa Founding
2012
year Nayar, Founder and CEO
Founders: Falguni
Mumbai-based
Founding year:Nykaa
2012 is an online platform that sells beauty and wellness products from over 850 leading brands.
JustBuyLive Mumbai-based JustBuyLive is an e-distributor platform that
It also has 17 brick-and-mortar stores across the country.
connects shopkeepers with consumer brands and distributors.
Founders: Falguni Nayar, Founder and CEO
Newwith margins provided
Delhi-based directly
StalkBuyLove is a by the brand.
digital The mobile
fast fashion private app
StalkbuyLove
has an intuitive interface and user-friendly features designed to
maximise
good user
quality for
Bengaluru-based
access
young and convenience.
women.
Shadowfax
All retailers can order
is one India’s largest logistics
XpressBees
with drivers working in shifts and handing over the truck to the
19
next driver at pit stops along the route.
last mile delivery needs of clients across 70+ cities in India. The
XpressBees
startup uses a singular platform toFounding
2015
bridge the information gap
year
26 INDIA EMERGING 100
Founders: Abhishek Bansal, Co-founder and CEO
Pune-based XpressBees is an e-commerce logistics company offering reliable logistics services and solutions and
Founding year: 2015 Vaibhav Khandelwal, Co-founder and CTO
on-time delivery. Their extensive network reach, strong technology platform and last mile management system
makes them one of the most trusted e-commerce logistics solutions providers in India.
Founders: Amitava Saha, Co-founder and CEO
Zefo Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based Zefo, an online store for second-hand goods, lets people buy and sell used furniture, appliances,
INDIA EMERGING 100 27
and mobile phones. The company is currently operational in Bengaluru, Mysore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurugram,
Noida, and Mumbai. Zefo is more involved than a peer marketplace; it provides potential sellers with a quote after
a quality check, and pays cash if the offer is accepted and picks up items. Items are refurbished by the company
before they are listed.
Founders: Nir Adar, Founder
Himesh Joshi, Co-founder
Rohit Ramasubramanian, Co-founder
iThink Logistics
iThink Logistics Founding
year 2017
Mumbai-based iThink Logistics is an Artificial Intelligence-enabled logistics aggregator which helps in maximising
shipment delivery through centralised platform and automation. Using their vast network of multiple channels
across 27,000+ locations, they provide fast and reliable logistics services for clients. Their platform plays a crucial
role in real time co-ordination between different stakeholders in the logistics industry and provides intelligence for
more effective decision-making.
Founders: Zaiba Sarang, Co-founder | Vipul Yadav, Co-founder | Paresh Parmar, Co-founder
Nikul Dodiya, Co-founder | Bharat Karotra, Co-founder
20
Blackbuck Bengaluru-based BlackBuck (ZINKA) is an online marketplace
for logistics transactions, helping customers move anything,
from anywhere to everywhere, seamlessly.
BlackBuck Founding
Founders: Rajesh Yabaji, Co-founder
year 2015
& CEO
Chanakya Hridaya, Co-founder
Bengaluru-based
Founding BlackBuck (ZINKA) is an online marketplace for logistics transactions, helping customers move
year: 2015
anything, from anywhere to everywhere, seamlessly.
Founders: Rajesh Yabaji, Co-founder & CEO
Chanakya Hridaya, Co-founder
Mumbai-based Zilingo, a fashion and lifestyle marketplace built for the Southeast Asian market, aims to help small
Founding year:
businesses 2012 their global reach through e-commerce. Zilingo allows small companies and sellers to sell their
increase
products on its platform; it has over 10,000 merchants across different parts of Asia. It creates visibility for unknown
but interesting sellers by connecting them with shoppers.
Founders: Ankiti Bose, Co-founder & CEO
Dhruv Kapoor, Co-founder & CTO
XpressBees Bengaluru-based Shadowfax is one India’s largest logistics
last mile delivery needs of clients across 70+ cities in India. The
startup uses a singular platform to bridge the information gap
Udaan Founding
year 2016
Founders: Abhishek Bansal, Co-founder and CEO
Founding year: 2015
Bengaluru-based Udaan is a B2BVaibhav Khandelwal,
commerce networkCo-founder and CTO
that connects manufacturers, traders and wholesalers with
retailers online. It aims to make trading simple, safe and convenient by providing them logistics, payment and
technology support. Udaan currently focuses on clothing, electronics and FMCG & staples.
Founders: Amod Malviya, Co-founder
Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder
Stellar
Value Chain Founding
year 2016
27
INDIA EMERGING 100
Mumbai-based Stellar Value Chain aims to disrupt the Indian supply chain landscape by easing
‘speed to market’ and reducing ‘cost to market’. Their areas of work include contract logistics, cold
chain, in-city and express transportation, e-commerce fulfilment, supply chain network design,
technology and visibility platform, automated ambient and temperature-controlled warehouses,
planning and process improvement, and value-added services.
21
TECH FOR IMPACT
Tech for impact is a term that includes any venture that uses technology with a view to positively
impact a large number of lives. Positive impact doesn’t necessarily mean social upliftment, though
the focus is often on large-impact areas such as public health, access to quality education, food and
agriculture, access to clean water and sanitation, solutions that can improve the environment, clean
energy solutions, and sustainable development, among others. These are for-profit companies,
leveraging technology to create scalable solutions that can change or improve a process, thereby
benefiting a larger population.
In India, startups using tech for impact are getting new impetus not just through a steady increase in
funding but also from specialised incubator and accelerator programmes over and above
NGO-support institutes. For instance, Unltd, a social enterprise incubator launched in 2007, has
supported more than 110 social ventures in Maharashtra, impacting more than 600,000 people.
There are others like the Dasra Executive Education programme which has incubated Milaap,
Educate Girls, Under the Mango Tree, and Mann Deshi. Through the Hubli Sandbox Ecosystem,
Deshpande Foundation creates an environment to encourage innovative approaches addressing
social challenges and has incubated AquaSafi and Next Drop. Khosla Labs supports social ventures
in mobile payments and banking, retail efficiency, big data analytics and healthcare. Villgro offers,
among other things, facilities for prototyping and market research and a 12-month in-residence
programme; they have mentored over 60 startups in the past decade.
Given the size of India’s population and the socio-economic challenges our country faces, some of
the most impactful startups are focusing on access to better healthcare, including remote
diagnostics and telemedicine, improving the agricultural/dairy supply chain, and creating
offline/online interfaces that can help traditional businesses access the benefits of being online.
22
SnapBizz Bengaluru-based SnapBizz is an Android-based, cloud-
connected business platform which uses data analytics and
machine learning to engage shoppers visually and contextually
both in-store and out-of-store, enables location and context-
based marketing and provides an intelligent CRM framework.
STARTUP
The technology enables merchants to manage their billing,
inventory and customer engagement as well as provides brands
Founding year: 2013 last mile connects to end consumers.
PROFILES
Founders: Prem Kumar, Founder and CEO
Cardiotrack
SocialCops (Uber New Delhi-basedBengaluru-based Uber Diagnostics
SocialCops is a data intelligence company is a disruptive healthcare
Diagnostics)
Goodera that empowers diagnostics
Bengaluru-
organisations to solutions
and Menlo
make tough company
Park-based
decisions and that aims
Goodera
solve to make
is a global healthcare
corporate
the world’s most critical challenges – from designing national
social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability platform which
health schemes, to investing in female empowerment initiatives.
SocialCops m-Health
Their data intelligence platformcombines
Founding
transforms 2013
yearallhigh-end technology
available data
collected from the ground up, sourced from external data sets,
— with data analytics,
and extracted from elaborate internal systems — into intelligent
measurable and engaging manner. By leveraging cloud, mobile,
Founding year: 2013 insights. Over 150 partners – from governments, businesses,
New Delhi-based SocialCops is a voice dataand big data and
intelligence strong domain
company expertise toorganisations
that empowers automate to make tough
view ECG data captured by IoT sensors, store patient records for
key processes,
decisions and solve the world’s most critical manage grant requests, and collect data on a real
easychallenges – from
retrieval and senddesigning nationalfor
the information health schemes,
secure storagetoininvesting
the in
time basis, they help organisations spend time on more strategic
female empowerment initiatives. Their data
work.cloud.
Founders: Prukalpa The
Sankar, ECG signals can be analysed with a high degree of
intelligence platform
Co-founder
transforms all available data – collected from the
ground up, sourced from external data
Varun Banka, sets, and extracted from elaborate internal systems – into intelligent
Co-founder
by theAbhishek
Founders:
insights. Over 150 partners – from governments device isHumbad,
of clinical
and businesses grade and
toFounder allows
andfor
and Co-CEO
philanthropies easy diagnosis
non-profits – have engaged
Richahelping
Bajpai,
with SocialCops to find solutions to critical healthcare
Co-founderproviders to deliver quality service especially
challenges.
32 in semi-urban areas and under-served
INDIA EMERGINGareas.
100
Founders: Prukalpa Sankar, Co-founder
Varun Banka, Co-founder
Founders: Avin Agarwal, Co-founder and COO
m.Paani
Ashim Roy,
engagement Co-founder
and loyalty CEO
company. The startup enables real-
time, direct to consumer engagement, marketing, loyalty and
insights for consumer and channels. The proprietary data
m.Paani Founding
collected by year 2013
them builds a 360° view of the daily lives of a
SocialCops New
Their Delhi-based
unique SocialCops
loyalty programme is a data
enables peopleintelligence company
to earn points
that empowers
m.Paani is India's first and only mass-market consumer organisations to makeand
data, engagement tough decisions
loyalty and solve
company. The startup
the world’s most
enables real-time, direct-to-consumer engagement, criticalloyalty
marketing, challenges – from designing
and insights for consumernational
and channels.
The proprietary data collected by them health
among aschemes,
other
builds viewtoofinvesting
rewards.
360° the daily in female
lives empowerment
of a segment initiatives.
that is largely offline and
Their programme
transacts majorly in cash. Their unique loyalty data intelligence platform
enables peopletransforms all available
to earn points and availdata —at their
offers
collected
Founders: from
Akanksha the ground
Hazari, up,
Founder sourced
and CEO from external data sets,
local neighbourhood shops, and redeem them for discounts, mobile recharges and water filters, among other
rewards. and extracted from elaborate internal systems — into intelligent
Founding year: 2013 insights. Over 150 partners – from governments, businesses,
Founders: Akanksha Hazari, Founder and CEO
Cardiotrack
m-Health combines high-end technology with data analytics,
Bengaluru and Menlo Park-based Goodera is a global corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability
Founders: Prukalpa Sankar, Co-founder
platform which helps corporations, foundations, governments and non-profits fulfil their CSR and sustainability
Varun Banka, Co-founder
goals in a simple, transparent, measurable and engaging manner. By leveraging cloud, mobile, voice and big data
and strong domain expertise to automate key processes, manage grant requests, and collect data on a real-time
basis, they help organisations spend time on more strategic work. HyperT
32 INDIA EMERGING 100
Founders: Abhishek Humbad, Founder and Co-CEO
Richa Bajpai, Co-founder
FarmTaaza Bengaluru-based Farm Taaza, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Gram Suchana Solutions Pvt Ltd., is a B2B technology-enabled,
Founding
supply chain management company focused on increasing
the value to both the farmers and our customers. Farm Taaza
Farm Taaza Founding
provides expert 2015
year advice to farmers on improving the yield and
SquadR
Bengaluru-based Farm Taaza, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gram Suchana Solutions Pvt Ltd, is a B2B
Founding year: 2015 Founders: Kumar Ramachandran, CEO
technology-enabled supply chain management company focused on increasing the value to both the farmers and
customers. Farm Taaza provides expert advice to farmers on improving the yield and the field operations of the
farmer.
Citizenengage
for residential and commercial communities to self-manage
their waste. They connect communities and businesses
with responsible waste collectors, processors, and recyclers, i2e1
Crofarm Founding
Using a combination
2016
year of smart logistics and a sophisticated
technology platform it enables reduction of post-harvest losses.
Additionally, its asset-light business model lends itself to
scalability nationwide. CroFarm also guides farmers on produce
New Delhi-based Crofarm
Founding year: 2016 is an agritech startup that offers a digitised supply chain for agricultural products by
bringing farmers and retailers on a common platform. Using a combination of smart logistics and a sophisticated
Founders: Prashant Jain, Co-founder and COO
technology platform, it enables reduction of post-harvest losses. Additionally, its asset-light business model lends
Varun Khurana, Co-founder and CEO
itself to scalability nationwide. CroFarm also guides farmers on produce specifications to help them fetch more
value in the market.
Founders:
Goodera Prashant Jain, Co-founder and COO
Bengaluru- and Menlo Park-based Goodera is a global corporate
social
Varun Khurana, Co-founder andresponsibility
CEO (CSR) and sustainability platform which
m.Paani
VaultEdge Bengaluru-based Postman is the essential toolchain for API
developers to share, test, document, and monitor APIs. More
than 3 million engineers and developers worldwide use
Postman to build connected software via APIs. Postman’s free
Mac, Windows, Linux and Chrome apps, along with Postman’s
leading businesses.
Enclouden
enterprises a complete set of tools to deploy, manage, monitor,
and orchestrate private cloud-based IT infrastructure. The
Bengaluru-based company helps mid-sized organisations attain
IT transformation swiftly, at less than half the cost.
CONSUMER INTERNET
Belong Bengaluru-based HR Tech startup Belong has predicted the
Digital media is transforming not just the way Enter startups providing furnished
predictive outbound hiring solution helps people discover,
we learn, work or shop but also the way we accommodation at affordable rates. Other
business-aligned,
dwell, dine and date! So in the context data-driven
of this and candidate-focused.
problems stemming Its from long distances and
product, Belong Hire, aims to be the most powerful recruiting
report, we are defining ‘consumer internet’seeking
tool for organisations as talent. nasty traffic in big cities have led to the creation
companies that provide a service or content via of personal messenger services. And newer
Founders: Sudheendra Chilappagari, Co-founder
an online platform; it excludes e-commerce, services are emerging every day.
Vijay Sharma, Co-founder & CEO
which we have treated as aRishabh
separate sector.
Kaul, Co-founder
Driving this sector are the same factors
Consumer internet includes real estate that are driving a digital economy and the
services, food-tech, car rentals, travel, e-commerce sector. A boom in consumerism,
entertainment, skilling, matchmaking, the explosive increase in the use of
classifieds and other services. Given the smartphones and data consumption, thanks to
frequent overlap between e-commerce and falling prices. Then there’s a favourable
consumer internet, there is no separate demographic dividend, a 100
growing middle class
20 INDIA EMERGING
addressable market size available for the and a huge domestic consumer market. As
consumer internet sector as defined here. mentioned earlier, India is the fifth-largest
What is interesting to note in the list of e-commerce market in the world, after China,
emerging companies in this sector is that they Japan, Germany, and the US. The factors
are not just offline-to-online conversions of driving the growth of the consumer internet
traditional services. Instead, they are providing sector are, to some extent, the same as those
services for new needs, often generated by driving e-commerce. For one, the base of
contemporary scenarios and problems. internet
For Juggernaut
New Delhi-based is ausers
digitalisplatform
large [500 million in June 2018,
that allows
Juggernaut
instance, millennial workers are happy to move as per the Internet and Mobile Association of
cities to take up jobs that make departure from conventional
them happy, India publishing,
(IAMAI)] andJuggernaut
morestarted
are coming online
publishing with a mobile-based app to reach out to a wider
every day. Further, an estimated 75 percent of
which leads to the need for affordable rental
accommodations and to remain free from India’s e-commerce users are below the age of
for often as little as Rs 10. Apart from publishing digital books, it
owning, packing and transportingalsoeven basic submit35andand
lets readers aretheir
publish avid social media users. India’s
writing.
household
Foundinggoods and appliances.
year: 2015 online market is also the fastest-growing
26
Founders: Chiki Sarkar, Founder
among the BRIC countries.
platform helps busy people tackle their to-do lists, be it picking
up your food, getting you a plumber, doing your laundry, and
myriad other chores.
Little Black Book(LLB) New Delhi-based Little Black Book is a local discovery and
recommendation platform for businesses across the categories
VaultEdge Little
of food, shopping, events and activities. It works through
Bengaluru-based
community-driven Postman is theand
recommendations essential
has a toolchain
presence for API
developers
in Delhi-NCR, to share, Mumbai,
Bengaluru, test, document, and monitor
Goa, Kolkata, Pune,APIs. More
Black Book
than Chennai,
Gurugram, 3 million engineers
Postman
across age groupsto and
buildarea
connected
Founding
and developers
and Hyderabad. LBB
software
of interests,
2013
has worldwide use
an audience
yearvia APIs. Postman’s free
but its primary target is
Mac, Windows, Linux and Chrome apps, along with Postman’s
18-35-year-olds.
Founding year: 2013
Little
New Black Book(LLB)
Delhi-based Little Black Book isleading
Founders: New businesses.
local Delhi-based
a Suchitadiscovery andLittle
Salwan, Founder and Black Book isplatform
CEO
recommendation a local discovery and across the
for businesses
categories of food, shopping, events andrecommendation
activities. It worksplatform for businesses across
through community-driven the categories and has
recommendations
Founders: Abhinav Asthana, CEO and Founder; Ankit Sobti,
of food,Goa,
a presence in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Founder
Mumbai, shopping, events and activities. It works through
and CTO Kolkata, Pune, Gurugram, Chennai, and Hyderabad. LBB has
an audience across age groups and areacommunity-driven
of interests,
Bengaluru-based but
ShareChat, which
recommendations
its claims
primary target
to be India’s is 18 and has a presence
to 35-year-olds.
largest
ShareChat
in Delhi-NCR,
social network, Bengaluru,
is a content platform Mumbai,
for the rising Goa, Kolkata, Pune,
vernacular
Founders: Suchita Salwan, Founder
audience ofGurugram,
the country. ItChennai,
helps peopleand Hyderabad.
create, discover, and LBB has an audience
share content in their own language, be it news, videos, jokes,
across age groups and area of interests, but its primary target is
Enclouden GIFs, audio songs or funny images. The Sharechat app also
Founding year: 2013 18-35-year-olds.
allows enterprises
people a complete
to make friendsset of tools
with thosetospeaking
deploy, manage,
the samemonitor,
and orchestrate private cloud-based IT infrastructure. The
language.
Founding year: 2015
RailYatriBengaluru-based company
Founders: Founding
IT transformationyear
Suchita 2013
helps mid-sized organisations attain
Salwan, Founder and CEO
swiftly, at less than half the cost.
Founders: Farid Ahsan, Co-founder
BhanuFounders:
Singh, Co-founder
Satya Kishore Gontina, Co-founder
Noida-based startup
Founding year:RailYatri
2015 uses deep-analytics
Ankush Sachdeva,
Abinash technology to make predictions that help travellers make smart
Co-founder
Saikia, Co-founder
decisions for their upcoming travel. Vishwa Vijoyendra
The travel appNarayan, Co-founder
provides comprehensive information on trains, passenger
ShareChat
amenities at stations, platforms and theBengaluru-based ShareChat,
speed of the train, which
along with claims toalerts
personalised be India’s largest
via the mobile app,
HyperTrack
mobile web and SMS. social network, is a content platform for the rising vernacular
EazyDiner Gurugram-based EazyDiner is a restaurant reservation platform
Founders: Manish Rathi, CEO and audience of the country. It helps people create, discover, and
Co-founder
launched by journalist and food writer Vir Sanghvi, along
Belong share content
Bengaluru-based
Kapil Raizada, CTO and Co-founder
in their
HR Tech startupown
Belonglanguage, betheit news, videos, jokes,
has predicted
GIFs, audio
recommendations, insiders’songs or funny
tips, dining images.
concierge servicesThe
and Sharechat app also
predictive outbound hiring solution helps people discover,
Sachin Saxena, Co-founder
deals with every reservation. The service delivery is both over
allows people to make friends with those speaking the same
phone and online
language. data-driven and candidate-focused. Its
business-aligned, Founding year: 2015
product, Belong Hire, aims to be the most powerful recruiting
27 Founding year: 2015 toolVir
for Sanghvi,
organisations seeking talent.
Founders: Co-founder
Sachin Pabreja, Co-founder
Founders: Farid Ahsan, Co-founder
Founders: Sudheendra Chilappagari, Co-founder
VijayBhanu
Sharma,Singh, Co-founder
Co-founder & CEO
INDIA EMERGING 100 37
EazyDiner
Little Black Book(LLB) NewGurugram-based
Delhi-based Little EazyDiner is aalocal
Black Book is restaurant reservation
discovery and platform
20 launched by journalist and food writer
recommendation platform for businesses across Vir
INDIA the
Sanghvi, along
categories
EMERGIN G 100
of food, shopping, events and activities. It works through
recommendations,
community-driven insiders’ tips,
recommendations dining
and has a concierge
presence services and
EazyDiner
in Delhi-NCR,
deals withBengaluru,
Gurugram, Chennai,
phone and
FoundingMumbai,The
every reservation.
year 2014
Goa,service
Kolkata,delivery
Pune, is both over
and Hyderabad. LBB has an audience
online
across age groups and area of interests, but its primary target is
Founding year: 2013 18-35-year-olds.
Gurugram-based EazyDiner is a restaurant reservation platform launched by journalist and food writer Vir VaultEdge
Sanghvi,
Founders: Vir Sanghvi, Co-founder i2e1
along with a group of hoteliers and restaurateurs. It offers reviews, recommendations, insiders’ tips, dining
Founders: Suchita Salwan, Founder and CEO
concierge services and deals with every Sachin Pabreja,
reservation. The Co-founder
service delivery is both over phone and online.
ShareChat Bengaluru-based ShareChat, which claims to be India’s largest Founding year: 2015
social network, is a content platform for the rising vernacular
Juggernaut New Delhi-based
audience Juggernaut
of the country. It helpsis people
a digitalcreate,
platform that allows
discover, and
share content in their ownFounding
GIFs, ShareChat
departure from conventional
audio songs or funny year 2015
language, be it news, videos, jokes,
publishing, Juggernaut started
images. The Sharechat app also
INDIA EMERGING 100 publishing with a mobile-based app to reach out to a wider
allows people to make friends with those speaking the same
37
language.
Bengaluru-based ShareChat, which claims for often
to beas India’s
little aslargest
Rs 10. Apart
socialfrom publishing
network, digital books,
is a content it for the rising
platform
Founding year: 2015
also lets readers submit and publish their writing.
vernacular audience of the country. It helps people create, discover, and share content in their own language, Enclouden
be it
Founding year: 2015 Founders: Farid Ahsan, Co-founder
news, videos, jokes, GIFs, audio songs or funny images. The ShareChat app also allows people to make friends with
those speaking the same language.
Bhanu Singh,
Founders: Co-founder
Chiki Sarkar, Founder
INDIA EMERGING 100
Ankush Sachdeva, Co-founder
Founders: Farid Ahsan, Co-founder
Bhanu Singh, Co-founder
Ankush Sachdeva, Co-founder
Founding year: 2015
dunzo Bengaluru-based dunzo is a daily task-management app that
EazyDiner Gurugram-based EazyDiner is a restaurant reservation platform
launched
prioritisebyyour
journalist and chat-based
tasks. The food writerpersonal
Vir Sanghvi, along
management
New Delhi-based HyperTrack, which has positioned itself as a platform helps busy people tackle their to-do lists, be it picking
Dunzorecommendations,
track-and-trace service for local deliveries, provides developers
with building blocks to build location features. Its APIs power
Founding
upyear 2015
insiders’
your food, getting you atips, diningdoing
plumber, concierge services and
your laundry, and
deals with every reservation. The service delivery is both over
accurate location with near-zero battery to collect, manage, myriad other chores.
and consume users’ activity and location tracking data. With phone and online Belong
Bengaluru-based
Founding year: 2015 Dunzo is a daily task-management app that uses a mix of artificial intelligence and human
GPS and geospatial data to deliver actionable APIs. Founders: Ankur Aggarwal,
operators to help prioritise your tasks. The chat-based personal management platform helps busy people tackle
Dalvir Suri,
Founders: Vir Sanghvi, Co-founder
Founders: Kashyap Deorah, their to-do
Founder & CEOlists, be it picking up your food, getting you a plumber, doing your laundry, and myriad other chores.
Mukund Jha Co-founder
Sachin Pabreja,
Founders: Ankur Aggarwal, Co-founder Kabeer Biswas, Co-founders
Dalvir Suri, Co-founder
Mukund Jha, Co-founder
New Delhi-based SquadRun uses AI and crowdsourcing
to automate and scale business processes and provide 5x
Kabeer Biswas, Co-founder
improvements on data operations. The startup works in data
categorisation, moderation/ rating, tagging, and other data and
calling-related tasks for businesses; this is done through their
Moonfrog Labs Bengaluru-based Moonfrog Labs is India’s fastest growing
mobile games company. Founded by a team of developers who
INDIA
Founders: Apurv
EMERGING 100
Agrawal, Founder & CEO
previously worked for Zynga, Moonfrog Labs is targeting the37
Kanika Jain, Founder increasing number of Indians using smartphones and internet.
Vikas Gulati, Co-founder Their most popular game is Teen Patti Gold, which has more
Rishabh Ladha, Co-founder
28
Founders: Nishit Aggarwal, Co-founder
36
Ashutosh Mishra, Co-founder and CTO INDIA EMERGING 100
Maanas Dwivedi, Co-founder
DEEP TECH
Deep tech is an umbrella term used to describe companies who are creating products and solutions
based on breakthroughs in science, technology and engineering. They create new solutions, not
incremental ones, which are not based on business model innovations or offline to online transitions.
Instead, they use these breakthroughs to bring about real disruption in the way they solve a problem
or create new markets altogether. From an investment perspective, deep tech demands patience
because their solutions create new intellectual property (IP) which takes years of research and
development – these are not startups that can begin generating revenue, let alone returns, for the
first few years.
Until a few years ago, deep tech startups in India were few and far between. Over the last 2-3 years,
however, we have seen an increase in the number of startups that are are using artificial intelligence
(AI) (and its components such as machine learning, computer vision), IoT, robotics, blockchain, big
data and analytics to create truly disruptive solutions. These are the technologies that are going
mainstream in a big way.
In India, VCs have begun to consider large investments in deep tech startups. India has a large talent
pool in software, as well as the ability to generate massive data sets. This should see interesting
solutions scale across a variety of sectors, including retail, fintech, healthcare and education. Startups
providing full-stack, end-to-end HyperTrack Newtherefore
solutions could see faster growth (and Delhi-based HyperTrack,
more which has positioned it
investments).
track-and-trace service for local deliveries, provides dev
with building blocks to build location features. Its APIs
accurate location with near-zero battery to collect, man
and consume users’ activity and location tracking data
Mihup
Founders: Subodh Kumar, Co-founder & CEO; Kishore
Bengaluru-based
Mundra, Mihup
Co-founder; Dr Sanjeev is powered
Kumar, PROFILES
Co-founderby intelligent voice
interfaces for any device or application and can deliver
human-like understanding of naturally spoken queries for
Uncanny Vision large, complex
Bengaluru-based Uncannycontent
Vision isdomains. Built
a technology on Automatic Speech
company
i2e1 New Delhi-based i2e1, which stands for Information To
focused on Computer Vision on Embedded Systems. The
One, is creating the largest connected platform in the w
startuppeople
has threespeaking
home-grownIndian languages
products a way of using intelligent
– UncannyCV
Backed by a team of IIT-IIM pedigree, i2e1 uses data co
Uncanny Vision (Traditional
voiceComputer VisionFounding
interfaces.
2012
algorithms) – a computer
year for Cortex-A series
image processing library optimised
vision/
fromARM
user sign-ins at brick-and-mortar establishments.
processors; UncannyDL (Deep Learning-based Vision)also creates
– an an analytics intelligence suite, similar to G
Founders:
on-device Biplab
deep learning Chakraborty,
library for mobile andCo-founders
embedded
Founding year: Uncanny
Bengaluru-based 2012 Tapan
Vision isapplications
a technology Barman,
and Co-founders
UncannySurveillance
company focused– an
onaward-winning AI- on embedded systems.
computer vision
businesses the possibility to connect with customers, g
The startup has three home-grownbased Surveillance
products solution targeted
– UncannyCV
Sandipan
at challenging
Mandal,(Traditional
Co-founders Computersecurity & algorithms) – a computer
Vision
Founding
analytics year: 2015
applications. time insights, and grow their business. Clients include
vision/image processing library optimisedSandipan Chattopadhyay, Co-foundersUncannyDL (deep learning-based
for Cortex-A series ARM processors;
vision) – an on-device deep learning library for mobile and embedded applications, and UncannySurveillance – an
Founders: Ranjith Parakkal, Co-founder and CEO
award-winning AI-based surveillance solution targeted at challenging security and analytics applications.
Founders: Nishit Aggarwal, Co-founder
Navaneethan Sundaramoorthy, Co-founder and CMO
Founders: Ranjith Parakkal, Co-founder and CEO
Simility Hyderabad-based Simility is a multi-layered fraudAshutosh detection Mishra, Co-founder and CTO
Navaneethan Sundaramoorthy,
solution thatCo-founder
Chennai-based
uses and
Mad
self-optimisingCMO Street
machine Den is
learninga computer
and device vision and
Mad Street Den Maanas Dwivedi, Co-founder
intelligence technology to safeguard online businesses in real
vPhrase time. It provides fraud
Mumbai-based andaims
vPhrase risktoprofessionals
revolutionisewith Gaurav
tools
the way to Bansal, Co-founder
insights
collect data, create powerful
are communicated models,
from data. and a PHRAZOR
It’s platform rich workbench toAdams, Co-founder
gathers
Anugrah
analyse
This –platform,
data, results
structures casting
which net
a smarter
the facts and in the
has
end
computer
toapplies
vision
automatically
languagecatch
to
at its core, aims to use
MADStreetDen
present
fraud. ThisAI
thetoreader
lets learn,
their enhance,
with
customers 2013
humanized, and Foundingfunctions across the entire
automate
targeted
- banks, narratives.
payment
year At any
processors,
value chain for e-commerce companies, marketplaces, brands,
given point of time, PHRAZOR churns out thousands of such
articles
worries andand
slightly
stores,
aside and tweaks
focusmore. themwork.
on their to suit each type of audience.
Chennai-based MADStreetDen is PHRAZOR
a computer describes
vision
100 the dataartificial
and in words,intelligence
but most importantly
startup building solutions for the
Founding year: 2013INDIA EMERG ING
Founding year: 2015 generates insights that help with decision making.
Founders:AI
retail sector. Its first vertically integrated Rahul
stackPangam Co-founder
for retail is Vue.ai.and CEO
This platform, which has computer vision at its
Founders: Ashwini Asokan, Co-founder & CEO
Kedar Samant,
core, aims to use AI to learn, enhance, and Co-founder
automate and CTO across the entire value chain for e-commerce
functions
Anand
Founders: Chandrasekaran,
Neerav Parekh, Founder andCo-founder
CEO & CTO
Uttam
companies, marketplaces, brands, Phalnikar,
stores, Co-founder and Chief Enterprise Architect
and more.
Founders: Ashwini Asokan, Co-founder & CEO
Anand Chandrasekaran, Co-founder & CTO
Mihup Bengaluru-based Mihup is powered by intelligent voice
40 interfaces for any device or application and can deliver INDIA EMERGING 100
42 INDIA
human-like understanding of naturally spoken queries for EMERGI NG 100
large, complex content domains. Built on Automatic Speech
Mihup Founding
year 2014
people speaking Indian languages a way of using intelligent
voice interfaces.
Bengaluru-based Mihup is powered by intelligent voice interfaces for any device or application and can deliver
Founders: Biplab Chakraborty, Co-founders
human-like understanding of naturally spoken queries for large, complex content domains. Built on Automatic
Tapan Barman, Co-founders
Speech Recognition (offline and online) in Indian languages, it offers people speaking Indian languages a way of
Sandipan Mandal, Co-founders
using intelligent voice interfaces.
Sandipan Chattopadhyay, Co-founders
Founders: Biplab Chakraborty, Co-founder
-based HyperTrack, which Playment
has positioned itself as Co-founder
Tapan Barman, a Bengaluru-based Playment is a fully managed data labeling
Sandipan Mandal, Co-founderplatform generating training data for computer vision models
race service for local deliveries, provides developers
ng blocks to build location features. Its APIs power
Mad Street Den manage, at scale.
Chennai-based MadItStreet
works with
Den is acompanies in the
computer vision andautonomous vehicle,
cation with near-zero battery to collect,
me users’ activity and location tracking data. With drones, mapping, and other similar spaces. The company
provides high-precision, complex annotation services, using a
eospatial data to deliver actionable APIs. This platform, which has computer vision at its core, aims to use
suite of tools tailor-made for building high-quality datasets for
AI to learn, enhance, and automate functions across the entire
computer vision models.
value chain for e-commerce companies, marketplaces, brands,
Kashyap Deorah, Founder & CEO
30 Founding year: 2015 stores, and more.
Founding year: 2013 Founders: Siddharth Mall, Co-founder & CEO
Founders:Akshay
Ashwini Lal,
Asokan, Co-founder
Co-founder &&Product
CEO Head
Anand Chandrasekaran, Co-founder & CTO
ated tasks for businesses;
40 this is done through their INDIA EMERGING 100
GridRaster
Apurv Agrawal, Founder & CEO Bengaluru-based GridRaster leverages the edge cloud to provide
n, Founder an underlying computer and network stack to power high-end
ti, Co-founder VR/AR experiences on mobile platforms. Its services include
adha, Co-founder
product visualisation and large-scale simulations along with
GridRaster remote
Founding
year 2014
maintenance, training, and repair. GridRaster aims to
drive the mass adoption of VR/AR by improving the reach of
d Postman is the essential toolchain for API
Bengaluru-based GridRaster leverages the edge cloud to provide an underlying computer and network stack to
-based i2e1, which stands for Information To Every
are, test, document, and monitor
powerplatform APIs.
high-end More
ating the largest connected in VR/AR experiences on mobile platforms. Its services include product visualisation and large-scale
the world.
ngineers
a team ofand developers
IIT-IIM pedigree,worldwide
i2e1 use
uses data collected Founders: Rishi Ranjan, Founder & CEO
simulations along with remote maintenance, training, and repair. GridRaster aims to drive the mass adoption of
dign-ins
connected software via APIs. Postman’s
at brick-and-mortar establishments. Itfree Dijam Panigrahi, Co-founder & COO
sLinux and Chrome
an analytics VR/AR
apps,
intelligence by with
along
suite, improving the reach of content and offering immersive experiences to users.
Postman’s
similar to Google
Venkat Ramana Dass, Co-founder
Founders: Rishi Ranjan, Founder & CEO
ses.
the possibility to connect with customers, get real-
hts, and grow their business. Clients include hospitals, Hyderabad-based Simility is a multi-layered fraud detection
Simility
solution that uses self-optimising machine learning and device
nav Asthana, CEO and Founder; Ankit Sobti,
intelligence technology to safeguard online businesses in real
TO
Nishit Aggarwal, Co-founder time. It provides fraud and risk professionals with tools to
Mishra, Co-founder and CTO
Boxx.ai
* Simility Founding
year
collect Bengaluru-based
data, create 2014
powerfulBoxx.ai
models, uses
and aAIrichpowered
workbench to
algorithms to
wivedi, Co-founder analyseidentify
results – and
casting a smarter
deliver net to automatically
accurate, relevant andcatch
personalised
nsal, Co-founder fraud. This lets their customers - banks, payment processors,
recommendations for each customer in a few clicks, including
dams, Co-founder Hyderabad-based Simility is a multi-layered fraud detection solution that uses self-optimising machine learning
worriespersonalised products
aside and focus on their (for e-commerce companies), personalised
work.
and device intelligence technology to safeguard online businesses in real time. It provides fraud and risk
mplete set of tools to professionals
deploy, manage,with
monitor, content (for news portals and blogs), improved matchmaking
tools to collect data, create powerful models, and a rich workbench to analyse results – casting
private cloud-based IT infrastructure. The (forRahul
Founders: matrimonial/dating,
Pangam Co-founder job portals)
and CEO and targeted ads (for
a smarter net to automatically catch fraud. This lets their customers – banks, payment processors, e-commerce
d company helps mid-sized organisations attain 21 publishers
Kedar Samant, with substantial
Co-founder and CTO inventory).
on swiftly, at less thanfirms, and
half the marketplaces across India – put their worries aside and focus on their work.
cost.
Founding year: 2016 Uttam Phalnikar, Co-founder and Chief Enterprise Architect
Founders: Rahul Pangam Co-founder and CEO
Founders: Prakhar Raj, Co-founder
Kishore Gontina, Co-founder
Kedar Samant, Co-founder and CTO
Co-founder Shitiz Bansal, Co-founder;
Uttam Phalnikar, Co-founder and Chief Enterprise Architect
dra Narayan, Co-founder
Mihup Ajay Kashyap,
Bengaluru-based MihupCo-founder
is powered by intelligent voice
interfaces for any device or
Bengaluru-based Playment is a fully application andlabeling
managed data can deliver
Playment
human-like understanding of naturally spoken queries for
platform generating training data for computer vision models
large,
at scale. complex
It works withcontent domains.
companies Built on Automatic
in the autonomous vehicle, Speech
drones, mapping, and other similar spaces. The company
Founders: Siddharth Mall, Co-founder & CEO | Akshay Lal, Co-founder & Product Head
eendra Chilappagari, Co-founder
o-founder & CEO Ajinkya Malasane, Co-founder & Head of Business Development
Mad Street Den
GridRaster Chennai-based
Bengaluru-based Mad Street
GridRaster Denthe
leverages is aedge
computer
cloud tovision and
provide
o-founder Bengaluru-based Niki is an AI-based personal assistant which
Niki.ai an underlying computer and network stack to power high-end
VR/AR experiences on mobile platforms. Its services include
bot app with no human intervention. Niki helps you get rid of
product
Thisvisualisation and large-scale
platform, which simulations
has computer visionalong
at itswith
core, aims to use
multiple apps on your phone and handles everything that you
Niki.ai remoteFounding
need those
maintenance,
AIyear
toapps
learn,
2015training,
enhance,
for in
and repair.
andwindow
a single chat automate GridRaster
functionsaims
interface.
drive the mass adoption of VR/AR by improving the reach of
value chain for e-commerce companies, marketplaces, brands,
to the entire
across
stores,
Founders: andModi,
Shishir more.Co-founder;
Founding
Foundingyear: 20152013
year: Nitin Babel, Co-founder
Founders: Rishi Ranjan,assistant
Founder &which
CEO helps you shop on chat. It’s India’s first fully
Bengaluru-based Niki is an AI-based personal
Keshav
DijamPrawasi,
Founders: Co-founder
Ashwini
Panigrahi, Asokan,
Co-founder Co-founder & CEO
& COO
automated chat bot app withSachin
no human
Jaiswal, intervention.
Co-founder Niki helps you get rid of multiple apps on your phone and
100Anand
INDIA EMERGINGVenkat Chandrasekaran,
Ramana Co-founder & CTO
Dass, Co-founder
handles everything that you need those apps for in a single chat window interface.
Founders: Shishir Modi, Co-founder
image processing
text to speechlibrary optimised
in real for Cortex-A
time, thereby enabling series ARM
developers to
Bengaluru-based Liv.ai is a processors;
speech build
API that UncannyDL
speech
enables (Deep
developers Learning-based
enabled-applications
to convertthat Vision)
talk. – an language
Liv.ai’s
speech-to-text by using Powerful Neural
Founding
Playment year: 2015 Bengaluru-based Playment is and
a fully managed data labeling
on-device deep learning
understanding library for
technology mobile
also helps to embedded
make devices and
Network Models with exceptional accuracy and minimal
platform latency.
generating The API
training datarecognises
for computernine major Indian languages
Founding year: 2012 applications and UncannySurveillance – an award-winning AI- vision models
applications voice interactive.
– English, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. The startup also has a speech
at scale. Itsolution
based Surveillance works targeted
with companies in the
at challenging autonomous
security & vehicle,
analytics
synthesis technology that converts drones, mapping, and other similar spaces. The company
applications.
text to speech in real time, thereby enabling developers to build
Founders:
provides
speech-enabled applications that talk. Liv.ai’s Subodh
language Kumar, Co-founder
high-precision, complex
understanding & CEO; Kishore
annotation
technology services,
also helps usingdevices
to make a and
Mundra,
suite Co-founder;
of tools Dr Sanjeev
tailor-made Kumar,
forand Co-founder
building
applications voice interactive.
INDIA EMERGING 100
Founders: Ranjith Parakkal, Co-founder 43 high-quality datasets for
CEO
Navaneethan
Founders: Subodh Kumar, Co-founder & CEO
computer vision models.
Sundaramoorthy, Co-founder and CMO
Founding year:Mundra,
Kishore 2015 Co-founder
UncannyDr.
Vision Founders: Siddharth
Bengaluru-based
Sanjeev Kumar, Co-founder UncannyMall,
VisionCo-founder & CEO
is a technology company
focused on Computer
Akshay Vision on
Lal, Co-founder & Embedded Systems. The
Product Head
vPhrase Mumbai-based
startup hasvPhrase aims to revolutionise the way insights
Niki.ai are Ajinkyathree
Bengaluru-based
communicated Nikihome-grown
Malasane,
from data.
products
Co-founder
is an It’s
AI-based & –Head
personal
platform PHRAZOR
UncannyCV
of Business
assistant which
gathers
(Traditional Computer Vision algorithms) – a computer vision/
Development
data, structures the facts and in the end applies language to
botimage
app
present
processing
thewith no human
reader with
library optimised
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humanized,
forhelps
Niki
targeted
Cortex-A series
you get
narratives.
ARM
rid of
At any
vPhrase
processors;
multiple apps on
Founding
UncannyDL
your
given point of time,year
on-device deep
phone
learning
2015
(Deep
and
library
Learning-based
handles
for
everything
PHRAZOR churns out thousands of such
mobile and
Vision)
that – an
you
embedded
need those apps for in a single chat window interface.
articles and slightly tweaks them to suit each type of audience.
Founding year: 2012 applications
PHRAZOR andthe
describes UncannySurveillance
data in words, but most – an award-winning AI-
importantly
based
Founders:
generates Surveillance
Shishir
insights thatModi, solution targeted
help Co-founder;
witharedecision at challenging
making. from data. security &
Founding year: 2015
Mumbai-based vPhrase aims to revolutionise the way insights communicated Its platform PHRAZOR
GridRaster
Founding year: 2015 Nitin Bengaluru-based
analytics
Babel, applications. GridRaster leverages the edge cloud to provide
Co-founder
gathers data, structures the facts and in the end, applies language to present the reader with humanised, targeted
an underlying
Keshav Prawasi, computer and network stack to power high-end
Co-founder
Founders:
narratives. At any given point of time, Neerav churns
PHRAZOR Parekh, Founder
out and CEO
thousands
VR/AR
Founders:
Sachin
experiences
Ranjith
Jaiswal, Parakkal,
Co-founder
mobileofplatforms.
such articles
on Co-founder and slightly tweaks them to
and CEOIts services include
suit each type of audience. PHRAZOR describes
product visualisation and large-scale simulationsgenerates
the data in words, but most importantly insights that
along with
Navaneethan Sundaramoorthy, Co-founder and CMO
help with decision making. remote maintenance, training, and repair. GridRaster aims to
Founders: Neerav Parekh, Founder anddrive
CEOthe mass adoption of VR/AR by improving the reach of
Tessact
42 analytics company that automates the process ofINDIA EMERGING 100
generating
vPhrase Mumbai-based vPhrase aims to revolutionise the way insights
metadataFounders:
and makes Rishi Ranjan,
content Founder
libraries smarter&using
CEOpowerful
are communicated from data. It’s platform PHRAZOR gathers
video recognition technologies built using machine learning
data,Dijam Panigrahi,
structures Co-founder
the facts & COO
and in the end applies language to
Tessact
systems. year
present
Founding
Venkat Ramana
the reader Dass,
with 2016
Co-founder
humanized, targeted narratives. At any
given point of time, PHRAZOR churns out thousands of such
Founders: Kshitij Marwah, Founder & CEO
articles and slightly tweaks them to suit each type of audience.
Founding year: 2016
Mumbai-based Tessact is an artificial
Apurv intelligence
Gandhwani,and data analytics company that automates the process of
Co-founder
PHRAZOR describes the data in words, but most importantly
generating metadata. It makes content libraries smarter using powerful video recognition technologies built using
Founding year: 2015 generates insights that help with decision making.
machine learning systems.
Founders: Bengaluru-based Boxx.ai uses AI powered algorithms to
Boxx.ai Kshitij Marwah, Founder &Founders:
CEO
Neerav Parekh, Founder and CEO
identify and deliver accurate, relevant and personalised
recommendations for each customer in a few clicks, including
personalised products (for e-commerce companies), personalised
content (for news portals and blogs), improved matchmaking
Boxx.ai Founding
year 2016
(for matrimonial/dating, job portals) and targeted ads (for
42 publishers with substantial inventory). INDIA EMERGING 100
Founding year:Boxx.ai
Bengaluru-based 2016 uses AI-powered algorithms to identify and deliver accurate, relevant and personalised
Founders: Prakhar Raj, Co-founder
recommendations for each customer in a few clicks, including personalised products (for e-commerce companies),
Shitiz
personalised content (for news portals and Bansal,
blogs), Co-founder;
improved matchmaking (for matrimonial/dating, job portals)
Ajay Kashyap,
and targeted ads (for publishers with substantial Co-founder
inventory).
Founders: Prakhar Raj, Co-founder
Shitiz Bansal, Co-founder
32
Today, the internet has bridged some of that gap and deeply impacted the way we learn and teach.
Edupreneurs are leveraging technologies to transform everything, from school education to
corporate training. These startups are transforming education via gamification, cloud solutions,
interactive e-books, test preparation, and integration of classroom material. Emerging frontiers
include horizontal marketplaces and local language educational content.
The top trends that have disrupted the education space include integrated e-learning suites (with
technology, content and support services), platforms supporting multiple learning styles (classroom,
live online groups, self-paced), outsourcing (of teaching, learner management), and innovation
(content creation/repurposing, gamification, mobile learning). Test prep and upskilling are the two
most robust sub-sectors within edtech, led by BYJU’s.
33
STARTUP
PROFILES
CultureAlley Founding
year 2012
Jaipur-based CultureAlley is an educational app that offers intuitive and affordable language learning solutions
through logically structured audio-visual lessons, interactive practice games, audio-dictionaries, Q&A forums, and
1-on-1 live lessons with expert teachers over Skype. With a focus on Spanish, Mandarin, and Hindi, the platform has
been loved by over 400,000 learners across 220+ countries.
*
Embibe Founding
year 2012
Bengaluru-based Embibe is an artificial intelligence platform that is personalising the delivery of education to
students in emerging markets. It provides personalised educational feedback services for students.
Toppr Founding
year 2013
Mumbai-based Toppr aims to personalise learning to suit every student’s needs. Available for classes 5 to 12, the
app makes learning more effective as it customises syllabi and lets children learn at their own pace. It is also an
online preparation platform for scholarship and entrance examinations. The app provides access to experts who
are available on chat to resolve doubts or answer queries.
Founders: Hemanth Goteti, Co-founder | Zishaan Hayath, Founder and CEO
MockBank Founding
year 2013
Bengaluru-based MockBank helps people discover, apply for, and prepare for government job entrance
examinations. The online courses are designed to crack recruitment exams in various domains, including banking,
insurance, civil services, teaching, defence, railways, NBFCs, and others. MockBank’s Sarkari Naukri preparation
app is designed keeping government job aspirants in mind.
Founders: Konark Singhal, Co-founder & CEO | Manesh Jain, Co-founder
34
CueMath Founding
year 2013
Bengaluru-based CueMath is a math learning programme for students from KG through class 8 with one vision:
building a strong math foundation in children. This is done through immersive learning of concepts, aptitude, and
reasoning at over 2,500 centres in more than 80 cities in India. They aim to help students overcome their fear of
math, and become confident, lifelong logical thinkers. Trained and certified teachers, who focus on continuous
upskilling, help children crack the math code.
Kings
Learning Founding
year 2014
Bengaluru-based startup Kings Learning provides English language training to Indian students and professionals
through an adaptive English learning app. Its first e-learning mobile app, enguru: Learn Spoken English, offers
classes in Bengaluru and Chennai. The tutorials are based on games that provide employability-related
educational experiences. The startup also offers corporate training.
OnlineTyari Founding
year 2014
OnlineTyari.com helps students prepare and take online mock tests for government exams like SSC, IAS, Bank PO,
and Railways, in addition to banking exams. The startup keeps students updated with the latest study material in
the form of online mock tests, e-books, video classes and practice questions.
Founders: Bhola Meena, Founder & CEO
Rajveer Meena, Co-founder & COO
UpGrad Founding
year 2015
Mumbai-based UpGrad is an online higher education platform providing rigorous industry relevant programmes
designed and delivered in collaboration with world-class faculty and industry. Merging the latest technology,
pedagogy and services, UpGrad is creating an immersive learning experience – anytime and anywhere.
35
Unacademy Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based Unacademy, which calls itself India’s largest learning platform, helps students and all those who
are interested to study various topics and courses and to prepare for examinations. The online education platform
uses 8 to 10 minute videos to teach various subjects to students; these topics are simplified by using diagrams and
visuals. It offers detailed course work for examinations such as UPSC, CDS, GATE, IIT JEE, CAR, GRE, IELTS, and
banks. Lessons on Modern History, Ancient History, Environment, NABARD, Economics, Jatin Verma and other
topics enable busy people who don’t have the time, or the money, to learn when they are online.
Founders: Gaurav Munjal, Co-founder & CEO
Hemesh Singh, Co-founder & CTO
Sachin Gupta, Co-founder & Head of Engineering
Roman Saini, Co-founder & Chief Educator
36
PUBLIC SECTOR
Traditionally, the public sector’s role is to ensure that non-commercial areas that private operators
may eschew are not left uncovered for lack of profit, be it in agriculture, nutrition, healthcare
(preventive and treatment-oriented), basic education, and citizen services.
However, in the context of this report, the term public sector refers to startups that are working on
solutions that help the public. The term doesn’t refer to a sector in particular, and there is, therefore,
no addressable market size that one can work with nor does it specifically refer to social good or
economic upliftment. Rather, we explore young companies that are trying to bring in transparency
and speed and remove friction from processes and interactions that will, in turn, help people, the
society and the environment we live in. Their large-scale impact may be felt only in the long run but
these are solutions that need to be found. Many, in fact, are long overdue.
While the government focuses on e-governance, digital infrastructure, application development and
individual and institutional capacity building (some of it via the Digital India programme), startups are
developing a range of solutions in areas like citizen reporting, consumer protection, Right to
Information (RTI) applications, voter record tracking, public petitions, and leveraging analytics for
social causes. The union government too has expressed its commitment to make India a $1 trillion
digital economy in this space.
While revenue models and profit streams may be harder to come by in the case of for-profit startups,
this space will continue to attract social entrepreneurs in India.
37
STARTUP
PROFILES
JioVio Singapore and Bengaluru-based JioVio is a healthtech startup
which aims to provide a positive pregnancy, infant care
and parenting experience through innovative technology
Gold Farm Bengaluru-based Gold Farm is an emerging agri-platform
which empowers
SaveMom farmers with
Rural, are IoT-based one-point
maternal solutionthat
care solutions platforms for
consists of a wearable device for adherence and monitoring, a pumps.
all farming needs, like farm equipment and solar water
Goldapp
mobile Farm
for provides farmers
information about an app-based
pregnancy andplatform for booking
a cloud-based
Founding year: 2016 Gold Farm farmfor
system equipment
Founding
and
year
maintaining patient’ 2013
makesdigital
on-demand
records.farm mechanisation
SaveMom
also helps to monitor the health of pregnant women in remote
Rural
Bengaluru-based
Founding year: 2013Gold Farm is Founders:
an emerging agri-platform which empowers farmers with one-point solution
Abhilash Thirupathy, Co-founder
target audiences.
platforms for all farming needs, like farm equipment and solar water pumps. Gold Farm provides farmers an
Karthic Ravindranath, Co-founder
Founders:
app-based platform for booking Sunder Jagannathan,
farm equipment Co-founder
and makes and CEO farm mechanisation affordable to small
on-demand
and marginal farmers. Divya Krishnan, Co-founder and COO
Senthil Kumar, Co-founder and CTO
Founders: Abhilash Thirupathy, Co-founder
Karthic Ravindranath, Co-founder
Miklens Bio human health and environmental sustainability in mind. Its
Zenatix bio-based products include plant growth enhancers, plant
protection,
company bio-fertilisers
that provides energy and bio-pesticides
management to aid alternative,
and analytics
solutions, primarily
chemical-free for retailers
farming, whichandare
theall
BFSI sector.from
derived Zenatix’s
microbial
sources. Unlike broad-spectrum
Founding synthetic chemicals, these
*
Zenatix
WattMan, is based on anyear 2014
IoT stack that allows commercial users
and private schemes that they qualify for. Citizens can also avail
Kisan Network the services
e-governance of on-ground
platform, facilitators
Astu Gurugram-based
(Automatic who, for
Scheme a small fee,
Track Kisanwill Network is an online marketpla
for agricultural produce. With a pan-India supply chain
Founding year: 2015
Founding year: 2016
The startup has an online
andfrom
achieve policy
all over goals.
the
Kisan
repository ofstartup
agritech 2500+ welfare schemes farmers in rural India to sell the
enables
country.produce via a smartphone directly to institutional buyer
bypassing the traditional network of middlemen. Kisan
Network
Founders: Nitin Shukla, Founder and CEOFounding
manages
the buyer’s
Founders name: Aniket Doegar,
year and CEO
Co-founderdoorstep. 2015
the complete supply chain, from the farm dire
Their integrated services include s
Founding year: 2015 Mayank Garg, Co-founder sorting, grading, packaging, dispatch, and delivery.
and Executive Director
56 INDIA EMERGING 100
Gurugram-based Kisan Network is an online marketplace for agricultural produce. With a pan-India supply chain,
Founders: Aditya Agarwalla, Co-founder & CEO
P R Ganapathy, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board
the agritech startup enables farmers in rural India toSanjay
sell their K
produce via a smartphone
Agarwalla, directly to institutional
Co-founder
buyers — bypassing the traditional network of middlemen. Kisan Network manages the complete supply chain,
from the farm directly to the buyer’s doorstep. Their integrated services include sourcing, sorting, grading,
INDIA EMERGI NG 100 dispatch, and delivery.
packaging, 57
Founding year:agri-biotech
Mumbai-based 2016 startup Miklens Bio’s products boost agricultural yield, while keeping human health
and environmental sustainability in mind. Its bio-based
Founders: products
Santosh Nair, Founderinclude plant growth
and Managing enhancers, plant protection,
Director
bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides to aid alternative, chemical-free farming, which are all derived from microbial
sources. Unlike broad-spectrum synthetic chemicals, these products work specifically against certain target
organisms without harming beneficial organisms.
and private schemes that they qualify for. Citizens can also avail
the services of on-ground facilitators who, for a small fee, will
Founding year: 2015 The startup has an online repository of 2500+ welfare schemes
from all over the country.
40
TRAVEL &
HOSPITALITY
Traditionally, travel and hospitality have been key This is likely to change in favour of e-tailing, but
drivers of India’s service sector. Today, both travel is likely to remain a large contributor.
industries, as intertwined as they are, enjoy Senior citizens are travelling more, thanks to the
significant tailwind in the form of growing disposable availability of tailored trips that take into account
incomes, availability of affordable, standardised their needs and limitations. As women become
rooms across the country, growth of niche areas such financially independent, the market for women
as medical & wellness tourism, and of course, easy travellers could well become a high-value
access to online information to plan vacations even market. In rural India too, women will travel
in areas halfway across the country. alone more, although this may be for social,
Travel and hospitality is one sector that enjoyed medical and other reasons such as shopping,
rapid online growth since the early years of this rather than leisure. Fueling this ability to travel
century and continues to do so. According to IBEF, easily, comfortably and to do exactly what you
the total contribution by the travel and tourism want on a trip are a host of online travel and
sector to India’s GDP is expected to increase from hospitality providers with innovative business
$234 billion in 2017 to $492.21 billion in 2028. The models and solutions that identify and fill gaps
government targets 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in this journey. While there is no stopping
by 2020 from 1.03 million in March 2018. According me-too solutions, new startups come up with
to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and new solutions to emerging problems faster
Google India released in 2017, the passenger travel today than ever before. Millennials’ aversion to
market in the country is likely to grow at more than 11 owning and preference for renting has spurred
percent to $48 billion by 2020 on the back of air solutions like standardised shared
travel growing at 15 percent to $30 billion. The accommodation, sometimes also called
report, Demystifying the Online Indian Traveler, co-living. Personalised vacations have further
predicts that the hotel industry will grow at 13 evolved to include user-generated travel
percent to $13 billion by 2020, with one-third of itineraries to plan holidays to unknown
rooms being booked online. The last report from destinations. It’s something the bigger players
IAMAI on Digital Commerce in 2016 stated that recognise too with the likes of MakeMyTrip
travel had the biggest chunk of the e-commerce focusing big time on increasing revenue from
41 market in India with a 56 percent share. hotel bookings and holiday packages (vs. online
flight/rail tickets).
STARTUP
PROFILES
Zostel Founding
year 2013
Jaipur-based Zostel is one of India’s oldest and biggest backpacker hostel brands and was instrumental in
introducing the concept of backpacker hostels in the country. Zostel provides safe, clean, centrally located and
affordable accommodation for travellers on a budget. Zostel also promotes micro-entrepreneurship as almost all
Zostels are run by handpicked, motivated local entrepreneurs on a franchise model.
Founders: Akhil Malik, Co-founder & CEO
Tarun Tiwari, Co-founder
Abhishek Bhutra, Co-founder
Tripoto Founding
year 2013
Delhi-based Tripoto is a unique social travel platform where users get to share and discover real travel
experiences, stories, communities, tourism guides, hotels, holidays, getaways, attractions and maps. The app
allows users to find tried-and-tested travel itineraries written by real travellers, with real route maps, photos and
guides.
FabHotels Founding
year 2013
Gurugram-based FabHotels is a budget hotel aggregator and partners with small hotels to provide standardised
services to budget travellers. Unlike the partial inventory model of aggregators, the company gets into franchisee
pacts where the startup not only gets involved in the operations of the hotel but also gets the exclusive distribution
rights for the entire inventory. In turn, it aims to provide property owners with increased occupancy and better
optimised revenue per room.
42
ING 100
Pickyourtrail Founding
year 2014
Chennai-based Pickyourtrail is an online platform that allows travellers to either customise their own trips or choose
from readymade packages offered by the likes of MakeMyTrip or Yatra. They aim to build a platform where people
can personalise their holidays and travel at their own pace.
Founders: Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder
Srinath Shankar, Co-founder
Treebo Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based Treebo is India’s leading tech-enabled, asset-light, affordable accommodation brand. Founded
in 2015, Treebo was the first to implement a quality guarantee across its inventory of 9,000 rooms in 400+ hotels
across 70+ cities.
Founders: Kadam Jeet Jain, Co-founder
Rahul Chaudhary, Co-founder
Sidharth Gupta, Co-founder
ZipGo Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based ZipGo is an on-demand AC bus service looking to solve the city’s deteriorating traffic situation
and at the same time, provide a comfortable and convenient public transport. They are a one-stop solution for daily
commuters who are looking for a stress-free, affordable and safe commute option. The app allows you to view
routes, estimated time of arrival on the chosen route, and seat availability. Commuters can also reserve seats and
track bus movements real-time on the app.
NestAway Founding
year 2015
Bengaluru-based NestAway is a home rental network attempting to provide better rental solutions via design and
technology. As India’s fastest growing ‘Home Rental Network’, NestAway attempts to provide better rental
solutions via design and technology. They help customers find, book and move into a rental home of their choice
across Indian cities – all via an app.
Founders: Amarendra Sahu, Co-founder & CEO
Jitendra Jagadev, Co-founder & COO
Smruti Parida, Co-founder & CTO
Deepak Dhar, Co-founder
43
Goomo Founding
year 2017
Singapore and Mumbai-based Goomo is an omni-channel travel-tech company that distributes products and
services through its website goomo.com, company-owned branches and B2B partner network. Its products and
services aim to meet the needs of consumers, corporates and the B2B segment with a growing focus on the B2C
travel segment.
Founders: Varun Gupta, Founder & CEO
44
ANNEXURE:
METHODOLOGY
With nearly 40,000 startups in the country, finding the top 100 is a
challenge. We decided to leave out funding from our evaluation criteria;
instead, we focused on the technology being used, the team, the
traction the business has gained so far, scalability of the business and the
market they’re addressing, and the business from a customer experience
perspective. [While raising capital can be considered a validation of sorts
(i.e., someone has assessed the potential of the startup), it can never be
more than just one of many factors. There are a great many number of
startups that have scaled without VC funding and are profitable.]
We started with a long list of nearly 700 companies from the YourStory
proprietary database that met our shortlisting criteria. This was done by
senior editorial and research staff at YourStory, along with industry and
technology experts who interact with startups every day. Points were
assigned for each of the criteria. In addition, the YS Research staff then
dived into the top 150 companies and carried out secondary research to
complete the analysis on each of these companies.
45
EVALUATION
CRITERIA
Technology
1. Has the technology built/leveraged the next step in the evolution of existing tech?
2. Does the technology solution have the potential to impact millions of people?
Team
1. Does the past experience of the founders/management have relevance to the problem
being solved?
2. Does the team demonstrate a wide range of skills and capabilities required to solve the
problem?
3. Do they have past entrepreneurial work experience?
Business traction
1. Has the team been able to demonstrate growth in the user base or other forms of rapid
adoption?
2. Has the startup showed proof of adoption in terms of revenue?
Scalability
Market
46
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Published 10/18.