The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), which is part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is planning to establish a revolutionary digital platform to enhance India’s startup ecosystem. The Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) initiative is a platform that is designed to centralize, streamline, and enhance collaboration among key stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. These stakeholders include startups, investors, mentors, service providers, and government bodies. The BHASKAR initiative is part of the Startup India program.
The Government of India has a mission to convert India into a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. This effort matches that ambition, and it reinforces the country’s commitment to the startup movement.
Calling this initiative a master stroke, Shreya Sharma, Founder, Rest The Case stated, “The launch of BHASKAR is a very innovative step to fuel the Startup Ecosystem further. As of now, India globally ranks as the 3rd largest ecosystem for startups. The sector has seen significant growth since COVID-19, and the wind hasn’t dropped yet!”
“India is home to almost 100+ unicorns, which in itself is proof of the rising popularity of Startups! However, red-tapism remains a challenge, and along with that, the easy-to-business also needs improvement. With the launch of BHASKAR, there is a chance for entrepreneurs to find easy guidance on a single platform. They will no longer have to go through the painstaking process of ‘trying to find the right thing’. The launch of such a platform, backed by the Government, is a promise that I feel all startups and budding entrepreneurs can look up to for growth and innovation” she added.
Similar thoughts were shared by Tanay Sharma, COO & Co- Founder CITTA, “I see the launch of the BHASKAR platform by DPIIT as a game-changer for the Indian startup ecosystem, especially in B2C sectors like ours. The beauty and wellness industry, particularly in baby care, requires constant innovation, research, and consumer-centric solutions. BHASKAR, with its focus on fostering collaboration, access to mentorship, and streamlined processes for startups, aligns perfectly with our growth objectives.”
“In the long term, BHASKAR is poised to empower startups by providing access to critical resources, mentorship, and funding, enabling us to scale faster and more efficiently. We are excited about the opportunities this platform creates, allowing us to grow while staying true to our core values of delivering safe, pure, and trusted solutions to our consumers,” he opined further.
Boosting Creativity with a Centralised Hub
India has swiftly become one of the most dynamic startup centres in the world. It is home to more than 1,46,000 companies that have been recognised by the DPIIT institution. Through the provision of an all-encompassing, one-stop digital platform that addresses the issues that are encountered by both investors and entrepreneurs, BHASKAR intends to capitalise on this potential. Through its role as a centralised register, BHASKAR will make it possible to gain unhindered access to a vast assortment of resources, tools, and information that will assist in fostering the entrepreneurial journey from the stage of ideation to the stage of execution.
Within the context of the startup ecosystem, BHASKAR is intended to cultivate an atmosphere that is conducive to the development of growth, networking, and collaboration. The platform will make it easier for stakeholders to connect with one another, improve search ability, and make it possible to uncover relevant opportunities and collaborations in a more efficient manner. This will be accomplished by offering personalised BHASKAR IDs to participants.
Product Highlights of BHASKAR
The creation of the largest digital register in the world for stakeholders within the startup ecosystem is the primary objective of the BHASKAR project. Several major elements will be offered by the platform in order to accomplish this goal.
The BHASKAR platform would facilitate smooth engagement between entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and other stakeholders, hence facilitating networking and collaboration. This will allow for seamless interaction across different industries.
By unifying resources, the platform will give entrepreneurs with quick access to crucial tools and expertise, hence enabling faster decision-making and more efficient scaling. This will be accomplished by providing centralised access to resources.
The process of creating personalised identification will involve assigning a one-of-a-kind BHASKAR ID to each and every stakeholder. This will ensure that interactions and experiences throughout the platform are personalised and suited to the individual.
Users are able to readily identify relevant resources, collaborators, and opportunities by utilising strong search options, which ensures that decisions and actions are made more quickly.
BHASKAR will act as a vehicle for boosting India’s global reputation as a powerhouse for innovation, thereby making cross-border partnerships more accessible to both investors and startups. This will further India’s efforts to support its global brand.
Promoting the Growth of India’s Startup Community
In the continued efforts of the government to encourage innovation, business ownership, and the creation of new jobs, the introduction of BHASKAR represents a significant step forward. In order to facilitate collaboration, the sharing of ideas, and the acceleration of growth, it will function as a central hub where government organisations, investors, service providers, and startups can all come together.
Through the facilitation of easy access to knowledge and resources, BHASKAR will assist in unlocking the full potential of India’s startup ecosystem, hence boosting the country’s rise as a global leader in the field of entrepreneurship. The platform will play a crucial role in the development of an economy that is more economically robust, inclusive, and innovation-driven, thereby setting the groundwork for a successful future. The Government of India extends an invitation to all relevant parties to participate in this endeavour that would bring about transformation.
Zomato, a company that specializes in meal delivery, has just announced a huge expansion of its food delivery service on trains. Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of the company, mentioned the new development on X (which was formerly known as Twitter). He stated that the company now serves food directly to more than one hundred railway stations across India.
As a result of Zomato’s cooperation with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Goyal emphasized the fact that the company has successfully fulfilled more than one million orders during its expansion.
Train Travel Is Set to Undergo a Revolution Thanks to This Partnership
Through this partnership, the goal is to revolutionise train travel by providing passengers with the opportunity to indulge in a wide range of foods without having to leave the convenience of their seats. At the moment, the service is operational in 88 different cities.
Zomato’s Chief Executive Officer for Food Delivery, Rakesh Ranjan, expressed his excitement about the company’s partnership with the Indian Railways Corporation of Transportation (IRCTC). This partnership would enable Zomato to offer culinary delights to train passengers, hence enhancing the overall experience of their journeys. When it comes to the magnitude of its collaboration with IRCTC, the company is convinced that it will have an impact on the lives of millions of customers all throughout India and make travelling by rail an experience that is both convenient and enjoyable.
How the Customer Can Order?
Customers are able to place orders for meals using the Zomato – Food Delivery in Trains service, regardless of whether they are at the station or inside their train cabin. Each and every passenger will benefit from the convenience.
When customers open the Zomato app, they have the ability to search for terms such as “train.” It is also possible for customers who are present at the station to update their location by opening the Zomato app. Once they have done so, they will be taken to a banner where they may input their PNR. Soon after the consumer has submitted their PNR, it will immediately retrieve the customer’s seat and train details, thereby ensuring that the delivery partners deliver the order to the appropriate seat.
Through the utilisation of this cutting-edge method, it is possible to have food orders delivered to the station just as the train is about to arrive. Additionally, customers have the option of picking up their orders from designated pickup points located within the station building. Even in the event that there is a delay in the train, Zomato monitors the train timetables in order to change the delivery times.
Steve Huffman is the co-founder of Reddit along with Alexis Ohanian (his college roommate). He started programming/coding at the age of 8. His net worth as of 2024 is about $50 million.
Read ahead to learn more about Steve Huffman’s net worth, personal life, education, early life, and more.
Steve Huffman was born on the 12th of November, 1983. His childhood was spent growing up in Warrenton, Virginia. Just at the age of 8, he began programming computers. In 2001, he graduated from Wakefield School in The Plains, Virginia. He graduated in 2005 from the University of Virginia (UVA), where he studied computer science.
Steve Huffman – Reddit
Huffman and Alexis Ohanian (his college roommate) drove to Boston, Massachusetts, during their spring break to attend a lecture delivered by programmer-entrepreneur Paul Graham. They talked with Graham after the lecture. And he invited them to apply to his startup incubator, Y Combinator. Huffman came up with an original idea, My Mobile Menu. The app allowed users to order food by SMS. Although the idea was rejected, Graham asked Huffman and Ohanian to meet him in Boston to pitch another idea for a startup. At that brainstorming session the idea that came up, Graham called the “front page of the Internet”. Huffman and Ohanian got accepted into Y Combinator’s first class. Huffman coded the entire site in Lisp. Finally, he and Ohanian launched Reddit in June 2005 which was funded by Y Combinator.
Reddit Logo
The site’s audience grew rapidly within its first few months. By August 2005, Huffman noticed their habitual user base had grown large enough, that he no longer needed to fill the front page with content himself. At the age of 23, Huffman and Ohanian sold Reddit to Condé Nast, for a reported $10 million to $20 million on October 31, 2006. Huffman remained with Reddit until 2009, after which he left his role as acting CEO.
Before co-creating the travel website Hipmunk with Adam Goldstein Huffman had spent several months in Costa Rica which was also funded by Y Combinator. He was an author and software developer, in 2010. Hipmunk was launched in August 2010 with Huffman serving as CTO. In 2011, Inc. named Huffman under its 30 list.
Huffman admitted that his decision to sell Reddit had been a mistake. And that the site’s growth had exceeded his expectations, in 2014. On July 10, 2015, Reddit hired Huffman as CEO again, following the resignation of Ellen Pao. It was a particularly difficult time for the company. After rejoining the company, Huffman’s main goals were to launch Reddit’s iOS and Android apps, to fix Reddit’s mobile website, and to create A/B testing infrastructure.
After returning to Reddit, Huffman instituted several technological improvements including a better mobile experience and stronger infrastructure, as well as new content guidelines. These included:
a ban on content that incites violence
quarantining some material users might find offensive, and
removing communities “that exist solely to … make Reddit worse for everyone else”- said by Huffman
Shortly after returning, Huffman wrote that
“neither Alexis nor I created reddit to be a bastion of free speech, but rather as a place where open and honest discussion can happen.”
Ohanian had used the same term in an interview in 2012 to describe Reddit, as noted by The New Yorker and The Verge.
Reddit launched its IPO in March 2024. Its IPO was one of the most highly anticipated of 2024, and it certainly lived up to expectations. On March 20, Reddit priced its shares at $34, hitting the top end of its projected range of $31 to $34.
Huffman had worked hard to make the site more advertiser-friendly. He also led efforts to host videos and images on the site. Beginning of 2017, Huffman led the redesign of Reddit’s website with its first major visual update in a decade. Huffman had said the site looked like a “Dystopian Craigslist” whose obsolete presence deterred new users. In April 2018, the Development of the new site took more than a year, and the redesign was launched.
Steve Huffman – Net Neutrality Activism
Steve is an advocate for net neutrality. He had told The New York Times that without net neutrality protections, “you give internet service providers the ability to choose winners and losers”, in 2017. Huffman urged Redditors to express support for net neutrality and to contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C. Steve Huffman said that the repeal of net neutrality rules stifles competition. He had said that he along with Reddit would continue to advocate for net neutrality.
Steve Huffman lives in San Francisco, California. He mentors aspiring programmers at coding boot camps such as Hackbright Academy. Huffman was also an instructor for e-learning courses on web development by Udacity. Along with that he is on the board of advisors for the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Technology and Society.
Astonishingly, Huffman is a ballroom dancer. At the UVA, Huffman used to compete in intercollegiate competitions.
Steve Huffman – Controversy
After Reddit filed for its IPO in February 2024, it was revealed that CEO Steve Huffman received a total compensation of $193 million in 2023, which sparked discontent among some Reddit users. Many criticized the payout, calling it excessively large. In response, Huffman addressed the concerns during a Q&A session on Reddit, explaining that his compensation is a combination of salary and stock, and is directly linked to his performance as CEO.
Huffman was the subject of controversy in late 2016 for altering posts on a common subreddit with Donald Trump supporters, The Donald. Following criticism from Reddit users, issued an apology and he undid the change.
A while ago, TikTok gained a lot of popularity and not particularly in a good way! To this, the co-founder of Reddit thinks TikTok is “fundamentally parasitic“.
He comments in front of a large group of Silicon Valley investors and entrepreneurs at the Social 2030 conference by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Lessin’s VC firm Slow Ventures,
Maybe I’m going to regret this, but I can’t even get to that level of thinking with them. I look at that app as so fundamentally parasitic. It is always listening and the fingerprinting technology they use is truly terrifying. I could not bring myself to install an app like that on my phone. I actively tell people not to install that spyware.
FAQs
Who is Steve Huffman spouse?
Steve Huffman was married to Katie Babiarz in 2009 but they have since divorced.
What is Steve Huffman net worth?
The net worth of Steve Huffman is $50 Million as of 2024.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on 14 September 2024, the minimum export price (MEP) criteria for basmati rice exports has been eliminated by the Union Government.
To increase the incomes of farmers, the decision has been made to permit the export of basmati rice, which is a GI-tagged type that is considered to be of the highest quality. In the announcement, it was emphasized that this decision was made in consideration of the sufficient availability of rice within the country as well as continued worries regarding trade.
“We greatly welcome the government’s decision to remove the MEP on Basmati rice. The timing of this strategic move coincided favorably with the imminent harvest of the new crop. With the MEP removed, Indian exporters now have the power to offer Basmati rice at far more competitive rates on a global scale, seemingly primed to drive a huge surge in export volumes. With new crop sales and export orders set to be finalised, this decision provides greater clarity for importers worldwide regarding India’s policy direction. Moreover, this change is expected to benefit farmers by boosting income and price realisations, as increased demand in the short term is likely due to the competitive pricing from Indian exporters,” stated Akshay Gupta, Head – Bulk Exports, KRBL Limited.
APEDA to Closely Monitor Export Contracts
To avoid basmati rice from being priced unreasonably and to guarantee that export procedures are transparent, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will rigorously supervise export contracts.
In August 2023, a temporary measure was implemented that established a floor price for basmati rice exports at USD 1,200 per metric tonne (MT). As a result of a limited supply within the country and rising costs for rice on the domestic market, this decision was made. It was also intended to avoid the misclassification of non-basmati rice as basmati during exports. This was done because the export of non-basmati white rice is restricted to satisfy domestic demand.
On the other hand, in October of 2023, the government decided to lower the floor price to USD 950 per MT after receiving comments from various trade associations and stakeholders.
Hiking Duty on Edible Oil to Increase Oil Seed Crop Demand
A post on the social media site “X” made by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, declared that the government has decided to hike the basic duty on refined oil to 32.5 percent. This is one of the other measures that would affect farmers. As a result of this action, it is anticipated that the demand for mustard, sunflower, and groundnut crops will increase, which will cause farmers’ incomes to improve.
Farmers’ advancement is a priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Increasing the basic tariff on refined oil to 32.5% is something that has been decided upon. Mustard, sunflower, and peanut crops will see an increase in demand as a result of this. According to Chouhan’s statement mentioned in a media report, farmers would earn higher prices for these products, and the expansion of refineries in rural and small areas would also lead to an increase in employment prospects.
In addition, the government has increased the import duty on edible oils from 0% to 20%. Chouhan went on to say that the overall effective duty will amount to 27.5% if other components are taken into consideration during the calculation. A greater quantity of soybean meal, which will be shipped overseas, will be produced as a result of this decision. As Chouhan mentioned in his post on X, other industries that are associated with soy would also get benefits.
A top official from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has stated that the conglomerate is working along with Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd to achieve its goal of introducing India’s first chips that are created domestically by the year 2026, as reported by a media outlet,
The news article cited details provided by Sreenivasa Chakravarti, VP and head of TCS’s digital engineering division worldwide. Chakravarti said that TCS, a firm that focuses on semiconductor design and engineering, is involved in the chip manufacturing process at various stages, with Tata Electronics at the forefront. Additionally, Chakravarti brought attention to several additional shared services, such as software solutions and goods based on intellectual property (IP) for semiconductors.
At present, a significant number of companies are establishing operations in India to develop technologies and services for global markets. However, there is also a market for semiconductors in India. As a result, Chakravarti believes that the issue is to construct something for India from within India.
India Semiconductor Mission
As part of efforts to improve the semiconductor industry, the India Semiconductor Mission gave its approval in February for the establishment of three manufacturing facilities for semiconductors. There are two of these projects that are being developed by Tata Electronics as the principal company. The first of these is a greenfield chip manufacturing plant in Dholera, Gujarat, that will be constructed in conjunction with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor (PSMC) and will have an initial output capacity of 50,000 wafers per month. The plant will cost $11 billion. According to the reports, the second factory is located in Assam and is valued at $3.26 billion. Its primary focus is on chip assembly and testing.
The first chips to be manufactured at the Assam facility are expected to be made accessible by Tata Electronics by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026. The company intends to target businesses such as the automotive, electronics, power, consumer goods, and healthcare sectors.
First Indian Technology Services Company With Expertise in Semiconductor Engineering
TCS is the first Indian technology services company to create a robust capability in semiconductor engineering and services, according to Omkar Tanksale, a senior IT research analyst at Axis Securities. Globally, TCS has a substantial presence in the fields of semiconductor design, engineering, and software development for applications involving semiconductors.
Throughout the course of the year, Tata Electronics has been establishing collaborations with a wide variety of worldwide companies and nations in order to supply semiconductor chips.
Tesla has entered into a strategic agreement with Tata Electronics in April to acquire semiconductor processors for its global operations.
Additionally, a few days ago, Tata Electronics and Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the purpose of establishing a semiconductor equipment infrastructure.
An Indian antitrust investigation has determined that U.S. eCommerce giant Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart violated local competition laws by providing preferential treatment to specific sellers on their shopping websites, according to reports published by a reputable media outlet.
An investigation into Amazon and Flipkart was ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in the year 2020. The CCI was concerned that the two companies were reportedly giving preference to certain listings and were encouraging particular merchants with whom they had business connections.
What Exactly Do the Investigation Reports Reveal?
Investigators from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) concluded that Amazon and Flipkart had developed an environment in which preferred merchants appeared higher in search results, thereby displacing other vendors. The CCI investigators made this discovery in two distinct reports, each of which was around 1,696 pages long and submitted on 9 August.
According to both findings, which are not available to the public and are being published by a renowned media house for the very first time, each of the anti-competitive practices that were said to have occurred was investigated and confirmed to be genuine.
According to the two reports, “Ordinary sellers remained as mere database entries,” that is the conclusion that was reached for both businesses. Both businesses have maintained in the past that they have not committed any wrongdoing and that their operations are in accordance with the laws of India.
The report will now be reviewed by the two corporations, and any objections will be submitted to the CCI staff before any potential fines are decided upon.
It Is a Big Setback for Both the Firms
Smaller merchants in the country continue to criticise Amazon and Flipkart for their business practices. These retailers claim that their companies have suffered in recent years as a result of the deep discounts that are offered online. The findings of the inquiry are the latest setback for Amazon and Flipkart.
A formal complaint was lodged by the Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, a branch of the largest trade organisation in India, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which speaks for 80 million merchants. While responding to this complaint, CCI launched a full scale investigation on both the firms. As a response to the reports, CAIT expressed its approval of the conclusions of the CCI probe and stated that it would review the reports and “escalate the matter” with the federal government.
The eCommerce market in India is anticipated to be worth between $57 and $60 billion in 2023, and it is expected to surpass $160 billion in value by 2028, according to projections provided by the consulting firm Bain. The biggest competitors in this sector are Amazon and Flipkart.
Amazon has been accused of engaging in “anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power,” according to the Federal Trade Commission, who later filed a lawsuit against the corporation in the United States. Amazon has stated that the complaint filed by the FTC is illogical and would be detrimental to customers because it would result in increased pricing and delayed delivery times.
To meet the heightened demand that occurs throughout the holiday season, Amazon India announced on 12 September 2024 that it has established more than 110,000 seasonal job opportunities across its operational network. According to a statement released by the corporation, these opportunities include both direct and indirect employment prospects across the country, especially in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai etc.
A total of over 1.1 lakh new employees have been brought on board by the company to enhance its fulfillment and logistics network and to guarantee that it will be able to meet the increasing demand without any problems. While talking with the media, Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India, revealed that a lot of these fellow workers will continue to work for Amazon even after the holiday season is over, and many others return to work for Amazon year after year. According to the statement, the vast majority of these newly hired employees have already been brought on board.
Empowering Women and Special People
Amazon also claimed that it has engaged thousands of women to work as associates and also it has hired close to 1900 disabled people to work inside its existing network. In a statement, the Union Minister of Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, expressed his admiration for the efforts that Amazon and other corporations are making to create employment possibilities that are inclusive while also ensuring the welfare of their employees.
“It is heartening to see that the company is prioritising the well-being of its employees by implementing programmes that give priority to their safety, healthcare, and educational support,” stated Mandaviya.
“Additionally, it is great to note that the company is hiring a considerable number of women and people with disabilities for these positions,” he added further.
Amazon India Focuses on Associate Wellbeing
Amazon India has instituted a variety of initiatives to support the well-being of its associates, including the recently launched Project Ashray, which provides dedicated resting points for delivery associates in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Moreover, Amazon has specific welfare programmes such as Sushruta, which provides truck drivers with comprehensive healthcare support through early detection, diagnosis, and health camps across key regions, and the Pratidhi Scholarship, which offers scholarships to associates’ children for quality education, amongst other initiatives of a similar nature.
Network of Amazon India
Amazon India has established a robust fulfilment and shipping network that spans the whole country, which is assisting more than 1.4 million merchants in meeting the needs of customers located all across the country.
The company has fulfilment centres located in fifteen different states, which provide 43 million cubic feet of storage space for seller inventory. Additionally, the company has sortation centres located in nineteen different states, and it has a network of nearly two thousand delivery stations that are operated by Amazon and partner companies.
EaseMyTrip, an Indian travel technology company, has introduced ScanMyTrip.com, which is India’s first marketplace that is integrated into the network of the Indian Government Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
As a result of this introduction, EaseMyTrip has also established itself as the first online travel agency (OTA) to sell as well as buy travel services through the ONDC platform. In the travel and tourist industry, the integration is anticipated to bring about a revolutionary change in how businesses interact with their clients. The possibility of even smaller service providers’ access to a larger audience will now be available to them, enhancing their ability to compete in the digital market.
With the launch of this new endeavor, EaseMyTrip demonstrates its commitment to promoting broad development and encouraging digital innovation within the tourist industry. This will make it simpler for businesses of all sizes to thrive within the ecosystem of eCommerce.
Rikant Pittie, the co-founder of EaseMyTrip, expressed that the company is very pleased about the prospect of developing India’s first technology, which will bring the company one step closer to resolving basic difficulties faced by thousands of travel service providers.
Why Did It Opt for the ONDC Network?
According to EaseMyTrip, the integration with ONDC will make it possible for enterprises in the travel and tourist industry to take advantage of ONDC’s digital infrastructure. This will enable even the most modest service providers to access a large consumer base.
According to the official statement shared by the company, ScanMyTrip.com streamlines the onboarding process, which in turn makes it simpler for businesses to connect with travelers and compete in the online marketplace.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ONDC, Thampy Koshy, brought attention to the significance of this cooperation by stating that the incorporation of EaseMyTrip into the ONDC network is a significant turning point in their efforts to establish a travel ecosystem that is more approachable and open to transparency. This integration will not only increase opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and homestays, but it will also develop a marketplace that is both competitive and equitable. On the other hand, it is entirely in line with ONDC’s aim of making travel and online shopping accessible to everyone.
Letter of Intent With ONDC
EaseMyTrip made a public declaration of its intention to participate in the digital change that ONDC is pushing inside the ecommerce market by signing a Letter of Intent with ONDC at the “ONDC Startup Mahotsav” earlier this year. In the press release, it was stated that this collaboration exemplifies EaseMyTrip’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and providing cutting-edge digital solutions to the travel and tourism industry.
In honor of Engineer’s Day, StartupTalky features Vikas Kakkar, Co-Founder and CEO of Amara.ai. Kakkar’s transition from engineering to entrepreneurship was fuelled by a vision to transform traditional HR processes with AI. In this interview, he reveals how Amara.ai’s advanced chatbot improves employee engagement and supports HR teams with real-time feedback and automation. Kakkar also discusses the future trends in HR tech and the hurdles faced during the company’s early days.
StartupTalky: What motivated your move from engineering to entrepreneurship, and what key steps did you take to start your company?
Mr. Kakkar: My move from engineering to entrepreneurship was driven by the desire to solve real-world problems that I noticed during my career. While working as an engineer, I realized there were many inefficiencies in traditional HR processes, especially in recruitment and employee engagement. I saw an opportunity to use technology to improve these areas, which led me to the idea of creating a solution that could streamline these processes. That’s how the idea for my company was born. The first key step I took was identifying the specific pain points in HR that I wanted to address. I spent a lot of time understanding the challenges faced by HR professionals. Then, I built a small team of like-minded people who shared my vision. We started with a focus on recruitment automation and gradually expanded into other areas like employee engagement. Another important step was securing the right technology and resources to build our product and test it in the market. It wasn’t easy, but by staying committed to solving a real problem, we were able to grow the business from there.
StartupTalky: Why did you choose the HR Tech industry, and what trends or opportunities do you see shaping its future?
Mr. Kakkar: I have chosen this industry because I saw a clear need for innovation in HR processes, particularly around recruitment and employee engagement. Traditional methods were not keeping up with the fast-paced changes in the workplace, and I felt there was an opportunity to introduce technology, especially AI, to improve efficiency and make HR more strategic. Employees are the backbone of any business, and helping companies better engage with and retain their talent was a challenge that appealed to me.
As for the future, I see several key trends shaping the industry. One is the growing use of AI and data analytics to make more informed decisions about talent management. Automation will continue to reduce the time HR teams spend on repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus more on strategic initiatives like employee well-being and company culture. Another important trend is the increasing focus on diversity, inclusion, and employee mental health, which are becoming central to a company’s success. Finally, with remote work becoming more common, there will be more opportunities to develop tools that help companies engage and support their employees, no matter where they are based. These trends present exciting opportunities for further innovation in the HR tech space.
StartupTalky: What does Amara.ai do, and what real-world problem does your technology solve?
Mr. Kakkar: Our company provides an AI-powered chatbot designed to enhance employee engagement and support HR teams in managing their workforce more effectively. Our technology interacts with employees at key points in their lifecycle, gathering feedback, assessing engagement levels, and identifying any risks related to attrition or disengagement. The chatbot also helps foster a positive work environment by promoting diversity, inclusion, and employee wellbeing.
The real-world problem we solve is the challenge HR teams face in keeping employees engaged, especially in large organizations. Traditional HR methods often fall short when it comes to understanding employees’ needs and identifying potential issues early on. By using our AI-powered chatbot, companies can stay connected with their employees, ensure higher engagement levels, and address problems before they escalate. This ultimately helps improve employee satisfaction and retention, making HR processes more proactive and efficient.
StartupTalky: Tell us about the core technology behind Amara.ai’s products or services, and how it stands out from others in the market.
Mr. Kakkar: Amara.ai’s core technology is driven by advanced AI algorithms designed to personalize and streamline employee engagement processes. What sets us apart is our intelligent chatbot, which not only automates repetitive HR tasks but also provides real-time insights into employee well-being, engagement, and satisfaction. Unlike many platforms, Amara integrates seamlessly with existing HR systems and offers highly customizable features, allowing organizations to scale effortlessly as they grow. Additionally, our focus on well-being assessments and diversity analysis ensures a holistic approach to employee engagement, making us a standout in the HR tech landscape.
StartupTalky: How did you secure your initial customers, and what strategies worked best to gain their trust and business?
Mr. Kakkar: Securing our initial customers was all about building trust through personalized, results-driven engagement. We focused on demonstrating the value of Amara.ai by offering trial periods where potential clients could experience firsthand how our AI-powered solutions streamlined their HR processes and improved employee engagement. Transparent communication and showcasing measurable outcomes, like improved employee satisfaction and reduced manual tasks, played a key role. Additionally, we leveraged customer testimonials and case studies to highlight successful implementations, which helped build credibility and encourage others to adopt our platform.
StartupTalky: What were the main challenges you faced early on, and how did you overcome them?
Mr. Kakkar: In the early stages, one of the main challenges was convincing businesses to adopt AI-powered HR solutions. Many companies were hesitant to transition from traditional methods, fearing complexity or loss of the human touch. To overcome this, we focused on educating potential customers about the benefits of automation and how Amara.ai enhances, rather than replaces, human interaction in HR.
Another challenge was refining our technology to meet diverse business needs. We addressed this by actively listening to customer feedback and continually improving our platform’s customization and integration capabilities. These efforts helped us build trust and create a solution that truly met the needs of our users.
StartupTalky: What tools or software are key to your business operations, and how do they help improve efficiency?
Mr. Kakkar: AI-powered platforms and cloud-based systems that automate processes like performance management and employee engagement are important tools in company operations. Real-time feedback collecting and predictive analytics are made possible by these solutions, which aid in the early detection of potential hazards like disengagement or retention. Workflows that are automated also minimize the need for human intervention, which increases process speed and accuracy in HR. This enhances overall productivity and employee experience while freeing up HR personnel to concentrate on strategic duties.
Srishti Srivastava, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and Founder and CEO of Infiheal, established the company to revolutionize mental health care. On Engineer’s Day, we spotlight her journey from engineering to entrepreneurship, driven by her struggles with social anxiety. She developed HEALO, an AI-powered mental health companion that provides 24/7 support. Combining advanced AI technology with her expertise in psychology, Srivastava’s innovative platform addresses key challenges like affordability, accessibility, and stigma, making mental health care more inclusive and accessible for all.
StartupTalky: What motivated your move from engineering to entrepreneurship, and what key steps did you take to start Infiheal?
Ms. Srivastava: My transition from engineering to entrepreneurship was motivated by a personal need and a desire to address gaps in mental health care. As someone who is neurodivergent and has struggled with social anxiety all my life, lack of awareness and stigma around the topic made it hard for me to even share what I was going through even to my loved ones. I sought a solution that would allow me to work on my mental health independently, without relying solely on traditional therapy appointments. Something that I could access anytime I felt anxious.
I found traditional mental health solutions often have limitations such as high costs, accessibility issues, and variability in the quality of care. When I couldn’t find a suitable solution that met my needs, I decided to create one myself.
Turns out that I wasn’t alone in facing these challenges—over 150 million people in India and 500 million people globally encounter difficulties in accessing mental health care due to stigma, accessibility issues, and affordability concerns.
To address these issues, I engaged with over 1,000 mental health professionals and conducted surveys with our mental health community, which includes 70,000 followers. I also consulted with government bodies, gaining crucial validation and support, including recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Despite my engineering background from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, my passion for psychology drove me to study various personality systems and earn certifications in counseling and therapy. My co-founder, Utkarsh, has a CS Master’s from Boston University and shares similar struggles with social anxiety, so we combined our technical expertise and personal insights to develop HEALO—an AI-powered mental health companion and co-therapist that is both innovative and empathetic. HEALO offers an end-to-end solution, addressing a broad range of mental health issues. It facilitates everything from initiating conversations and forming healthy habits to matching individuals with therapists based on their unique personalities and needs.
StartupTalky: Why did you choose the mental healthcare industry, and what trends or opportunities do you see shaping its future?
Ms. Srivastava: Driven by my academic background in psychology and personal mental health experiences, I chose to enter this industry. I noticed significant gaps in the Healthtech space: a lack of involvement from mental health professionals, which resulted in less personalized care, and limited use of AI in existing solutions.
By bringing together a shared vision and diverse talents—from mental health professionals to tech experts—I was able to explore new ways to develop products and services that address these gaps in the market, turning them into opportunities for growth and innovation.
AI-driven solutions that can deliver more personalized & scalable mental health care. These tools offer real-time support to bridge the gap between therapy sessions and provide mental health resources on-demand at any time of day or night.
The increased interest in teletherapy and virtual care is also a very important trend, which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also has made mental health services more available, especially in rural or underserved areas. More focus on the prevention of mental health is also part of this trend, too — apps, chatbots, and digital platforms for example can offer support before issues peak.
Similarly, there are clear opportunities relative to stigma reduction. While society is still a long way from treating mental health on par with physical health, the more public conversation around it — led in part by social media and celebrities who de-stigmatize their issues— means that many people are seeking treatment for it. This allows for new mental health solutions that work across a demographic spectrum, including neurodiverse and those battling social anxiety or depression. And, personalized care via deep data insights is an absolute must. However, as technology progresses there is an opportunity to use personal data in a way that respects the user and allows for more personalized interventions that match individual needs — ultimately creating better bad news communication.
Finances have also always been a barrier, but reductions in technology costs and the possibility of scaling therapies may help make mental healthcare more affordable for patients all around the world. This suggests a future where holistic, personalized mental health care becomes the norm and removes many barriers to access that have historically existed.
StartupTalky: What does Infiheal do, and what real-world problem does your technology solve?
Ms. Srivastava: HEALO is an innovative solution designed to tackle significant challenges in mental health care. Traditional therapy often suffers from long wait times due to high demand and a shortage of professionals, but HEALO offers immediate, 24/7 support through its AI therapist, ensuring that users can access help whenever they need it.
Accessibility is another major issue, especially in regions with limited mental health resources; HEALO bridges this gap by providing support to anyone with an internet connection, making mental health care more universally available. Affordability is also a critical concern, as professional therapy can be prohibitively expensive for many.
HEALO addresses this by offering a more cost-effective alternative, broadening access without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the stigma surrounding mental health can deter individuals from seeking help; HEALO’s anonymous platform helps reduce this barrier, allowing users to seek support discreetly.
The AI therapist is trained on a proprietary dataset of over 100,000 therapy sessions, covering a wide range of issues from everyday challenges like low self-esteem and public speaking to more severe clinical disorders, sexual disorders, disabilities, and crisis situations. Developed with input from clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, special educators, and counseling psychologists, HEALO is grounded in expert knowledge and best practices, providing a comprehensive and effective tool for addressing the global mental health crisis.
StartupTalky: Tell us about the core technology behind Infiheal’s products or services, and how it stands out from others in the market.
Ms. Srivastava: The core technology behind our product integrates advanced AI, notably Transformers and OpenAI models, to power intelligent systems like bots. For efficient data retrieval and personalization, we leverage Qdrant and Faiss in conjunction with neural networks. On the backend, we employ Python and FastAPI to build REST APIs, while dynamic web interfaces are developed using ReactJS, Angular, and the MERN stack. Deployment is managed through AWS, ECS, and Docker, with infrastructure scalability handled by Terraform and Azure. This robust tech stack enables us to deliver personalized, scalable solutions distinguished by high performance and user-centric design.
What sets Healo apart is its highly personalized, adaptive support that evolves with users throughout their mental health journey.
Unlike rigid, rule-based systems present in the market, Healo utilizes one of the largest proprietary, real-time domain-specific datasets curated by therapists and psychologists. This dataset covers over 20 modalities and various APIs based on risk profiles. Coupled with custom-designed Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Healo delivers a dynamic and deeply personalized therapy-like experience.
Healo also features a three-layer moderation system that identifies and redirects severe cases, such as suicidal ideation and self-harm, to appropriate distress helplines—a critical aspect that differentiates it from other GenAI bots.
Incorporating cutting-edge research from psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics, Healo provides actionable insights that bridge the mind-body connection. This approach is grounded in therapeutic modalities, developed in close collaboration with clinical and counseling psychologists, to address diverse user needs.
Additionally, Healo addresses a broad spectrum of issues, including mental, physical, and sexual health, offering a truly holistic approach. Despite its advanced features and personalization, Healo remains one of the most affordable options available, making it a superior choice for dynamic, individualized mental health support.
StartupTalky: How did you secure your initial customers, and what strategies worked best to gain their trust and business?
Ms. Srivastava: Our initial set of users came through our social media community (70k), mass campaigns (organic reach of 1 million people), and University campus ambassador programs (10k). Then we got a major boost when we got a shoutout from The Honorable Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi who mentioned us during his national address. We have beta tested with 25000+ beta testers and a community of over 70k+ in the last 6 months. Most of these users were working professionals or students in the age group of 16-40 going through a difficult patch – heartbreak, loss of job, health anxiety etc. who are now eagerly awaiting the official launch of the product. We also have a community of 1000+ mental health professionals who are endorsing Healo and have been onboarded on the platform. We have recorded over 300k+ therapy sessions.
After completing beta testing and our clinical trials, we are preparing for our official launch next month. We’ve introduced subscription plans for our Healo AI therapist last week, and users are currently in a three-week free trial phase. Paid subscriptions for the AI therapist and psychometric tests are expected to start soon.
Our biggest deal yet is with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, where they will be providing Healo to persons with disabilities and their caregivers that’s expected to reach 100000 users helping us get to a projected revenue of $300000.
StartupTalky: What were the main challenges you faced early on, and how did you overcome them?
Ms. Srivastava: The main challenges we faced early on were raising awareness, incorporating research and industry-backed insights, and ensuring the affordability of our solution.
The mental health field requires a significant boost in awareness, coupled with efforts to improve accessibility and acceptance. Recognizing and understanding emotions is a task that society has only recently begun to embrace, and overcoming entrenched stigmas remains an ongoing struggle. It was important for us to develop a platform that people can trust and are comfortable to use without having any fear of judgment.
Another significant challenge was balancing the role of technology with human expertise. While AI presents a revolutionary opportunity for mental health care, we aimed to ensure that HEALO complemented, rather than replaced, the work of mental health professionals. Our goal was to develop a platform that was not only technologically advanced but also empathetic, inclusive, and user-friendly. HEALO is designed as a judgment-free companion that provides real-time support, extending care beyond scheduled therapy sessions and integrating seamlessly with professional practices.
Another challenge we faced was scalability. We wanted to offer an affordable solution that could reach people across all backgrounds which required a robust AI Model capable of handling nuances of mental health conversations.
To address these challenges, we focused on creating a tool that offers a more accessible, affordable, and stigma-free approach to mental health care. By combining technological innovation with professional insights, we aimed to make mental health support scalable and effective, ultimately enhancing both the reach and quality of care available to individuals in need.
StartupTalky: What tools or software are key to your business operations, and how do they help improve efficiency?
Ms. Srivastava: Our approach to applying AI in mental health combines expert-vetted data with cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) from OpenAI. We use vector databases like Qdrant for precise context search and retrieval, supported by a custom Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) framework. Our dataset, which includes over 300,000 user conversations, is continually refined to enhance response accuracy. To optimize both cost and performance, we are developing an in-house language model by fine-tuning open-source LLMs. This comprehensive strategy allows us to deliver highly personalized mental health solutions through a combination of curated datasets, advanced retrieval methods, and sophisticated classification techniques.
Nitin Konde
