The Climate Tech Startups Meetup that we organised through Pro Zero Carbon in association with eChai Ventures and Draper Startup House India was an amazing gathering where founders shared insights, challenges, and solutions, sparking conversations on how innovation can combat climate change. Conversations flowed freely, from groundbreaking tech innovations to collaborative opportunities aimed at creating a sustainable future.
Many thanks to Dr. Disha Ahuja (Ph.D.), Kiran Kumar Alla, Vyshali Sagar and Nazim Sharif for joining in and giving their valuable insights on biogas, hydrogen, solar power and corporate climate responsibility and making this memorable.
Met some awesome folks during my trip to Singapore where I also hosted the eChai Singapore meetup – Anupama Singal and Vikram Bharati 🌟 Doing seriously cool stuff in their worlds. 😎
Anu comes from such rich experience of being one of the key leaders who shaped Levi Strauss & Co. especially in Asia. She has then moved to build bigger things with her three own startup’s. At SLICeR. she has cracked visualising data for non-data folks!
Vikram is the most chill “bartender” who is the brain behind Draper Startup House and now is building this visionary community called “Draper Nation” - a Bitcoin native nation
Feeling pumped and ready for more meetings like these!
Meraj Faheem started all with introducing himself & Journey of his Studentpreneur life where he Started India's First Hacking School BootCamp!
Like How he got his First Client through SEO-Search Engine Optimisation via google and from there it all Started and became India's First and initially he charged 80K then it goes around 150K he adds!
And after his clients experience over Hacking School they started suggesting it to their network as well as friends of friends of them this is how it started growing organically 📈
The main step of a Founder towards sales is to make that initial Connection and maintain relationship with their customers first to get to their 500th Customer.
Like one of the best Example is how the customer of Google got his Account Suspended due to some reason but wanted to recover it and until Larry page Former CEO of google made it happen by recognising the customer who was one of their 100th customer and redirected him to his manager to solve the problem😮💨
This is what the real meaning of relationship with customers is🙌🏻✨️
So maintaining that relationship with your customers should be your first priority where it helps you to grow more and more because you are selling your Services/products to them right?
Creating that Familiarity of you in public makes lot of differences as well as it is not possible in one or two meet but third time it can🔥
Founders should me known for their Brand💥
Every Business Should have their Data bases like the best example is Mark Zuckerberg before launching Facebook he restricted it to Harward .edu by inviting his Friends, Friends of friends, classmates to make a profile and to conect with each other by Leveraging his first degree Network totally🔥
The takeaways and Main points were-
1. "You Cannot Bribe/Manipulate/Influence Everyone-You Need to Win them"
2. Increase Familiarities between people and yourself.
3. You should be know for the Right Things.
4. Make your Data bases perfect.
5. Dont burn money in marketing learn sales first!
Our discussion on machine learning models was truly enlightening, and his deep knowledge and passion for technology were nothing short of inspiring.
Beyond the tech talk, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about SaiNageswar’s enthusiasm for travel and our shared love for exploring new places. It’s always refreshing to connect with someone who brings such a well-rounded perspective and genuine curiosity to the table.
A big thank you, SaiNageswar Satchidanand, for your time and the engaging conversation. I’m excited to stay connected and continue sharing insights and experiences!
The eChai Startup Open House was a fantastic event, offering a vibrant and informal setting to connect with innovative startups and like-minded entrepreneurs. It was a great opportunity to discover new possibilities, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships within the startup community.
As the echoes of The Climate Party still resonate within the walls of CoKarma and the hearts of our vibrant community, we're excited to announce the next step in our collective journey towards sustainability: the Wudbox Climate Dialogue event! ♻️🗣️
Imagine a place where your ideas have the power to morph into actionable climate solutions. That's what we are all about! This dialogue is your platform to mingle with eco-warriors in our ecosystem! 🌱🤝
- Charu Dhyani - She's not just the Founder of Pro Zero Carbon; she's a beacon of hope, leading the charge towards a zero-carbon future! 🌟🌿
- Shantanu Sharma - As Co-Founder of Pro Zero Carbon, Shantanu is here to prove that sustainability and success go hand in hand. 💼♻️
- Shruti Rawal - The brain behind Ewoke Studio, Shruti is stitching the fabric of sustainability into every creation. 🧵🌏
- Dashveer Singh - Steering Maharaja Carpets India towards green horizons, Dashveer's journey is nothing short of inspiring. 🌿🔍
- Nikhil Somani - Nikhil is here with Somani Packaging to wrap the world in eco-friendly solutions. 📦🌍
- Rashi Agrawal - As the Director of Banyan Nation, Rashi is transforming the landscape of sustainability through innovative waste management. 💼🌱
- Sundeep Singh - Sundeep, the Executive Director at C-Forth Energy, electrifies the scene with cutting-edge energy solutions. ⚡🌐
Amidst the constant warnings of a heat wave in Telangana and rising temperatures, be there to be the change. Let's make our planet proud, together! 🌟👫
🗓️ 6th April 2024 6PM onwards 📍CoKarma, Hitech City
The insights shared by these industry stars were nothing short of fascinating, especially for a marketing enthusiast like me. The moderator's questions and the engaging Q&A session kept us hooked for an event that stretched two hours beyond schedule! 🕒
From Koushik "Babu" Koganti's journey from the streets of the USA to Harvard and then to the bustling streets of Hyderabad, to Samrat Reddy transformation of Drunken Monkey from a brand to a lifestyle, each story resonated deeply with the entrepreneurial spirit. 🌟
Neehar Bisabathini from Churroltto captivated us with his eloquence and straightforward explanations, leaving us eagerly anticipating more of his wisdom in the future. Stay tuned! 🎤
Faisal Tayabali's journey with Euphoria, from corporate life to becoming the "Bald Brownie Baba," showcased the power of entrepreneurial freedom.
Sandeep Balasubramanian from Hashi shared his eureka moment and the enduring value of strong employee relationships during challenging times like the pandemic. 💡
And let's not forget Suharika Karri from Swiggy Hyderabad, whose insights on dark kitchens and boosting sales were nothing short of guru mantras for startups in the HoReCa industry. 🍕
🎉 What a lively evening at the Women's Day Startup Social! Surprisingly, the crowd was mostly men, proving that support for women in entrepreneurship knows no bounds!
🙌 And yes, I'm already prepping to shed light on men's struggles come Men's Day - it's only fair, right? 😄💼
Huge thanks to eChai Ventures and Draper Startup House for hosting such an inspiring event! Let's keep lifting each other up! 💪💃
Join me at 6 PM for a Women's Day Startup Social that promises to be as vibrant as our spirits! Let's gather with eChai Ventures and Draper Startup House Gachibowli to celebrate the brilliance and resilience of women in entrepreneurship.
Get ready for an evening of inspiration, connection, and a sprinkle of cheer! Can't wait to see you there! 💃🥂
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending a panel discussion alongside my collegue Sai Trivikram Chintakunta, hosted by eChai Ventures at Draper Startup House. The event, titled "Founders who have made it to Shark Tank India: Hyderabad edition", featured founders of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands and offered profound insights into the nuances of running a startup.
Here are the key takeaways from the discussion, which revolved around the 4Ps of marketing, though not explicitly mentioned.
Product: To ensure long term success and sustainability of D2C brands, innovation is key. With Gen Alpha emerging as a significant customer base, staying ahead with novel products is crucial.
Price: Pricing strategy plays a pivotal role in profitability. It is advisable to aim at least a 5x markup on the cost of production. If your products are priced at a 3x or 2x markup, it may be time to revisit your pricing strategy to ensure sustainability.
Place: For D2C startups, an offline presence is very advantageous. It significantly reduce customer acquisition costs and facilitates quick feedback integration for new product pilots.
Promotion: Budgeting for marketing is crucial as the promotional cost varies between 25% to 60% of the revenue depending on the product. While getting viral on social media is rare, identifying the most effective promotional channels is key to driving customer acquisition.
It was truly an honour to share insights and experiences with a diverse group of entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey, each with their own innovative ideas.
During the session, I had the opportunity to delve into B2B marketing strategies, while my fellow panellist, Shreyes Manyam from inflooo, expertly addressed B2C queries. The discussion was skillfully moderated by
Lakshman Rupanagunta
, ensuring a fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences among all participants.
I want to express my gratitude for being a part of such enriching sessions where I could share my knowledge and experiences with fellow entrepreneurs. It's always a pleasure to give back to the #community and contribute to the collective growth of startups and aspiring business owners. Thank you Jatin!
Together, as a community, we are stronger, and I look forward to more opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other in the future.
Energize your startup journey at our monthly eChai Demo Day in Hyderabad at CoKarma Hitec City.
Join us as promising ventures from our community take the stage to present their innovations, gather early feedback, and connect with investors, enablers, and fellow entrepreneurs. With a vibrant atmosphere filled with light, fun, and boundless energy, it's where collaboration thrives and dreams take flight.
Don't miss out on the excitement – mark your calendars and be part of the action!
PayAid is a dynamic smart router connecting businesses to multiple payment gateways and increasing sales by 30%.
My co-founder Phani and I met while we were working together in our erstwhile employer, HDFC Bank, we were a part of the same team managing strategic accounts for the bank.
In Dec'2020, when the bank's servers had an prolonged issue and merchants started asking us to route transactions to other payment gateways, Phani and I had long discussions on while we can not do this as bank employees, we can certainly do this as a Fintech TSP for businesses. Thus, PayAid was founded.
While both of us bring in completely different mindsets and skill sets to the business, we decided early on what the roles and responsibilities of both of us would be. Phani manages Tech and finance, and I manage sales and alliances with payment gateways and banks.
🤝 Meeting incredible new minds and reconnecting with old friends—what a day it was filled with inspiring conversations! #Networking#NewConnections#Reunions
Draper was buzzing with energy! 🌟 Shoutout to everyone who joined in – you made the night unforgettable. Let's keep the startup vibes going! 🚀✨ #StartupFun#BengaluruNights#eChaiCelebration
🚀 Excited to share insights from my talk at eChai Startup Saturday where we delved into the heart of GTM strategy for early-stage bootstrapped startups! 💼
🎙️ The most burning question of the day for the panel being moderated by Gopi Krishna Gantala was: "How to plan a killer GTM strategy?"
Here's a quick breakdown of the key takeaways:
1️⃣ Define Your Target Market/Audience: 🔍 Start by identifying who your product is for and where to find them. This crucial step shapes your messaging and content strategy.
2️⃣ Clarify Your Primary Objective - Branding or Selling: 💰 Determine if your focus is on building brand awareness or driving immediate sales. This decision will guide your ROI calculations and budget alignment.
3️⃣ Craft a Long-Term Vision: 🔮 What's your grand plan for the future? Do you want to build a #lifestylebusiness or work up towards a high value #investment table. Knowing this helps build a Unique Selling Proposition (#USP) and validates your business strategy.
Remember, the magic happens when these three factors align seamlessly! ✨
Gratitude to the engaged audience and fellow panelists Shreyes Manyam & Pradeep Reddy many for making this Saturday a power-packed session of learning and collaboration. 🚀 Let's keep the momentum going! 💼
Para as autoridades chinesas, os cristãos são considerados um perigo para a nação. Chineses protestam contra o “Livro Branco”. (Captura de t...
It was a wonderful conversation around the topics of Sustainability, Net Zero Policies and Climate Action. It is heartening and encouraging to see such conversations happening all around; and so happy to join in and be a part of the solution to climate change.
From last week’s National Startup Day event at Draper Startup House Hyderabad - amazing conversation with Shireen, Manish Ranjan and Sai Chaitanya Kokku around…
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner, helping them expand market reach, drive revenue growth, amplify brand visibility, and strengthen hiring efforts.
Lakshman Rupanagunta
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