Shri Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) along with Members of the CBIC Board inaugurated the GST & Customs Pavilion at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2024, in New Delhi, today. The theme of the GST & Customs Pavilion is “Facilitating Trade, Fostering Economy”, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to support trade and boost the economy.
This pavilion aims to provide a platform for taxpayers to learn about GST and Customs processes, resolve grievances, and gain insights into career opportunities in the Customs and GST Department. The pavilion features six helpdesks with onsite availability of experts on GST, Customs, GST Network, and ICEGATE, to ensure that the visitors get comprehensive guidance on these issues.
GST & Customs Pavilion Inauguration at the India International Trade Fair (IITF), New Delhi
Some of the key features of the pavilion include:
Educational Videos: Six videos on GST and Customs processes have been released to enhance taxpayer awareness. Most importantly, the tutorial videos have been released in 10 regional languages, besides Hindi and English.
Helpdesks: Six helpdesks are available to address taxpayer queries and provide guidance on rules and processes. Taxpayers can visit the pavilion to resolve their queries and doubts on the spot.
Career Guidance: A special counter is set up to guide youth about career opportunities in the Customs and GST Department.
Digital Displays: The pavilion showcases achievements and initiatives of the GST and Customs department through interactive digital displays.
To engage and entertain the visitors, the Pavilion will also spread awareness through Nukkad Natak, Magic Show, Puppet Show, QUIZ, Caricature Artist informative brochures on GST and Customs, and other activities to attract children.
Also in the first, CBIC introduced Red Panda as the official mascot to represent the GST & Customs at the India International Trade Fair 2024. The Red Panda embodies the values of duty, precision, and trust — Red Panda’s dual nature, gentle yet strong, reflects the mission of the CBIC to balance delicacy with strength and ensure the free flow of trade while maintaining vigilant oversight.
The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has certified Phi Commerce, a fintech digital payment company, to provide UPI Switch to its business clients, mainly to maintain high transaction volumes.
Phi Commerce will be able to onboard enterprise customers more quickly thanks to UPI Switch, which will cut down on the turnaround time that comes with the current bank-driven approach for onboarding new clients. This will help their business clients to launch goods and services more quickly than they could in the past by allowing them to provide a wide variety of payment alternatives to their clients virtually instantly.
It will Help NPCI to Achieve its Goal
UPI Switch is a vital tool that will assist NPCI in reaching its ambitious goal of one billion transactions per day within the next three to five years, according to Rajesh Londhe, co-founder and head of payments at Phi Commerce. By distributing traffic over several servers, UPI switches shorten processing times and avoid system overloads.
By distributing the load among several servers, UPI Switch assists during periods of high demand when individuals scramble to make payments. It’s similar to adding more checkout lanes to a grocery store during peak hours to speed up traffic. Londhe continued, “In this manner, users experience speedy, effective transactions without delay.”
Businesses may use Phi Commerce’s omnichannel payment solutions to make payments easy and flexible from any consumer touchpoint, including browsers, smartphones, in-store, and remote. Phi Commerce, a Reserve Bank of India-licensed payment aggregator payment gateway (PAPG), provides a single omnichannel digital payment platform that meets the needs of businesses globally in terms of both B2B and B2C payments.
The UPI Switch feature facilitates simple integration and provides risk management tools, on-premises or cloud-based architecture, and round-the-clock maintenance and support for dependability and uptime.
Unified Payment Stack Solution
UPI Switch is a unified payment stack solution that supports all other services that the NPCI has rolled out so far, including credit card linkages, recurring requirements, UPI Auto Pay, and quick refunds. As processing time decreases significantly, this add-on solution will also assist corporate clients in lowering their operating expenses while enhancing overall productivity and customer satisfaction.
In addition to controlling traffic, this function uses real-time fraud monitoring algorithms to keep an eye out for any odd or suspicious transactions.
With reaction times of less than a second, UPI switches manage billions of transactions. Additionally, it facilitates API-based interfaces, which allow for communication with a range of fintech platforms and financial institutions.
What is NCPI?
In order to establish a strong Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) launched the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organisation for running retail payments and settlement systems in India, in accordance with the terms of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
Given the usefulness of its goals, NPCI was established as a “Not for Profit” company in accordance with Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013). Its goal is to supply infrastructure for both electronic and physical payment and settlement systems for the whole Indian banking system. In order to increase operational efficiency and expand the reach of payment systems, the company is committed to implementing technological advancements in retail payment systems.
ICICI Bank Limited, HDFC Bank Limited, Citibank N. A., HSBC, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, and Bank of India are the ten primary promoter banks. In order to integrate additional banks from all industries, the shareholding was expanded to 56 member institutions in 2016. New RBI-regulated organisations, including payment banks, small finance banks, and payment service operators, were introduced in 2020. In accordance with the relevant requirements of the Companies Act of 2013, the shares were distributed in accordance with the issuance of equity shares on a private placement basis.
At the opening ceremony of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa on 21 November 2024, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant of Goa introduced “WAVES,” the over-the-top platform of Prasar Bharati, the country’s public broadcaster. Several dignitaries attended the event, including Secretary I&B Sanjay Jaju.
In order to meet the increasing demand for digital streaming services, Doordarshan, India’s most recognisable public broadcaster, has entered the OTT (Over-The-Top) platform market. By providing a wide range of both modern programmes and historical content, the platform seeks to rekindle nostalgia while embracing contemporary digital trends. The website appeals to viewers seeking emotional and cultural ties to India’s past thanks to its library of classic series, including Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan, and Hum Log. In keeping with its dedication to diversity and inclusivity, it also provides news, documentaries, and local programming. Doordarshan’s OTT platform connects classic television with contemporary streaming by utilising its decades-long legacy and national trust, catering to both tech-savvy young people and older generations.
Featuring Inclusive India Stories
With stories about inclusive India that embrace Indian culture with a global perspective, “WAVES” debuts as a major OTT aggregator in more than 12 languages, including Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Assamese. It will span more than ten infotainment genres. Video on demand, free-to-play games, radio and live TV streaming, 65 live channels, multiple app-in-app connections for gaming and video content, and online buying via an e-commerce platform backed by Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will all be available.
WAVES also provides a platform to content creators, including National Creator Awardees like Kamiya Jani, RJ Raunac, Shraddha Sharma, and others, as a deliberate move to unleash the potential of young creators in the creative economy. Film and media colleges such as FTII, Annapurna, and AAFT have made their graduation films available on WAVES.
IFFI will Screen New WAVE’s Films and Series
WAVES will exhibit “Roll No.52,” a student-produced film from Annapurna Film and Media Studio directed by Nagarjuna and Amala Akkineni, in keeping with the 55th IFFI’s emphasis on up-and-coming filmmakers. WAVES will film “Fauji 2.0,” a contemporary version of the classic Shahrukh Khan programme from the 1980s, “Kicking Balls,” starring Oscar winner Guneet Monga Kapoor, “Jackson Halt,” a crime thriller, and “Jaiye Aap Kahan Jayenge,” which is about mobile toilets.
WAVES features live events such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly Mann ki Baat and the Prabhu Shriram Lalla Aarti LIVE from Ayodhya. Beginning on November 22, 2024, WAVES will broadcast the forthcoming US Premier League Cricket Tournament LIVE. Additionally, in collaboration with CDAC and MeitY, WAVES will begin a Cyber Security awareness campaign using Daily Video messaging. Programmes like Cyber Alert (by DD News features) and Cyber Crime ki Duniya (a fictionalised series) support this approach.
In order to effectively convey important messages, states and ministries of the central government are also collaborating with Prasar Bharati to co-develop and provide a variety of programming, including entertainment-valued reality shows, dramatised or fictionalised shows, and docudramas. A documentary on the 75th anniversary of the Supreme Court of India, the unique archival material from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, such as old photographs, journals, and periodicals, and the NFDC archives named Cinemas of India are among the contents. WAVES has also received educational and entertaining programming from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Finance, IGNCA, Ministry of Culture, and India Post.
Zomato, a prominent player in the foodtech industry, has cracked the whip and delisted several “potentially fraudulent” restaurants after consumers reported several single-dish restaurants on the platform.
“We have removed all of these eateries from our site after identifying them as possibly fake. We have also looked into any other restaurants that have a very small menu on Zomato and may have listed restricted goods or devised a method to list prohibited things in order to address this more thoroughly,” Zomato stated in a post on X.
Further Strengthening its Security
The business claimed that by utilising generic cuisine names like “Merry Berry” and “Naughty Strawberry,” among others, many of these eateries were able to “game” Zomato’s checks. In order to prevent such occurrences in the future, Zomato stated that it has reinforced its fraud checks even further. The foodtech giant reiterated its policy, stating that all eateries listed on its platform must have a permit from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). According to the report, the business “actively” prevents products like alcohol, cigarettes, cigars, and vape pens from being featured on its marketplace.
This comes days after an X user in Chandigarh reported several eateries selling a single meal at exorbitant pricing with “nonexistent addresses.” “Something really shady is cooking on @zomato,” the person wrote, tagging the local police.
How the Issue Caught the Eye-Balls?
According to the X user, he attempted to place an order from one of the aforementioned restaurants but was not delivered. He posted, “I attempted to place an order, but it was automatically cancelled after a while, and the restaurant is now showing as closed.” It is important to note that Zomato is the market leader for meal delivery services.
In a recent report, broking firm Motilal Oswal stated that Zomato’s 58% market share in the food delivery sector increased its lead over Swiggy, which was just launched. Swiggy held a 42% market share, the broking added. In the meantime, Blinkit, a significant player in quick commerce owned by Zomato, maintains its lead in the quick “10 minute” delivery sector with 46% of the market, followed by Zepto (29%) and Swiggy Instamart (25%).
Some X users expressed gratitude for the change, while others called for stricter measures to be taken against these dishonest eateries.
An X user commented, “It’s good to see an update from your side regarding the issue that was raised by some users.”
So you didn’t check those restaurants’ FSSAI licenses? asked another.
Another person claimed, “I don’t believe Zomato even visits the restaurant or cloud kitchen. It must be completely online.”
“If these eateries were selling illegal goods, you should contact the police right once; “delisting” is certainly insufficient,” said one X user.
Deepinder Goyal, the CEO and co-founder of Zomato, posted an odd job opening on his social media pages on November 20. Goyal stated in his posts that he is seeking a chief of staff who will be required to pay INR 20 lakh instead of receiving a salary for the first year.
The posts quickly went viral when the job application caught people’s attention. Among the many attributes included in the job description were “a lot of common sense, communication skills, empathy, and not a lot of experience.” It stated that the chosen individual would supervise every aspect of establishing Zomato’s future. However, the INR 20 lakh “fee” and the zero salary package for the first year were what attracted internet users’ attention.
Why Zomato Opted for Such Posting?
Instead of applying for a glamorous, well-paying job that will make applicants look cool in front of themselves or the people they want to impress, Zomato thinks that people should do it for the learning opportunities it offers. Regardless of their success in this position, consider this a fast-track learning programme for individuals on a personal and professional level. Additionally, the company prefers learners above resume builders for this position, as per the post.
Furthermore, Goyal stated that the “fees” would be sent directly to the company’s Feeding India effort and that the corporation is not attempting to save money by charging the applicants. The chosen individual will receive an additional INR 50 lakh from Zomato to donate to their preferred charity. The CEO added that the emoluments would be modifiable at the start of the second year and that the chosen chief of staff would begin receiving the regular wage (more than INR 50 lakh) at that point. However, both company executives and online users had significant reactions to the posting.
Mix Reaction
Some praised the action, but others expressed doubt and questioned the job posting. The entire social media domain was busted with comments and opinions: “The job posting seems like a really “maverick” way to find the right mindset candidate,” Tata iQ’s chief people officer (CPO), Amit Sachdev, told one of the media outlets. Limiting the quantity of applicants is the sole goal of establishing the financial requirements. This streamlines the entire process and provides you with a short list of potential customers right away. Additionally, according to Sachdev, the posting disqualifies any applicants who are only interested in gaining money or experience.
Similarly, a small number of banks would be prepared to finance the job role, in contrast to traditional educational courses, as noted by some users. Then, there were questions about whether the job posting broke any labour regulations, such as the Industrial Disputes Act, the Minimum Wages Act, and the Payment of Wages Act. Many drew attention to the fact that failing to pay an employee’s salary for a year while collecting fees carries severe penalties for coercive work practices, including criminal culpability and legal action.
Gautam Adani, one of the world’s richest individuals and the founder of the Adani Group, has built a vast business empire across sectors like energy, infrastructure, and media. However, his journey has faced significant challenges, including allegations of corporate fraud, a massive stock market crash, and a recent US indictment accusing him of involvement in a $265 million bribery scheme.
Adani and his wife, Priti Adani, run the Adani Foundation as philanthropists. His philanthropic organization is headed by his wife, of which he is the President.
According to media reports, Gautam Adani’s net worth in November 2024 is projected to be around $69.8 billion. According to Forbes, he is the world’s 22nd richest person and India’s second-richest person behind Mukesh Ambani.
In this StartupTalky story, let us learn about Gautam Adani’s success story, personal life, life story, journey to success, education, Adani Group, philanthropy, and more.
Gautam was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to a Jain family. Shantilal, his father, was a textile entrepreneur. He, along with seven of his brothers, mother, and father, lived in the northern part of Gujarat.
He and Priti Adani have a son, Karan Adani, who is the CEO of Adani Ports & SEZ Limited. His wife, a dentist, is the Managing Trustee of the Adani Foundation. Gautam was previously nobbled and released without accruing the money in 1998. He managed to avoid the 2008 Taj Hotel Mumbai attacks by hiding in the basement.
From an early age, he was driven and determined. As a teenager, he dropped out of school due to his lack of interest in academics. He went on to Gujarat University after that but did not finish his degree. He had no intention of entering his father’s textile company, despite his interest in the business.
Gautam Adani – Education
He graduated from Ahmedabad’s Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya school with a bachelor’s degree. He then went on to Gujarat University to obtain a bachelor’s degree in commerce. However, after completing his second year of college, he dropped out.
Gautam Adani – Professional Life
Gautam was fascinated by entrepreneurship, but not his father’s textile company. He began working at a very young age. When he was 18, his entrepreneurial energy led him to leave Ahmedabad and relocate to Mumbai. The young man was eager to make it big despite having very little money. He worked at Mahendra Brothers in 1978 as a diamond sorter. He opened his own diamond brokerage company in Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar after working there for 2-3 years.
His company prospered, and by the age of 20, he had amassed a million-dollar fortune. His elder brother had recently purchased a plastic plant in Ahmedabad and asked Gautam Adani to assist him in its operation. Adani moved back to Ahmedabad and began working with his brother. Gautam expanded his empire into global trade by importing polyvinyl chloride. In 1985, he started commodity trading by importing Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), a main raw material for plastic manufacturing, and traveled to South Korea to make a deal.
Gautam Adani – Timeline of Business ventures
Gautam Adani – Adani Group
Gautam Adani founded the Adani Group in 1988 and serves as its Chairman. The company is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is a commodity trading business with the flagship of Adani Exports Limited. The diverse business of the Group includes energy, resources, logistics, real estate, financial services, agribusiness, defense, and aerospace.
He has a 32.90% stake in Adani Ports & SEZ Limited, a 36.86% stake in Adani Power, a 50.29% stake in Adani Enterprises, and a 75% stake in Adani Transmission Limited. The Group holds an annual revenue of about INR 3.09 lakh crore (US$37 billion) for 2024, operating in 50 countries across 70 locations.
Adani Logo
Gautam Adani – Adani Enterprise Limited
Gautam established Adani Exports Limited in 1988, which has since evolved into Adani Enterprises Limited, the Adani Group’s holding company. Initially, the firm dealt with agricultural and power commodities.
In 1991, he began trading metals, textiles, and agro-products in order to expand his company. The shift in trade came as a result of the start of economic liberalization policies, and it proved lucrative for the group. Adani was able to quickly grow his company due to a favorable market climate.
Gautam Adani – Adani Ports & SEZ Limited
In October 1998, the business opened its doors at the Mundra Port. In February 2001, the group was given the right to operate and expand the Mundra Port, which is located on the Navinal Island in the Kutch area, for 30 years through a Concession Agreement with the Gujarat Government and the Gujarat Maritime Board. Mundra Port surpassed JNPT in August 2020 to become India’s largest container port.
Currently, the company is the largest private multi-port operator in the world. The port has a cargo capacity of 210 million tonnes per year, making it India’s largest private-sector port.
Karan Adani, the Chief Executive Officer of APSEZ, is in charge of the venture. Port management, logistics, and the special economic zone are among the company’s activities. Mundra, Dahej, and Hazira in Gujarat; Dhamra in Odisha; Kattupalli in Tamil Nadu; and Vizhinjam in Kerala are the ports where the business runs.
Gautam Adani – Adani Power Limited
Gautam created Adani Power Limited, another Adani Group portal, in 1996. With a capacity of 4620 Mega Watt, Adani Power is the country’s largest private thermal power plant operator. He bought Abbot Point Port in Australia and Carmichael Coal in Queensland between 2009 and 2012.
It is a privately owned thermal power plant with a capacity of 12,450 megawatts (MW). It also runs a 40-megawatt solar plant in Naliya, Bitta, Kutch, Gujarat. Jharkhand is home to Adani Power, which is building a 1,600 MW plant. The governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Punjab have signed long-term power purchase agreements with the company totaling 9,153 MW.
Adani Power made a cumulative profit of INR 634.64 Crore in the 4th quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019. The company posted a consolidated net loss of INR 653.25 Crore in the previous financial year.
The business has received several honors and accolades. At IPPAI’s 18th Regulators & Policymakers Retreat in 2017, it was awarded ‘the Most Innovative Young Power Professional’. In Singapore, CSR Works International rewarded the firm for best sustainability reporting in Asia, with the support of the British Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian High Commission.
Gautam Adani – Adani Transmission
Adani Transmission Limited, headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, is a power transmission company. It is currently one of the largest private-sector power transmission companies in India. The company operates a total network of 12,200 circuit kilometers as of July 2020, with more than 3,200 circuit kilometers under construction at various points.
Gautam Adani created Adani Transmission in December 2015 after separating his ten-year-old transmission company from Adani Enterprises. The company became the primary custodian for over 3800 circuit kilometers of transmission lines originating from the Mundra Thermal Power Station, linking Mundra–Dehgam, Mundra–Mohindergarh, and Tirora–Warora, at the time of its establishment.
Gautam Adani – Adani Green Energy
Adani Green Energy Limited was formed on January 23, 2015, under the Companies Act 2013. AGEL and Inox Wind collaborated to construct a 20 MW wind power project in Lahori, Madhya Pradesh, during the company’s early days. AGEL also purchased Inox Wind’s 50 MW wind energy project in Kutch’s Dayapar village. The project was conceived by the latter after it won capacity bids for wind power projects linked to the National Grid from the Solar Energy Corporation of India.
With a total project portfolio of 13,990 MW, Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is one of India’s largest renewable energy companies. AGEL is part of the Adani Group’s promise to give India a richer, safer, and more environmentally friendly future.
The Company creates, installs, owns, operates, and maintains utility-scale grid-connected solar and wind farm projects, all of which are driven by the Group’s philosophy of “Growth with Goodness.” The electricity produced is distributed to federal and state government agencies, as well as government-backed businesses.
Gautam Adani was charged in New York for his involvement in an alleged bribery and fraud scheme worth billions of dollars, according to US prosecutors on November 20, 2024.
Adani, who leads a large business empire in sectors like coal, airports, cement, and media, has faced serious allegations of corporate fraud and a major stock crash in recent years.
In 2023, Adani’s businesses lost $150 billion in market value after a report by short-seller Hindenburg Research accused the group of major corporate fraud. The report claimed that Adani Group had been involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud for many years.
Gautam Adani – Philanthropist
Gautam is the president of the Adani Foundation, which he established in 1996. The Adani Group funds the organization, which is active in Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Odisha.
The Adani Foundation, which is run by the Adani Group, is active in a lot of philanthropic work. In addition to Gujarat, the foundation works in several states, investing in education, sustainable economic resources, and expanding rural development, among other things. Priti Adani runs the Adani Vidya Mandir in Ahmedabad, a school that accepts only children whose parents earn less than INR 1 lakh per year.
The foundation has a special program to assist fishermen, and it offers financial assistance to 500 fishermen from the coastal taluka for the purchase of fishing equipment. The children of the fishermen are given educational opportunities.
In the year 2012, Adani Foundation Group partnered with IndiaSkills, vocational education joint venture, and City & Guilds, one of the best brands of work-related evaluation and qualifications, to open a skills training site in Gujarat that would offer courses in commerce, hospitality, defence, renovation, and engineering.
Gautam Adani also donated INR. 100 Crore to the Prime Minister CARES FUND through the Adani Group’s portal to combat the Coronavirus crisis. He made a donation of INR 5 Crore to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and INR 1 Crore to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Thank you @IndianEmbRiyadh. Indeed, actions speak louder than words. We are on an urgent mission to secure oxygen supplies from across the world. This first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is now on its way from Dammam to Mundra. (1/3) https://t.co/BLZ0SbQ499pic.twitter.com/lFKnx0hIhX
Four ISO cryogenic tanks loaded with 80 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen were imported from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to Mundra, Gujarat, by Gautam Adani’s diversified conglomerate Adani group. Linde Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide the community with 5,000 medical-grade oxygen cylinders. Adani said on Twitter that his company provides 1,500 cylinders of medical oxygen per day to wherever they are required in Gujarat’s Kutch.
Conclusion
Adani’s knack for business can be seen in all of his endeavors. He has his hands in almost every industry imaginable and has become the very best in them be it logistics or real estate. He had his mind set on being an entrepreneur from a very young age – in his actual teenage years at a time when it wasn’t regarded as being cool. And he came from a very ordinary family and carved himself a very extraordinary life indeed. There’s a lot to learn from his business moves!
Gautam Adani is an Indian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate specializing in port development and operations in India.
What is the net worth of Gautam Adani?
Gautam Adani’s net worth is estimated at $69.8 billion as of November 2024.
When was the Adani Group founded?
Adani established the Adani Group in 1988, which is headquartered in Ahmedabad, India.
What is Gautam Adani education?
Gautam Adani was educated at Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya School in Ahmedabad. He then enrolled for a bachelor’s degree in Commerce at Gujarat University. However, Adani dropped out after the second year because he was interested in doing business there in his father’s textile business.
How many Gautam Adani founded organizations are there?
Adani Group consists of 10 publicly listed entities.
Startups of all sizes need to build an online presence and get their products or services seen worldwide. By doing this, startups can focus on growing their business. Web hosting service providers are companies that offer hosting plans to individuals and organizations looking to create and publish a website on the Internet. These hosting plans provide the storage space and connection to the internet needed to make the website accessible to visitors.
Startups often have unique hosting needs, as they may not have a lot of traffic or resources, to begin with, but may also have ambitious growth plans. Choosing the right web hosting service provider can help startups get their website up and running quickly and efficiently, and provide the resources needed to support growth as the startup grows.
There are several types of web hosting available, each with its unique characteristics and suitability for different types of websites:
Shared hosting: Shared hosting is a web hosting model where a single server hosts multiple other websites. It is the most cost-effective hosting solution in the market for startups and small websites that require fewer resources.
Dedicated hosting: Dedicated hosting is a type of web hosting service where a single website is hosted on a dedicated server. Dedicated hosting is suitable for websites that receive a high amount of traffic and require a lot of resources to run smoothly, and is also a good option for websites that require a high level of security.
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting: VPS hosting is a type of web hosting service where a single physical server is divided into multiple virtual servers, each with its own resources. VPS hosting is suitable for websites that require more resources than shared hosting but do not need the resources of a dedicated server.
Cloud hosting: Cloud hosting involves hosting a website on a network of servers, allowing for greater scalability and reliability. Cloud hosting is suitable for websites that receive a large amount of traffic and need to be able to scale quickly.
Managed hosting: Managed hosting is a type of web hosting service where the hosting provider takes care of all the technical details of managing the server and hosting the website. Managed hosting is suitable for websites that require a high level of performance and security, and is often used by large enterprises and e-commerce websites.
Watch the below video to learn more about the best web hosting for startups.
There are several factors to consider when choosing the best web hosting service for your website:
Web Hosting Concept
Website needs: The first step in choosing a web hosting service is to assess the needs of your website. Consider factors such as the size and complexity of the website, the expected amount of traffic and resources needed, and any specific requirements such as the need for a custom domain or SSL certificate. This will help you determine the type of hosting plan that is most suitable for your website.
Performance and reliability: It is important to choose a hosting provider that offers high-quality performance and reliability. This includes fast loading times and minimal downtime, as well as robust security measures to protect your website and visitors.
Customer support: Look for a hosting provider that offers good customer support. Consider factors such as the availability of support staff, the response time, and the range of support options (e.g., phone, email, live chat).
Price: Consider the price of different web hosting packages and compare them to your budget and the resources and features you need. Keep in mind that while a cheaper plan may seem appealing, it may not offer the resources or performance needed for your website.
Scalability: Choose a hosting plan that is scalable, so that you can easily upgrade as your website grows and your needs change. This will help you avoid the need to switch hosting providers or rebuild your website as it expands.
By considering these factors, you can choose a web hosting service that is well-suited to the needs of your website and will provide the performance, reliability, and support you need to run a successful website.
Best Hosting for Small Business 2024
Top Web Hosting Service Providers For Startups
Many web hosting service providers offer various hosting plans specifically tailored for startups. These plans may offer a range of features and resources such as storage space, bandwidth, and a custom domain name, as well as tools and resources to help startups build and manage their website. Have a detailed look at some of the best web hosting for startups:
Cloudways
Rating
4.7/5
Best For
Managed hosting, scalable cloud hosting, user-friendly control panel with flexibility in choosing cloud providers.
Cloudways – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
Cloudways provides managed cloud hosting tailored to businesses needing secure, scalable hosting to enhance WordPress and PHP application performance, making it a preferred choice for agencies, e-commerce sites, and small businesses. The platform manages server operations, including updates and 24/7 support, ensuring reliable website performance. With advanced performance features like NVMe SSD storage, Redis Object Cache Pro, and Cloudflare Enterprise, Cloudways optimizes loading speeds significantly. Its flexible plans allow users to scale resources up or down according to traffic demands. A user-friendly control panel makes management easy, offering one-click server deployments for straightforward setup. Since 2022, Cloudways has operated under DigitalOcean’s umbrella, benefiting from additional infrastructure support and innovation.
Bluehost – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
Founded in 2003, Bluehost is one of the largest web hosting providers in the world, with over 2 million websites hosted on their servers. If you’re looking for a web hosting company that offers simplified web-building, Bluehost is an excellent option to consider. Bluehost’s customer support, strong uptime, and affordable beginner plans make it a dependable hosting provider. They offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee and a 30-day money-back guarantee for their hosting plans. Overall, it is the best hosting provider in the market.
Reliable email hosting solution, best value for cloud and shared hosting
DreamHost – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
Founded in 1997, DreamHost is a well-known web hosting provider that is known for its fast and reliable performance and its commitment to sustainability. DreamHost currently hosts over 1.5 million websites worldwide. It is known for offering a variety of hosting plans and packages to meet the needs of different types of websites, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. DreamHost is another one of WordPress’s three recommended hosts and includes some managed WordPress hosting in its basic shared plans. DreamHost has its website builder called Remixer, but they also offer access to Squarespace, Weebly, and Wix in their app library.
The benefits of using DreamHost web hosting:
Sufficient loading speeds
High uptime rates
Money-back guarantee
Environmentally friendly
Low renewal rates
Unlimited features
Its website-building software gives webmasters simple tools to create attractive, flexible sites. DreamHost is an Editors’ Choice award-winning web host.
AccuWeb Hosting is an excellent choice because it gives you everything you want from your hosting: faster speeds and security or excellent customer service. It has been serving its customers for about 20 years.
AccuWeb offers various time-tested hosting services such as Shared Hosting, Windows Hosting, VPS Hosting, Cloud Hosting, and Dedicated Servers on Windows and Linux platforms.
AccuWeb is an excellent choice for customers seeking specialized configuration, scalable resources, and responsive support.
Apart from the hosting services mentioned above, AccuWeb is also known for providing 24x7x365 technical support, quick setups, free backups, 100 percent guaranteed customer satisfaction, discounts, offers, and an uptime guarantee. It offers the best hosting platform for novice and advanced users to host their websites. AccuWeb is a powerful hosting provider with advanced features.
Benefits of using AccuWeb Hosting:
High Uptime
Fast loading speed
Free SSL Certificate
Affordable pricing
30-day Money Back Guarantee
Enhanced Security
Multiple Hosting solutions are available that you can ask for
Customized Server Packages, High-quality web hosting, and cheap plans
Hostinger – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
The company was founded in 2004 and has since grown to become one of the largest web hosting providers in the world, serving millions of customers in over 170 countries. Hostinger offers a variety of web hosting services, a free website builder, and an easy-to-use custom control panel. Today, Approximately 15,000 new customers sign up for their services every day, according to the company. Three shared hosting plans are available – Single, Premium, and Business. All three work on top of Hostinger’s very own control panel, and hPanel, which includes easy auto installations of WordPress and dozens of other content management systems (CMS).
The benefits of using Hostinger web hosting:
Decent Uptime
Fast Loading Times
Money-back Guarantee
Live Support
Free domain and website builder
Simple interface
Unlimited options are available for specific plans.
HostGator – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
HostGator is one of the best website hosting companies that was founded in 2002 and is based in Houston, Texas. HostGator hosts over 8 million domains and is one of the most popular web hosts in the industry. The company offers a range of hosting services, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated server hosting. If you want to use the WordPress content management system (CMS) to power your website, HostGator offers many hosting plans that cater especially to such websites. It is one of the best web hosting for small business. HostGator also provides domain registration and website design services.
Benefits of using HostGator web hosting:
Unlimited disk space
Unlimited bandwidth
Free Site Builder
Easy to use Control Panel
1-Click Script installs
4,500 Free website templates
45-day money-back guarantee
Fully staffed technical support is available 24 hours a day, every day
GreenGeeks – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
GreenGeeks is a web hosting company that was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Agoura Hills, California. The company is known for its focus on sustainability, and it claims to be one of the greenest hosting companies in the industry. GreenGeeks has become a well-known brand in the WordPress hosting industry with its blazing-fast website performance, 24/7 U.S.-based support, and environmentally responsible platform. They offer a variety of shared hosting plans for everyone from beginners to large companies. Green hosting is an environment-friendly hosting service that uses different technologies and processes to reduce its carbon footprint. GreenGeeks aims to mitigate this by purchasing wind energy credits. They purchase three times the amount of power they use. They’re also an EPA Green Power partner.
The benefits of using GreenGeeks web hosting:
GreenGeeks is 300% green
They’re fast
They offer optimizations to help speed you up further
They’re reliable with 99.9% uptime!
Unlimited resources & tons of features
You’ll have a team of professionals handy
An interface that’s great for beginners and experts
WP Engine – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
WPEngine web hosting service provider was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas – specializes in WordPress hosting. WPEngine is a managed hosting provider catering to users who have built their websites and blogs using WordPress. According to their marketing materials, ‘five percent of the online world visits at least one experience on WPEngine each day’! It ensures your website is always running smoothly and securely. WP Engine will keep the core WordPress software of your website up to date, so your website will always be using the latest version of WordPress. WPEngine uses Google Cloud Platform for most of its plans, combined with a CDN (content delivery network). WPEngine also offers a range of tools and services for optimizing and managing WordPress websites, including security and performance enhancements, backup and recovery tools, and developer tools.
InMotion – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
InMotion Hosting is a web hosting company that was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. InMotion hosting has been a well-known industry brand with reliable performance for business-class hosting. InMotion is also known for its outstanding customer support and best business practices. They provide hosting for beginners, bloggers, large companies, and everyone in between. InMotion Hosting is known for its focus on customer service and support, and the company claims to offer some of the best support in the industry.
The benefits of using InMotion web hosting:
90-day guarantee
Outstanding support
Above-average uptime rates
Fast page loading speed
Enhanced security
Free website transfer
Choose your data center location
SSD drive Storage
Free SSL Certificate
SiteGround
Rating
4.1/5
Best For
WordPress-certified host for speed and security
SiteGround – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
SiteGround is a web hosting service provider that was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria. SiteGround is helpful to small businesses, startups, enterprise clients, and bloggers who value state-of-the-art quality hosting, smart custom solutions, advanced security, and affordable pricing. They offer a great WP Migrator plugin. This is a free plugin that makes the transfer of WordPress sites very easy. This network is amplified by the Cloudflare CDN (content delivery network). CDNs make up-to-date copies of your website regularly and store them in cities around the world. The company is one of the fastest web hosts out there with load time speeds ranging from 20 milliseconds to over a second. In April 2017, SiteGround launched its artificial intelligence (AI) platform to block malicious bots. Bots engage in brute force attacks that use massive server resources in an attempt to hack the login to a website. SiteGround has a unique isolation system in place, which protects your website from being hacked if someone else’s site on your server is compromised. SiteGround is known for its focus on performance and reliability, and the company claims to offer some of the fastest and most reliable hosting solutions in the industry.
The benefits of using SiteGround web hosting:
High uptimes
Fast website load times
Great customer support
Free features
Flexible
Money-back guarantee
Customized hosting solutions
Control panel (Easy to use)
Do more with one-click apps
Free automatic daily back-ups
On-demand instant backups
Datacenter security and hack alerts
Additional security features
Other great features offered at SiteGround are:
Developer features such as GIT integration, site staging, WP-CLI integration, among others.
WordPress and Joomla toolkits for all websites.
An easy-to-use cPanel that incorporates all the necessary information under one web page.
HTTP/2 technology for boosting the performance of HTTPS websites.
Nexcess
Rating
3.6/5
Best For
eCommerce Hosting
Nexcess – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
Nexcess is one of the best web hosting service providers that was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Nexcess is the premier eCommerce hosting provider for SMBs. It is one of the most reasonably priced managed hosting providers around, especially considering the quality of its hosting services. Nexcess Hosting also offers several great cloud hosting options. Nexcess has several dedicated server options. Nexcess offers its server options based on the content management system your website runs on. As the majority of their offerings are optimized for WordPress, WooCommerce, or Magento. Nexcess Cloud Accelerator—a feature that adds a layer on the cloud stack that increases the speed of your website’s loading time.
Nexcess and Liquid Web, partner together. Liquid Web is the market leader in managed hosting and managed application services for SMBs. The partnership move supports the company’s mission to dominate the Web Professional hosting market for SMBs.
The benefits of using Nexcess web hosting:
Nexcess offers powerful and scalable hosting solutions.
Reliable hosting services.
Security features and tools
Integration with popular website development platforms.
A variety of customer support options are available.
Fast & reliable shared hosting, Stellar Customer Service
A2 Hosting – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
A2 Hosting is a web hosting company that was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A2 Hosting is faster than other shared hosting providers. A2 Hosting stakes its reputation on “high-powered hosting” making speed and reliability their top priority. A2 calls its SSDs “Turbo Servers” which can load pages up to 20 times faster than a typical non-SSD server. A2 Hosting has won plenty of top hosting awards and consistently ranks high on the best web hosting provider lists. A2 delivers strong uptime rates and great customer service. A2 has implemented several other green policies, such as allowing employees to telecommute, recycling older hardware, and launching tree-planting campaigns. A2 has been 100% carbon neutral since 2007. They offer both the latest and traditional options to balance all the services to perfection.
The benefits of using A2 web hosting:
SSD Drives to enhance speed and performance
Cloud Hosting increases reliability
Cloudflare CDN improves site loading time
Multiple back-ups
Unlimited storage and data transfer
24/7 support on all hosting plans
A 99.9% uptime guarantee
A range of SSL certificates to keep your site secure
Advanced technology to make your site load 20 times faster
Founded in 1988 as 1&1 Internet, IONOS stands as one of the early pioneers in web hosting. A merger with Schlund + Partner in 1998 broadened its capabilities and market presence. Today, IONOS is a leading provider of web hosting and cloud services, supporting millions of customers globally.
IONOS offers shared hosting with unlimited storage and bandwidth, VPS options for scalable resources, and dedicated servers with automatic backups. It ensures 99.9% uptime, fast loading speeds, and robust security features, including free Wildcard SSL certificates and DDoS protection. The platform also provides user-friendly management and multilingual support.
Benefits of using IONOS:
99.9% uptime rate
Optimized performance
Unlimited resources
New clients get a free space
User-friendly dashboard
Enhanced security
Cost-effective pricing
GoDaddy
Rating
4.0 out of 5
Best For
Mobile Optimization, Large repository of templates
GoDaddy – Best Web Hosting Providers for Startups
GoDaddy is a prominent web hosting and domain registration provider, established in 1997. It offers a variety of online services, including website building, e-commerce solutions, and professional email hosting, serving millions of customers worldwide. The platform features an easy drag-and-drop interface for website creation, along with over 300 professionally designed templates that cater to various industries.
In addition to website building, GoDaddy provides e-commerce capabilities, allowing users to set up online stores with product listings, payment processing, and inventory management. The platform includes built-in SEO tools, email marketing integration, reliable hosting with high uptime rates, and free SSL certificates.
Benefits of using GoDaddy
Easy website creation
Large repository of templates
Reliable performance
Unified solution
Hassle-free online store set up
Inbuilt marketing tools
Round-the-clock assistance
Mobile Optimization
Conclusion
A good web hosting plan can help prevent hackers and malware to access your data and provide good security services. One of the most important things to consider when choosing a good Web hosting company is uptime. Also known as availability, uptime is a measure of the percentage of time your website is up and available to visitors. Good hosting ensures that all parts of your website are well-oiled and they are running smoothly (antivirus and firewall, for example). Hope the article will be helpful for you in finding a web hosting service for your business needs.
FAQs
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is basically the space that you buy on a web server to store your website files. A web hosting company makes it possible for your website to be accessed by everyone on the web.
What are some web hosting companies?
Some web hosting companies are:
Bluehost
Dreamhost
Hostinger
Hostgator
A2 Hosting
GreenGeeks
WP Engine
InMotion Hosting
SiteGround
Nexcess
What are some web hosting types?
There are various web hosting services available:
Shared hosting
VPS hosting
Cloud hosting
WordPress hosting
Dedicated hosting
What is shared hosting?
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting service where a single physical server hosts multiple websites. Each website is allocated a certain amount of resources such as storage space, memory, and processing power, which are shared among all the websites hosted on the server.
What is dedicated hosting?
Dedicated hosting is a type of web hosting service where a single website is hosted on a dedicated server. In this type of hosting, the website has exclusive use of all the resources of the server, including storage space, memory, and processing power.
How do I host a website?
You can follow these simple steps to host a website:
Search for a good web hosting provider.
Register a domain name.
Select the type of web hosting.
Choose a good hosting plan.
Change your DNS address.
Is web hosting Free?
Yes, there are various web hosting platforms where you can host your website for Free as long as you demand, all you have to do is choose the right web hosting service provider for your website.
Should You Consider Free Hosting?
Free web hosting can be a good option for small websites with low traffic that do not require advanced features. However, it may not be suitable for websites that require a lot of resources or need a high level of performance and control. It is important to carefully consider the limitations of free web hosting and whether it meets the needs of your website before choosing this option.
Ola Electric, India’s largest mobility platform and one of the top ride-hailing companies globally, is leveraging its strong foundation in urban mobility to champion sustainable transportation. In this StartupTalky article, we will explore the journey of Ola Electric from its inception to how it became a key player in India’s EV revolution and growing innovation with the creation of the Future Factory, the world’s largest and most sustainable two-wheeler manufacturing facility.
The below article portrays Ola Electric’s success story, its history, growth, funding, business model, hardships, challenges, competitors, and more.
Ola Electric is driving India’s emergence as the global hub for the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. As a pioneering EV company, they are working towards a brighter, safer, and greener future by building an ecosystem of products, services, and cutting-edge technology that will shape the next frontier of innovation. Their focus is deeply rooted in research and development, with expertise in design, engineering, and manufacturing that is dedicated to creating high-quality and accessible EVs.
From concept to production, Ola Electric is committed to owning and developing all core EV technologies and components. This includes everything from battery cells to electric vehicles, making them central to the future of sustainable transportation.
Ola Electric’s R&D efforts extend beyond India, with facilities in the UK and the US, including their Battery Innovation Centre, where they are developing cutting-edge cell and battery technologies that will lead the industry into the future.
Ola Electric – Industry
India is setting an ambitious goal to boost the share of electric vehicle (EV) sales by 2030, targeting 30% for private cars, 70% for commercial vehicles, 40% for buses, and a massive 80% for two-wheelers and three-wheelers. This translates into a bold objective of having 80 million EVs on the roads by the end of the decade, all driven by a push for complete domestic production under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Globally, the electric vehicle market was valued at $255.54 billion in 2023 and is expected to skyrocket to approximately $2,108.80 billion by 2033, growing at a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.42% from 2024 to 2033.
India Electric Vehicle Market Size, 2022 to 2032
In India, EV sales have been on the rise. By May 2024, EV sales surged by 20.88%, reaching 1.39 million units. In 2023, EV sales in India saw an even bigger leap, growing by 49.25% to 1.52 million units. Though still in its early stages, the Indian EV market is gaining significant momentum. According to Fortune Business Insights, the Indian EV market is projected to expand from $3.21 billion in 2022 to a whopping $113.99 billion by 2029, growing at a rapid CAGR of 66.52%.
This global shift toward EVs is creating exciting new opportunities for automotive suppliers, particularly in the Indian EV battery market, which is forecasted to grow from $6.77 billion in 2023 to $27.70 billion by 2028. This highlights the massive potential of India’s EV sector as it continues to evolve and expand.
Ola Electric – Founders and Team
Bhavish Aggarwal is the Co-founder and CEO of Ola Electric.
Bhavish Aggarwal – Co-founder and CEO, Ola Electric
Bhavish Aggarwal, born on August 28, 1985, is a prominent Indian entrepreneur known for his remarkable contributions to the tech and mobility sectors. Aggarwal hails from Ludhiana, Punjab, where he was born and raised. He completed his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, in 2008. Early in his career, he worked with Microsoft Research India as a research intern, later becoming an assistant researcher. However, it wasn’t long before he ventured into entrepreneurship. During his time at Microsoft, he filed two patents and published three papers in international journals, demonstrating his strong technical expertise.
In 2010, he co-founded his first major company, Ola Consumers (ANI Technologies Pvt.), which quickly emerged as a strong competitor to Uber in India. What started as a ride-hailing app soon expanded into other sectors, including online payments and food delivery, establishing Ola as a versatile and powerful player in India’s tech ecosystem.
Aggarwal also founded Ola Electric, a venture dedicated to revolutionizing the electric vehicle industry in India. Most recently, he launched OlaKrutrim, a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) company, which became India’s first AI unicorn in 2024, reaching a valuation of $1 billion.
Recognized globally for his influence, Aggarwal was named in Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2018. With a net worth of $2.3 billion, he stands as one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the world.
Bhavish Aggarwal’s journey from tech researcher to founder of multiple successful ventures showcases his vision for the future of technology and mobility, both in India and on the global stage.
Ola initially started as Olatrip.com, a small website venture offering weekend trip packages. Founded by two IIT Mumbai graduates, Bhavish Aggarwal, and Ankit Bhati, it began as a startup aimed at selling online tour packages. After working at Microsoft for nearly two years, Bhavish shifted his focus to entrepreneurship. However, a frustrating experience with a car rental service led Aggarwal to encounter a significant gap in the transportation industry, which drove him to innovate and disrupt the market. Henceforth, the duo began to rethink the car rental system entirely, sparking the creation of Ola Consumers (formerly Ola Cabs). What began as a solution to improve car rentals soon transformed into a ride-hailing giant, now simply known as Ola.
As the company grew, it expanded beyond ride-hailing, eventually venturing into the electric vehicle space.
In a press conference in Mumbai in late July, Bhavish reflected on the EV journey, saying, “Three years ago, when we launched our product, I believe that’s when the EV story began.”
These words encapsulate the meteoric rise of Ola Electric, which quickly became a key player in India’s electric vehicle revolution. At a time when India’s green infrastructure was still developing, Bhavish’s ambitious vision to create the world’s leading “urban mobility EV company” drove Ola Electric’s rapid growth. His bold vision, coupled with Ola Electric’s innovative strides, has placed both the company and Aggarwal at the forefront of India’s EV transformation, powering the country’s shift toward a sustainable, electric-powered future.
Ola Electric – Mission and Vision
Ola Electric’s mission is to significantly reduce emissions and lower fuel dependency by transitioning Ola’s cabs and other vehicles to electric, promoting mass electric mobility for a cleaner and greener future.
While Ola Electric envisions:
Bringing together brilliant young minds to drive innovation
Shaping the future of electric vehicles on a global scale
Excelling in technology and engineering
Creating industry-leading products that set new benchmarks for electric mobility
Ola Electric – Name, Tagline and Logo
Ola Electric Logo
Ola’s tagline “All-electric Future. From India. For the world.”, perfectly captures the company’s mission of leading the electric vehicle revolution from India with a global perspective.
The word “Ola”, symbolizes the ease and friendliness that the company aims to bring to its customers. Ola strives to make hailing a cab and using their services effortless and user-friendly. This reflects their commitment to providing seamless, customer-centric experiences while driving the future of electric mobility.
Ola Electric – Business Model
Ola Electric’s business model operates on three core platforms:
R&D and Technology: Ola Electric takes charge of designing and developing its own electric vehicle (EV) technologies and components. This includes key areas like software, electronics, motors, batteries, and advanced manufacturing techniques. Their focus on in-house innovation allows them to maintain control over the quality and functionality of their products.
Manufacturing and Supply Chain: Ola Electric boasts a flexible assembly line, supported by a shared supply chain and a vertically integrated manufacturing ecosystem. This integration streamlines their production process, ensuring efficiency and scalability, from the components to the final product.
D2C Omni-Channel Distribution: Ola Electric embraces a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach for selling and servicing its EVs. This includes an online shopping platform, a robust charging network, and company-owned sales and service centers. By handling distribution and services directly, Ola Electric ensures a seamless and consistent customer experience.
Ola Electric generates revenue from the following streams:
Selling Scooters: The main revenue driver for Ola Electric is the sale of its electric scooters, including popular models like the S1 Pro, S1 Airand S1 X+.
Selling Accessories: Ola Electric also generates income through the sale of accessories such as spare parts, chargers, and other related products that complement its EV offerings.
Services: Ola Electric provides a range of services, including maintenance, after-sales support, and other customer services to ensure the long-term satisfaction of its users.
Ola Electric – Challenges Faced
Ola Electric, the electric vehicle (EV) company headquartered in Bengaluru, has experienced several operational challenges that have impacted its business. Here’s a closer look at these issues:
Ola Electric Layoff
On November 21, 2024, a source revealed that Ola Electric plans to lay off about 500 employees as part of a restructuring effort to improve the company’s profits.
This comes a few months after its sister company, Ola Consumer (formerly Ola Cabs), also underwent restructuring in April, affecting 10% of its staff. During that time, CEO Hemant Bakshi stepped down after less than a year, and CFO Karthik Gupta also left, impacting around 200 employees.
Service Issues
Enhancing Customer Trust Amid Increased Complaints: With rising complaints about software glitches and hardware issues, Ola Electric faces the challenge of restoring customer confidence. The Hyperservice campaign and quick-service guarantee are aimed at improving service reliability and customer experience. Aggarwal’s commitment to doubling service centers to 1,000 by December presents a logistical challenge. Expanding infrastructure while ensuring consistent service quality will require efficient resource management, staffing, and training. Introducing a one-day quick-service guarantee, with backup Ola S1 scooters for delays, requires robust operations management. Ola Electric must ensure availability and streamlined service processes to meet this promise consistently.
Minimizing Impact of Service Challenges on Sales: The decline in sales, linked to unresolved service issues, places pressure on Ola Electric to stabilize sales by improving its service reputation. The effectiveness of the Hyperservice campaign and prompt delivery of promises will be critical in reversing this trend. Offering cab coupons through Ola Care+ adds value for customers, but ensuring adequate customer retention and satisfaction may require further enhancements to Ola Care+ plans and personalized support.
Market Share Decline
Ola Electric’s market dominance has seen a downturn, with its market share dropping from 40.4% to 32.4% in recent months. This dip indicates increased competition and possibly waning customer confidence in the company’s products or services.
Market Competition
Ola Electric, once dominating India’s electric scooter market, saw a significant drop in sales in September, marking its lowest monthly sales figure at 23,965 units. This decline led to a market share dip of 27%, a sharp fall from its commanding 50% share in April. As Ola Electric’s sales slumped, competitors like TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto capitalized, gaining ground with the introduction of newer models and stronger service networks.
This shift suggests increasing competition and growing consumer expectations for product quality and after-sales service, areas where Ola may need to focus to regain its footing in the market. The decline also raises questions about its long-term dominance, as rivals continue to innovate and expand.
Technological Advancements
Ola Electric, once a fierce competitor to Uber in the ridesharing market, has now shifted its strategy towards tackling a new giant—Tesla. As Tesla eyes the Indian EV market, Ola Electric is aggressively aiming to undercut Tesla by offering more affordable electric vehicles.
Their contribution to India’s mobility landscape is primarily through two-wheeled mopeds, which have made Ola Electric the country’s largest manufacturer of electric scooters. Expanding beyond scooters, the company has intensified its focus on electrification. It is actively developing its lithium-ion battery technology and building Asia’s largest battery R&D facility. This cutting-edge center will drive Ola’s ambitions to lead the EV revolution in India by advancing battery tech and maintaining a competitive edge in the global market.
By investing heavily in these areas, Ola Electric is positioning itself to dominate India’s EV market and compete internationally, with innovations that could reshape the future of electric mobility.
Ola Electric – Funding and Investors
Ola Electric has raised a total of $1.7B in funding over 15 rounds. Ola Electric has been making headlines with a series of substantial investments:
Date
Name
Investors
Money Raised
June 11, 2024
Debt Financing
Alteria Capital
INR 1 billion
April 1, 2024
Debt Financing
EvolutionX Debt Capital
INR 4.1 billion
Oct 26, 2023
Debt Financing
SBI
$240 million
Oct 7, 2023
Series E
—
INR 11.9 billion
Sept 7, 2023
Private Equity Round
Tamasek Holdings
$140 million
May 22, 2023
Private Equity Round
—
INR 25 billion
Jan 24, 2022
Series D
—
INR 15 billion
Dec 8, 2021
Series C
Tamasek Holdings
$53 million
Sept 30,2021
Series C
Alpha Wave Global, Softbank
$200 million
July 12, 2021
Debt Financing
Bank of Baroda
INR 7.4 billion
March 12,2020
Series B
Pawan Munjal family Trust
$1.0 million
July 02, 2019
Series B
Pawan Munjal family Trust,Softbank, Hyundai Motor Company,Kia
$267.0 million
May 06, 2019
Series A
RNT AssociatesAngel Investor: Ratan N. Tata, Gaurav Deepak
$2.1 million
Feb 26, 2019
Series A
Tiger Global Management, RNT Associates, Sarin Family Trust, India Internet Fund, Z47.Angel Investor: Gaurav Deepak
$57.0 million
Ola Electric – Investments
Ola Electric has invested in StoreDot, details of which are as below:
Name
Total Equity
Current Stage
StoreDot
$226 million
Series D
Ola Electric – Mergers and Acquisitions
Ola Electric made a single acquisition in 2020.
Acquisition
Date
Price
Etergo
May 27, 2020
$23.1 million
Ola Electric – Growth
Ola Electric has experienced significant growth in revenue, deliveries, and market share in the Indian electric vehicle market, specifically in two-wheeled EVs:
Revenue Growth: In Q1 2024, Ola Electric’s revenue rose by 32.3%, reaching INR 1,644 crore, up from INR 1,243 crore in Q1 2023.
Deliveries: The company delivered over 1.2 lakh electric scooters in Q1 2024, a substantial increase from 70,575 units in the same period the previous year.
Market Share: As of September 2023, Ola Electric captured approximately 47% of India’s two-wheeler EV market, marking it as a dominant player.
IPO Success: Ola Electric’s listing on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on August 9, 2024, resulted in a stock surge to ₹126.21 by August 23, a 66% increase.
Ola Electric Financials
FY23
FY24
Operating Revenue
INR 2631 crore
INR 5010 crore
Total Expenses
INR 3883 crore
INR 6277 crore
Cost of Material Consumed
INR 2505 crore
INR 4391 crore
Employee Benefit Expenses
INR 427 crore
INR 439 crore
Total Loss
INR -1472 crore
INR -1584 crore
Ola Electric Financials
Ola Electric’s revenue grew by 90% from FY23 to FY24, going from INR 2631 crore to INR 5010 crore. However, its total expenses also went up by about 62%, from INR 3883 crore to INR 6277 crore. The cost of materials increased by 75%, and employee expenses rose slightly by 3%. Despite the revenue growth, the company’s losses grew by 8%, from INR 1472 crore in FY23 to INR 1584 crore in FY24.
Looking ahead, Ola Electric anticipates that electric two-wheeler adoption will reach 41-56% by FY28. Its vertically integrated model spans R&D, technology development, manufacturing, sales, service, and charging infrastructure, with plans to incorporate its cell technology by Q1 FY26.
While Ola Electric achieved strong operational growth, challenges persist. Its net loss widened 8% in 2024. Nevertheless, Goldman Sachs forecasts that Ola Electric’s revenue will expand at 2.5 times the rate of its peers, with volume growth expected to outpace competitors fivefold over the next three years, setting the stage for potential EBITDA breakeven soon.
Ola Electric – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
Ola’s marketing strategy has strategically leveraged its brand recognition and environmental messaging to boost its presence in the electric vehicle market. Here’s an overview of Ola’s promotional approach and targeted advertising efforts:
Eco-Friendly Brand Messaging: Ola Electric has centered its marketing around the eco-conscious benefits of electric scooters, emphasizing reduced emissions and cost-effectiveness. This approach appeals to the growing environmental awareness among consumers, especially younger audiences who value sustainable choices.
Targeted Advertising Campaigns: To reach potential customers, Ola Electric has launched focused ad campaigns that highlight the financial and ecological advantages of EVs. By showcasing lower operating costs, emission reductions, and ease of use, the campaigns effectively communicate the benefits of transitioning to electric scooters.
Influencer and Celebrity Partnerships: Collaborations with influencers and celebrities have helped Ola amplify its brand message and reach a wider audience. These endorsements, targeted at a youth-centric market, enhance the brand’s appeal and establish a relatable connection with potential customers.
Youth-Centric Advertising Campaigns: Ola’s 2017 campaign, which targeted young, ethically-minded consumers, emphasized the importance of tackling urban challenges like traffic congestion and pollution. This campaign resonated with socially aware young people who are interested in creating positive change in their communities.
World Environment Day Campaign #FarakPadtaHai: Launched on June 5, 2017, this campaign encouraged nationwide awareness of ride-sharing as a means of reducing pollution and traffic. Through a TV commercial and other offline activities, Ola fostered a sense of responsibility towards the environment, further solidifying its eco-friendly brand positioning.
The Shared Pass Initiative: Ola introduced a shared pass at an affordable rate of ₹1 to promote shared travel, overcoming initial reluctance among users about ride-sharing with strangers. This campaign successfully increased shared ridership, reflecting Ola’s ability to engage users and drive the adoption of shared transportation solutions.
Ola Electric’s achievements and recognition reflect its innovation and leadership in the electric vehicle industry.
IHS Markit Innovation Award (CES): Ola Electric received this award at CES for its groundbreaking design, performance, and smart features, setting new standards for electric scooters in India and globally.
German Design Award: Ola Electric was recognized for the sleek and innovative design of its scooters, reinforcing its appeal in both aesthetics and functionality.
Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage Capacity Allocation: Awarded in March 2022 under India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, Ola Electric received a 20GWh capacity allocation for ACC battery storage, entitling it to five years of incentives to advance EV battery development.
Electric Scooter of the Year – Car&Bike Awards 2023: The Ola S1 scooter won this category, prevailing over competitors like the TVS iQube S, Vida V1 Pro, and Okinawa Okhi-90 for its excellence in performance and design.
PLI-Automotive Certificate from ICAT: In March 2024, the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) awarded Ola Electric the PLI-Automotive Certificate, recognizing its pioneering contributions to electric mobility under the PLI scheme.
WomenIN Leadership Award at UK-India Awards 2024: Ola Electric was honored at the UK-India Awards for its commitment to diversity and leadership in the EV sector, emphasizing its role in promoting inclusivity within the industry.
These awards highlight Ola Electric’s dedication to innovation, design excellence, and sustainable mobility, positioning the company as a leader in the electric vehicle industry.
Ola Electric – Competitors
Ola Electric faces competition from several prominent players in India’s rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) sector, particularly in the two-wheeler segment:
Ola Electric has positioned itself at the forefront of India’s electric vehicle (EV) transformation, with ambitions that extend beyond two-wheelers to broader electrification and energy independence. By leveraging new funding and strategic partnerships, Ola is scaling its operations and product lineup:
Recent Funding and Expansion
October 2023 Funding: Ola Electric secured INR 3,200 crores (~USD 385 million) from investors like Temasek and project debt from the State Bank of India. These funds will drive expansion into new product lines and support the setup of India’s first lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu.
Gigafactory and Lithium-Ion Cell Manufacturing: As the first Indian EV company selected for the government’s Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, Ola is building a pioneering lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing unit, with an eventual target capacity of 100 GWh, significantly boosting India’s local EV supply chain.
Product Portfolio Expansion
Scooter Range: Ola’s recent Gen-2 platform has allowed for an expanded lineup of electric scooters, including the S1 Pro, S1 Air, S1X+, S1X (3kWh)and S1X (2kWh), covering a broad range of price points from INR 89,999 to INR 1,47,499. This lineup enhances accessibility for various consumer segments.
Upcoming Electric Motorcycles: Ola has announced four models—Diamondhead, Adventure, Roadster, and Cruiser—designed to meet different consumer preferences and expected to launch by the end of 2024. These motorcycles reflect Ola’s commitment to style and advanced engineering in the EV segment.
Vision for India’s EV Ecosystem
Ola Electric aims to lead India toward energy self-sufficiency by strengthening domestic manufacturing of critical EV components and creating a robust battery supply chain. Through its diversified portfolio and pioneering facilities, Ola Electric is setting a high standard for innovation and scalability in India’s EV market, positioning the country as a central hub for future-ready technology and sustainable energy solutions.
FAQs
Who is the founder of Ola Electric?
Bhavish Aggarwal is the co-founder and CEO of Ola Electric.
What does Ola Electric do?
Ola Electric makes electric scooters and works on other electric vehicle technologies to reduce pollution and promote clean energy.
When was Ola Electric founded?
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Ola Electric was founded in 2017.
Who are the competitors of Ola Electric?
The main competitors of Ola Electric include Ather Energy, Hero Electric, Bounce Infinity, Ampere Vehicles, Greaves Electric Mobility, and more.
Embarking on the journey of finding the perfect gift for your loved ones is always an exciting endeavor. With special occasions like anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, or birthdays, there’s a wonderful opportunity to express your feelings through thoughtful and heartfelt gifts.
When it comes to giving, Ferns N Petals excels as the biggest flower and gift shop in India, bringing happiness and enduring memories to millions of people across the globe. This reputable company, which boasts an extensive network of over 320 store locations, is now synonymous with celebrations, making it the perfect place to find that unique present.
In this article, we will delve into the successful journey of Ferns N Petals, its founder, business model, funding, competitors, and more.
Since its establishment in 1994 as a dedicated flower bouquet delivery service, Ferns N Petals has grown into India’s largest florist chain, boasting over 400 store locations. The company, which started out as a floral-focused business, now provides a wide range of services, including retail, e-commerce, weddings, events, gardens, handicrafts, and more.
What sets Ferns N Petals apart is not just its extensive offerings but also its unwavering commitment to creating exceptional experiences for every celebration. The brand makes gifting easy with an easy to use online platform and a commitment to quality, making sure that every gift conveys happiness and thoughtfulness.
Ferns N Petals is essentially a curator of emotions, dispersing joy and preserving memories for each unique occasion, rather than just a supplier of gifts.
Ferns N Petals – Industry
The gift industry in India is experiencing a significant transformation, with personalized gifts taking center stage. With a predicted value of USD 87.12 billion by 2029, the market, valued at USD 75.02 billion billion in 2024, is expected to increase significantly. This impressive increase is ascribed to the growing inclination for bespoke services and presents that are made by hand.
The gift business is seeing a move toward personalized offers that go beyond the traditional as consumers look for special and meaningful ways to express their thoughts. The market is expected to develop at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.74% through 2031, meeting the increasing demand for unique and considerate presents in India’s dynamic environment.
Ferns N Petals – Founder and Team
Vikaas Gutgutia is the Co-Founder and the Managing Director of Ferns N Petals.
Vikaas Gutgutia, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Ferns N Petals
Vikaas Gutgutia
Vikaas Gutgutia, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Ferns N Petals, is a visionary entrepreneur whose journey from Bihar to Kolkata has left an indelible mark on the gifting industry. His academic endeavors brought him to the completion of National High School in Kolkata for his higher secondary education, and Bhawanipur Education Society College for his Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree.
Vikaas Gutgutia’s dedication and innovative spirit have been pivotal in establishing Ferns N Petals as India’s largest gifting solutions provider. He won the Best Online Retailer of the Year award at the 2013 Asia Retail Congress in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the online retail industry. This achievement demonstrated his dedication to excellence in the rapidly changing world of e-commerce.
Ferns N Petals – Startup Story
Vikaas Gutgutia’s journey from a small village in Bihar to the helm of Ferns N Petals is a testament to his resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. Gutgutia was inspired by his father and uncle’s flower company when he moved to Kolkata for higher education, especially by his uncle’s air-conditioned flower shop, which was the first of its kind in Kolkata. Gutgutia learned the craft of creating bouquets and floral arrangements after hours by immersing himself in the complexities of the floral industry.
Even though Gutgutia had never considered becoming an entrepreneur, he jumped at the chance to use borrowed money to create the first Ferns & Petals store after relocating to Delhi. At first, Gutgutia struggled in a market dominated by street and sidewalk flowers, realizing that he would have to start the business from scratch.
Gutgutia persisted in the face of obstacles, such as the Delhi government closing its store. Carrying a cordless phone to stay in touch with his devoted clientele, he approached banquet halls in search of new prospects and in 1997 signed a contract with the Taj Palace Hotel. After seven difficult years, Ferns N Petals turned the corner, building its brand and gaining traction in the wedding ceremonies and floral requirements industry. Over 15 more shops were eventually established. The company started turning a profit in 2001, which signaled the start of its prosperous path.
Mission: The mission on the company’s website states, “Wow every customer every time, through premium products, services, value-for-money is driven by innovation, technology & people-first approach.“
Vision: The vision on the company’s website states, “To be the most trusted gifting brand to celebrate the joy of giving.”
Ferns N Petals – Name, Tagline, and Logo
Ferns N Petals Logo
FNP, formerly known as Ferns N Petals.
Ferns N Petals – Business Model
Ferns N Petals (FNP) has evolved its business model over the years, expanding beyond traditional flower deliveries. The business currently provides floral arrangements along with cakes, cards, chocolates, and a variety of other presents. As part of its diversification within the gifting industry, FNP operates under the FNP Tahiliani brand in nine verticals: events, e-commerce, gardens, weddings, retail, franchising, rentals, handicrafts, and luxury stores.
Additionally, the business opened an FNP School of Floral Designing abroad. FNP’s business plan is straightforward: it consists of offering customized presents, cards, chocolates, frames, and floral arrangements in different combinations. Furthermore, the organization makes gifting more flexible and enjoyable by offering customers exclusive deals on occasion.
FNP has launched a rapid 30-minute delivery service across 36 cities, including major hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai, as well as tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Ludhiana, Bhopal, and Ranchi. This initiative aims to enhance customer experience by offering swift, reliable service for time-sensitive deliveries, solidifying its position as a leader in the gifting and floral delivery industry.
Ferns N Petals generates revenue through a diversified set of streams, some of the prominent ones are listed below:
Product Sales: Cakes, flowers, and personalized presents are the company’s main sources of income, making up the majority of its operational revenue.
Service Charges: Additional income streams come from service-related charges, encompassing delivery, convenience, and packing and forwarding fees from customers, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Initiatives for Diversification: Ferns N Petals demonstrates strategic diversification by diversifying its revenue sources by entering the hospitality industry through Udman Hotels and providing wedding and event planning services through FNP Weddings and Events.
Marketing and Promotion: In order to increase brand awareness, draw in new clients, and hold onto current ones, the business makes strategic investments in marketing and promotional operations. To sustain a strong market presence, these activities include social media campaigns, offline and online advertising, and partnerships.
MediJourney: Ferns N Petals launched MediJourney on 28 January 2024, a medical tourism vertical offering personalized healthcare solutions worldwide. This new venture expands its revenue streams by combining healthcare coordination with travel and wellness services.
Ferns N Petals – Esops
Ferns N Petals, launched its first Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in September 2021, allocating 2% of its outstanding shares. The program is a noteworthy attempt to acknowledge and recognize the critical contributions of the initial batch of 35+ eligible employees.
This calculated action highlights Ferns N Petals’ dedication to worker welfare and promotes a feeling of collective achievement among all members of the staff. The company’s goal of continuous growth and employee-centric policies is in line with the use of ESOPs.
Ferns N Petals – Challenges Faced
Ferns N Petals faces significant challenges in the flower business. Because bouquets are difficult to redo, their intrinsic perishable nature and complex assembling procedure present a special problem. Since the hands of artists are primarily responsible for quality, uniformity is a difficult undertaking. As Gutgutia grows its retail network, this difficulty intensifies and makes it more difficult to maintain constant quality control.
In the early years, Gutgutia employed traditional flower artists from the Midnapore region of West Bengal to work at the outlets in order to solve this concern. Nevertheless, Ferns N Petals’ retail operation was completely shut down by the COVID-19 epidemic, which made it even more difficult to maintain uniformity and quality in the floral business.
Ferns N Petals – Funding and Investors
Ferns N Petals has raised INR 200 crore in one funding round.
Here are the funding details:
DATE
STAGE
AMOUNT
INVESTORS
Mar 11, 2022
Private Equity Round
INR 200 crore
Lighthouse Funds
Ferns N Petals – Growth
Ferns N Petals is experiencing remarkable growth. The company is embracing a mobile-first approach with the relaunch of its app on January 19, 2024, featuring a sleek interface for an enhanced shopping experience. The revamped app prioritizes personalization on the Homepage, with new features like Gift of The Day and Gift Finder for a seamless and tailored interaction.
Some of the growth highlights of Ferns N Petals are:
Ferns N Petals is curated with 139,821 Gift Ideas as of January 2024.
It operates more than 400 franchise outlets in 133 cities across India as of January 2024.
It has more than 400 stores in India as of October 2024.
The company delivers the gifts to over 70 countries.
The company receives 10,000 orders per day as of October 2022.
The company serviced 1,200 orders per day between UAE and Singapore as of October 2022.
Financials
Ferns N Petals Financials
Ferns N Petals Financials
FY22
FY23
FY24
Operating Revenue
INR 579 crore
INR 607.3 crore
INR 705.4 crore
Total Expenses
INR 578 crore
INR 723 crore
INR 736.7 crore
Profit/Loss
Profit of INR 10 crore
Loss of INR 109.5 crore
Loss of INR 24.26 crore
Expenses
Ferns N Petals’ total expenses rose from INR 723 crore in FY23 to INR 736.7 crore in FY24.
EBITDA
Ferns N Petals FY22-FY24
FY22
FY23
FY24
EBITDA Margin
2%
-14.9%
-1.21%
Expense/Rupee of ops revenue
INR 1
INR 1.19
INR 1.04
ROCE
6%
-80.95%
-21.57%
Ferns N Petals – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
Ferns N Petals Campaign
Ferns N Petals (FNP) introduced a captivating three-film campaign featuring Mithila Palkar and The Great Khali. With its distinctive gifting campaign, which highlights the vibrant and energetic connection between the on-screen best friends Khali and Palkar, it masterfully captures the essence of considerate gift-giving. The endearing series highlights their positive dynamic, encouragement of one another and cooperative efforts in choosing the ideal gifts for a variety of regular occasions.
Ferns N Petals – Awards and Achievements
Ferns N Petals has won numerous accolades.:
2016: Floral Designer of the Year – FNP Weddings & Events honored by EEMA for outstanding floral design.
2015: Lagan Mandap Appreciation Award – FNP Weddings & Events recognized for contributions to wedding planning.
2015: Delhi NCR 50 Hot Brands Award – Ferns N Petals acknowledged for brand prominence in the region.
2014: Specialty e-Retailer of the Year – Awarded by Franchise India Group for excellence in e-retail.
2013: Internet E-retailer of the Year – Recognized at the Asia Retail Congress for online retail excellence.
Ferns N Petals has announced it is venturing into the food and beverage industry with the launch of The U Kitchen, as per a news report on January 23, 2024. With this growth, the company hopes to establish itself as a flexible brand by providing a wide range of meals, including continental, French, Asian, Korean, Japanese, European, and Indian street food in addition to regional Indian dishes.
The calculated action reflects Ferns N Petals’ goal of greater market relevance and highlights the company’s dedication to innovation and diversity.
FAQ
Is Ferns and Petals an Indian brand?
Yes, Ferns N Petals (FNP) is an Indian brand.
Who is the CEO of Ferns and Petals?
Pawan Gadia is the Global CEO & Director of Ferns and Petals.
King of the discount season “Black Friday” has arrived with lots of discounts and amazing deals. Varieties of products over the varieties of categories are ready to get sold with huge price discounts to make customers feel delighted. This Black Friday discount season brings a great opportunity for every entrepreneur who has a bucket list of products to purchase for their business needs.
Start your shopping for your business needs without putting stress on your pocket by leveraging the benefits of Black Friday discounts. But Wait! Also Curious to know the Best Black Friday deals on the most used and popular products for your business. Here we are with the most popular Black Friday deals on widely used products by entrepreneurs. Black Friday is the day when everyone is looking forward to buying their most wanted pricey product such as software, Hardware, Electronics, furniture and so on at a low rate.
So, here is the big question, what is Black Friday? Why is it called Black Friday and not Black Thursday or Saturday? What is the reason behind this big shopping season? Generally, Black Friday is followed as a custom in the countries of- the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Romania, India, Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Middle Eastern countries and other countries in South Africa.
It was initially introduced back in 1952, when the concept of Santa Claus Parades was renowned and celebrated after Thanksgiving, where the word ‘Black’ refers to calamities that befell (throng over shopping) and the encounter of the day ‘Friday’ occurred in history two times.
Likewise, the United States kept a traditional way of doing commercials all over the country after getting inspiration from Santa Claus Parades. Whereby many stores offer highly promoted sales at a discount rate on Black Friday and in some cases, they even open the sale very early, say, midnight.
Moreover, the shopping season doesn’t end with Black Friday, it extends from Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, and Christmas till Buy Nothing Day.
What are the Products every entrepreneur should look out for during Black Friday?
Apart from the benefit of buying products at a discount rate, what should every entrepreneur buy on Black Friday? The hunt for the best deals on Black Friday is a hectic task, where entrepreneurs should analyse the best place, price, and brands before buying the products. Here are some things, that an entrepreneur should lookout during Black Friday 2022
CRM Products
Customers are the key to unlocking the door of success for every business. The relationship of your business with your customers decides the growth and sustainability of the business. So, CRM products are the main requirement for entrepreneurs to maintain a healthy relationship with customers. It provides all the essential facilities to execute the business seamlessly and satisfy customers.
Zoho CRM
Rating: 4.0 / 5 Pricing: Starts From Rs1300/month
Zoho CRM is a customer management software solution offered by Zoho. It helps to automate most of the workflow to save sufficient time and focus more on other aspects of lead, deals, and contact management. Fulfilling the gap between customers and the support team efficiently can be done through Zoho CRM seamlessly. The best-in-class lead management feature of Zoho CRM will help to nurture the possible lead into a conversion.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly
Standard
INR 1300/user/month
Professional
INR 2100/user/month
Enterprise
INR 3000/user/month
Ultimate
INR 3200/user/month
Yearly
Standard
INR 800/user/month
Professional
INR 1400/user/month
Enterprise
INR 2400/user/month
Ultimate
INR 2600/user/month
NetHunt CRM
Rating: 4.7 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $30/user/month
NetHunt CRM is loaded with all the essential features of traditional CRM software and some exclusive features like Gmail and Google workplace integration, data studio integration, and automatic email linking. It holds all the data of your customer journey and interaction with your product and service to deliver the best support facility. From the time a customer discovers your product to the time of final purchase, it stores everything.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly
Basic
$30/user/month
Business
$60/user/month
Advanced
$120/user/month
Yearly
Basic
$24/user/month
Business
$48/user/month
Advanced
$96/user/month
Deal: 20%OFF on any plan for 12 months, validity- 25 Nov – 13 Dec 2022 Coupon Code- NH_BF_2022
Salesflare
Rating: 4.8 / 5 Pricing: starts from $29/user/month
Salesflare CRM offers hassle-free management of customers in a whole cycle of interaction with the product. Make your business ready to manage your existing customers and potential customers with this powerful and interactive CRM platform. Ticketing the issues and solving the query of customers is now very easy. So go ahead and avail the benefit of Black Friday to lock in the best deal.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Growth
$29/user/month
Pro
$49/user/month
Enterprise
$99/user/month
Deal: 20%OFF for 6 months on the pro plan Validity- till 31st Dec 2022 Coupon Code- BF22
Web hosting and web development products
Web hosting and web development products are undoubtedly a necessity for entrepreneurs in today’s digital era. These products will help to build an online presence to offer the services and create trust among the people. Varieties of products fall under this category to support your business needs. Hosting, domain registration, SSL certificate, Email, and website builders are the most popular ones. So onboard your business online by availing the benefits of Black Friday on these products.
BlueHost
Rating: 4.9/5 Pricing: Starts from $2.95
Bluehost, a web hosting company, provides almost all of the hosting services you would want, including advanced hosting like VPS, a dedicated server, and managed WordPress hosting. It offers top-notch hosting at an affordable price and supports its offerings with helpful assistance.
BlueHost provides 99.99% uptime, is inexpensive, and is simple to use. Small online firms and entrepreneurs are its target audience. The budget-friendly hosting plans from Bluehost provide unlimited bandwidth, a free worldwide content delivery network, free Cloudflare integration (speeds your site loading) and Secure Socket Layer certifications. On a robust and tested infrastructure that is optimised for security and efficiency, there are also free daily, weekly, and monthly backups available.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Shared
$2.95 – $13.95 per month
VPS
$18.99 – $59.99 per month
WordPress
$2.75 – $13.95 per month
Dedicated
$17.99 – $119.99 per month
Here is an exclusive Black Friday deal on BlueHost: Over 80% OFF ON WEBSITES AND ONLINE STORES (on select plans)
Fastcomet
Ratings: 4.2/5 Pricing: Starts from $111.19/month
FastComet is a hosting platform specifically for small and medium-sized business owners. It furnishes 24/7 technical support in case of bugs. It has WordPress LiteSpeed Cache (LSCWP), and Free CDN, NVMe SSD, AMD EPYCTM CPU which ensures 7% enhanced optimised hosting.
Web application firewall (WAF), daily malware scans, and SSL certificates are the arrangements done by FastComet for privacy and security concerns. Free bundled services, DIY frameworks, and cPanel hosting are other prominent features of FastComet.
Plan:
Plans
Pricing
Shared
$8.95 – $24.95 per month
VPS
$65.95 – $153.95 per month
Dedicated
$152.95 – $383.95 per month
Here is an exclusive Early Black Friday deal on fastcomet: 30% off on Dedicated Server Plans + FREE Imunify360 Security
Liquid Web
Ratings: 4.8/5 Pricing: Starts from $169/ month
Liquid Web is a private cloud-based host powered by VMware. It is a rich infrastructure enterprise hosting platform for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers several server configurations which promise the highest performance and uptime.
Lighting fast cloud VPS and private VPS parent are other prominent products of Liquid web. Its infrastructure is built to solve all the PCI and HIPAA requirements. You also get access to VMware environments without any extra cost. Functioning in 150 countries all over the globe, the liquid web has 10 global centres set up for its functioning. Their hosting solutions work for freelancers, agencies, business owners and resellers.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Bare metal cloud
$89 – $475 per month
Bare metal servers
$79 – $475 per month
VPS
$5 – $275 per month
GPU servers
$880 – $6460 per month
WordPress hosting
$21 – $164 per month
Here is an exclusive Black Friday deal on liquid web: 75% off
Accounting products
Running a business and managing every detail of the business transactions will become a cumbersome task without proper accounting software. The best accounting software should be easy to use, input, manage, update and view the data. Choosing the best software which satisfies the needs of your business is not a piece of cake. As an entrepreneur, you need to take care of so many things, and one of those things is pricing. So avail a huge discount on the accounting products below to boost your business growth.
Sage
Rating: 4.3 / 5 Pricing: Start from €12/month
Sage is an accounting software that eases down the most hectic and important tasks of accounting in your business. The advanced auto-entry feature automatically pulls in data from the bank to make receipts. Easy collaboration with the team to manage and view the data just by sharing the invite link and giving them access. Let your business accounting move smoothly and efficiently with sage.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Start
€15/month
Standard
€30/month
Plus
€39/month
Black Friday deal – 6 months free on sage accounting
Invoiceberry
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $15 / month
Invoiceberry is an all-in-one software solution that simplifies invoicing and expense tracking. It filters all your invoices and shows all unpaid invoices at the top of the screen, this will give a quick insight into how much you need to get paid. The interactive status bar shows the status of your invoice sent, draft, paid, and overdue. In short, this software will help you create invoices, send quotes, convert quotes into invoices in a single click and send a late payment reminder to your customer.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Solo
$15/month
Pro
$30/month
Ultra
$45/month
Black Friday deal 50% OFF
Customer Service Products
Customer service products provide software solutions to deal with customers and resolve their issues in the best possible way. Provide support to your customers by resolving the ticket queries raised by them using the robust customer support software solution. These products help you to make your customers happy and delight with your support.
Call-Hippo
Rating: 4.3 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $0
CallHippo is a virtual phone system provider which resolves all calling-related issues with your customers. It hardly takes 3 minutes to configure this calling system, just buy numbers around the world, provide access to your team and you are good to go with calling and receiving calls from anywhere. Its outgoing caller ID feature will switch your number according to the country in which you are calling, this will decrease the chances of a call aborting.
It automatically switches to the best telephony provider using AI. This will increase the quality of sound over the phone and establish better communication.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Call center plan
$0 to $50
Office phone system plan
$35 to $55
Black Friday deal 20% OFF on annual call center plans Coupon Code: BLACKFRIDAY22
Marketing products
Marketing is an essential need for every business to grow its sales revenue. Marketing automation tools and software are a boon for every entrepreneur to handle all marketing-related stuff. So entrepreneurs grab the amazing black Friday deals in marketing tools and skyrocket your business growth.
Get response
Rating: 4.2 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $0
Create a huge email list of customers and generate leads by converting all the anonymous customers into loyal customers using the powerful and robust tool of Get Response. This software solution will help you to grow your audience, engage your audience, and make them loyal customers. Flexibility and simplicity to use this software to boost your email list, customers, and hence your sales revenue is easy peasy.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly plan
$0/month to $101.15/month
12-month plan
$0/month to $82.94/month
24-month plan
$0/month to $70.81/month
Deal: Black Friday deal 15% OFF on a monthly plan, 30% OFF on a 12-month plan, and 40% OFF on a 24-month plan
Socialbee
Rating: 4.8 / 5 Pricing: starts From $5/month
Social media is the new fuel to create a great social image and online presence. Socialbee is playing an important role to manage your social media account. It helps to manage social media profiles, and schedule a specific time to publish the post across all the social media accounts. It also helps to see the analytics of the posts in one place for proper insights. Easy integration with designing tools like canva will help to create beautiful designs to publish.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly
Bootstrap
$29/month
Accelerate
$49/month
Pro
$99/month
Yearly
Bootstrap
$24/month
Accelerate
$40/month
Pro
$82/month
Deals: Black Friday deal 70%OFF for 3 Months on a monthly plan, 30%OFF on a yearly plan for 1 year.
Appsumo
Ratings: 4.1/5Pricing: Starts from $8.25/month
Appsumo is a tool to empower entrepreneurs by upskilling and assisting in the growth of their businesses. It has a growth scale strategy on which App sumo functions. It first discovered the business of the entrepreneur.
It integrates with top-discovering tools such as Evernote, Hopin, Depositphotos, and MailChimp. As featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, product hunt and business insider, App sumo is trusted by more than 1.25 million entrepreneurs. All you have to do is to list your digital products on Appsumo.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Membership
$8.25/month
One-time purchase
$99
Here is an exclusive Black Friday deal on Appsumo: 10%
Eye-catching designs attract customers and this gives a chance to convert those customers into loyal returning customers. So having a great design product that supports your whole design needs is necessary. A good design makes a brand image strong and conveys a positive message to your potential customer. The good-looking design also helps to build trust among the customers.
Pixpa
Rating: 4.7 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $6/month
Pixpa is a portfolio website builder which helps to build websites to showcase your portfolio of products to sell online and earn revenue. It provides 150+ responsive templates to use as per your need, there is no requirement for any coding knowledge to create this website. Just drag and drop to customize the template and align it with your brand image and tone. Pixpa provides integration with 100+ apps to increase the capabilities of your website.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly
Basic ($6/month), Creator ($12/month), Professional ($18/month), Advanced ($25/month)
Yearly
Basic ($4.80/month), Creator ($9.60/month), Professional ($14.40/month), Advanced ($20/month)
2-year plan
Basic ($3.60/month), Creator ($7.20/month), Professional ($10.80/month), Advanced ($15/month)
Black Friday deal 50% OFF on Annual plans, Coupon code (BLFPIXPA50)
Glorify
Rating: 4.81/5 Pricing: Starts from $8
Glorify is a multipurpose design tool that lets you make high-converting social media posts and logos, and even offers logo design assistance. This program includes functions that can assist you in producing high-quality advertisements, presentations, infographics and mock-ups. Exclusive educational material, embed codes on your canvas ready to be embedded on other websites or downloaded as still images, personal libraries integration, carousal slideshows while designing, advertisements analytics, additional stock integrations available directly from Glorify’s assets library, launching freehand tools to gain more customised creative capabilities, live collaboration, 3D viewer, and so much more are just a few of the key features of Glorify.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Basic Plan
$8/month
Pro Plan
$15/month
Business Plan
$45/month
Here is an exclusive Black Friday deal on Glorify: 60%Coupon Code: No Coupon Required
Invideo
Ratings- 4.7/5 Pricing: Starts from $15/ month
Invideo is an online video maker tool having more than 5000 templates in the application. With more than 6 million downloads and 7 million customers of Invideo, it has brand kits, audio editing, team addition, 40+ fluid animations, and text-to-video conversions.
Other video editing features of Invideo include text overlay, video capture, video stabilization, collaboration, social sharing, audio tools, brand overlay, media library, video speed controller, split video, merge video, HD resolution, video capture, etc.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Free Plan
$0/month
Plus Plan
$35/month
Max Plan
$60/month
Generative Plan
$120/month
Vpn and Cyber security products
VPN acts as a shield that protects us from cyber attacks and helps to surf the Internet Anonymously. This kind of cyber security product enhances the security of software and provides a safe web surfing experience. As a business owner taking care of the safety of software running on the system or the cloud is very important. Hence, don’t miss the great Black Friday deals on this cybersecurity software.
NordVPN
Rating: 4.4 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $11.99/month
NordVPN is a very popular VPN service provider which provides wire guard protection in VPN and has 5200+ servers across the globe. With a single account in NordVPN, one can use the service on 6 devices. Connect every system in your office with NordVPN and add an extra premium level of security of AES 246-bit encryption. It automatically stops you from web surfing if the connection with the VPN drops.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly Plan
Standard ($12.99/month), Plus (13.99/month), Complete ($14.99/month)
1-year Plan
Standard ($4.59/month), Plus (5.49/month), Complete ($6.49/month)
2-year Plan
Standard ($3.59/month), Plus (4.49/month), Complete ($5.49/month)
Black Friday deal 70% off NordVPN
Express VPN
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $12.95/month
Express VPN provides its VPN services with all the essential features and some additional features like VPN split tunnelling. This allows some devices to access the web through VPN and at the same time allows some devices to access the web directly. It has servers in 94 countries and it allows you to switch between the servers as many times as you want. Protect your data from online theft with Express VPN.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
1-month
$12.95/month
6-month
$9.99/month
12-month
$8.32/month
Black Friday deal Up to6 extra months free!
PureVPN
PureVPN provides an outstanding network of international VPN servers and focuses on privacy, security and accessibility. It uses advanced data encryption for the protection of its client’s data and privacy. It is loaded with features like Always-On audit, Constant third-party audit, Logless VPN and Privacy-Centric Service.PureVPN also offers software for streaming devices such as Android TV. It supports several VPN protocols and offers users servers across 139 countries with a live chat support system. It provides High-end security on public WiFi, at hotels, airports and coffee shops etc.
From big companies to small startups, team management is a very important task to do. Taking care of your employee’s payroll and performing all the cumbersome and time-consuming HR activities is very hectic without any proper software solution. Here is the list of tools to handle all your HR-related work seamlessly.
HR Partner
Rating: 4.8 / 5 Pricing: Pricing depends on the number of employees
HR Partner is an advanced, interactive, and easy-to-operate management software for HR to carry out their task efficiently. The list of features provided by this software is massive, in short, it caters to every aspect of the work of HR. Employee record management, leave requests and approval, recruitment, and application tracking are some basic services provided by this software. In addition to that, it also provides an employee portal that empowers employees to manage their own records and view other details. Employees can also apply for leave through this portal and see the status of their leave.
Deal: Black Friday deal 50%OFF for life on all the plans
Gusto
Rating: 4.2 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $40/month
Ease down the cumbersome process of business management by leveraging the benefits of Gusto. This HR platform offers services from hiring and onboarding to managing payroll and attendance to everything you need to manage your employees. It automatically syncs data to payroll and calculates team hours, holidays, PTO, etc. Integration of popular apps with gusto is easy peasy, so there is no need to fetch data manually.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Simple
$40/month
Plus
$60/month
Premium
$135/month
Deal: Black Friday deal 25% OFF on Plus plan
Apploye
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Pricing: Starts from $4/user/month
Apploye is the time-tracking software that your business needs to track the working hour accurately. This software helps to calculate the working hour of the employee working in the office or remotely. It provides a desktop app, web app, mobile app, and even a browser extension and third-party integration to manage and track the time anywhere, anytime. So be updated with the time consumed on the specific project with this powerful software Apploye. Grab the Black Friday deal on Apploye before it ends.
Plans:
Plans
Pricing
Monthly
Standard ($5/user/month), Elite ($7/user/month)
Yearly
Standard ($2.5/user/month), Elite ($3.5/user/month)
Deal: Black Friday deal 15% OFF Coupon code apploye-15
Smart Life Products
Convert your traditional office into a Smart office using the Smart lOT products. Enhance your security by monitoring and tracking anytime and anywhere. This product provides better accessibility and control to entrepreneurs in their offices. Everything is connected to the internet. Grab the Black Friday deal on popular IOT products and make your office smart without giving extra stress on your budget.
Wireless video doorbell
Pricing: $74.99
This is a rechargeable video doorbell that gives a battery backup of months and can monitor your door smartly day and night. Connected with wi-fi, this wireless video doorbell let you know who is behind your door, no matter where you are. It gives a 160-degree view with full-colour night vision to capture everything even in the darkness. It works perfectly fine with Alexa and google assistant, and can record video automatically when it detects any motion outside.
This is the bundle of IoT products for businesses, and this bundle is a security bundle and an IOTA bundle. The security bundle includes one security hub, one keypad, 1 adobe cam 2, and two mini door sensors. On the other hand, The IOTA Bundle includes one IOTA, 5 mini door sensors, 1 keyFob Wi-Fi, 4G, and Z-Wave. Both bundles are packed with all the useful products that an office owner needs. Avail of huge Black Friday discounts on these bundles and can also consider purchasing them separately.
Deal: Black Friday deal 50% OFF on security and IOTA Bundle plus 1-month free professional monitoring
Electronics products
There is no need to mention the advantages and necessity of electronic products in offices. Nowadays every piece of information related to the business is stored on electronic devices. Printers, monitors, CPUs, routers, and most importantly laptops are widely used in every business to function with their true potential. Grab the deal on electronic products from the top brands below.
Apple
Apple needs no introduction because every business enthusiast is very well aware of this brand. This premium brand offers a variety of products over varieties of categories. The electronic products of this brand are widely used in offices to complete day-to-day office tasks. This brand is also providing a Black Friday offer on its products, so go and grab the deal before it ends.
Deal: Black Friday deal get an Apple Gift Card up to $200 when you buy an eligible product.* Only at Apple — online, in-store, and in the Apple Store app.
Dell
Dell is a technology company that sells electronic products that cater to mid-range customers. It offers products like monitors, CPUs, mouse, laptops, smart locks, data storage devices, and many more. In this Black Friday season sale, Dell has brought huge discounts on laptops, monitors, CPUs, and Mouse. Quickly check out and avail huge Black Friday discounts on Dell’s products because quantity is limited.
Deal: Save up to $800 with limited-time deals on PCs, monitors & more. Plus, Dell Rewards members receive 2x rewards.
HP
HP is a well-known technology company that offers its products at affordable rates and has a huge collection of electronic products. Most businesses trust HP because of its quality products and reasonable prices to attract customers and supply happiness to their life in this Thanksgiving season of Black Friday. HP is giving huge discounts on a massive number of its products. Check out your favourite one before it gets out of stock.
Deal: Save up to 75% on select DOORBUSTERS.24 months special financing on purchases of $1,500 or more with the HP Credit Account.
Black Friday is on 25th November. Don’t think that it’s a one-day sale, it’s more like a season and begins on November 25. Just a few days are left, so start aiming at the merchandise you want to barter this year. You will discover a bunch of markdowns and deals for all commodities.
From hardware to software, even portable appliances, everything you prefer will be handy here. The celebration will be continued until a week after Cyber Monday. Check to find the deals available for the products, you can also compare it with other online outlets and choose what you think is best for you. Don’t miss this great opportunity.
FAQ
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is celebrated after thanksgiving when many shop owners give steep discounts on their products.
What are some of the products entrepreneurs should buy on black Friday?
CRM products, Smart Life Products, VPN and Antivirus Software and SaaS Products are some of the products that every entrepreneur should look out for during black Friday.
What are the best deals for SaaS Products?
The best SaaS products are as follows
Zoho
Hostinger
Appsumo
Purevpn
Adspyder
Simvoly
nTask
LeadFuze
Document360
When do Black Friday deals start?
Black Friday Deals start on November 25.
Where to find all the exclusive Deals?
Almost all saas companies provide saas deals around Black Friday. You can go to the website of the required tool and check out their deal. Companies also send their customers emails regarding Black Friday deals. Moreover, you can check out our article where we have covered all Black Friday deals an entrepreneur would need including Exclusive deals from the companies
Arbaz Sayed
