Entrepreneurship Development Cell, VIIT, proudly presents the 11th edition of the biggest E-Summit of Pune, VISHWAPRENEUR 24, on March 2nd and 3rd, 2024.
Are you ready to embark on a journey of innovation and inspiration? Look no further than Vishwapreneur – the most talked-about event among college students nationwide! If you’re an entrepreneurial enthusiast or a fervent learner hungry for success, Vishwapreneur is your gateway to greatness.
What exactly is Vishwapreneur, you ask? It’s not just an event; it’s a movement. Introducing you national-level e-summit where the brightest minds from every sector converge to share their insights and experiences with the next generation of trailblazers. At Vishwapreneur, we believe in learning from the best to become the best.
Every year Vishwapreneur is organized by the Entrepreneurship Development Cell, VIIT Pune, Vishwapreneur is more than just a summit – it’s a celebration of innovation, creativity, and the entrepreneurial spirit. This electrifying summit brings together entrepreneurs, creators, and visionaries who have defied the odds and carved their path to success.
Entrepreneurship is the backbone of any thriving and developing economy, and Vishwapreneur is at the forefront of India’s entrepreneurial renaissance. Year after year, we’ve witnessed the transformative power of this platform, empowering startups and entrepreneurs to achieve extraordinary growth and impact.
This year, Vishwapreneur is proud to present an unparalleled lineup of speakers, including Vivek Bhatia, MD at Thyssenkrupp, Mikhil Innani, MD & CEO at ApolloFinvest and Co-Founder of PharmEasy, Abhishek Kar, Finance Content Creator, and Atharva Sudame, Content Creator, among others.
From thought-provoking panel discussions to insightful keynote speeches, Vishwapreneur promises an unforgettable experience designed to fuel your passion and accelerate your journey towards success.
The time has come to turn your dreams into reality, to unlock your full potential, and to become the architect of your destiny. Don’t just aspire for greatness – seize it. Join us at Vishwapreneur and embark on a transformational journey towards becoming the next visionary leader of tomorrow. Secure your tickets now and let your entrepreneurial journey begin!
Project management uses specialized knowledge, skills, procedures, and strategies to accomplish specific and measurable project goals. Project managers assume responsibility for the entire project lifespan, from beginning to end. They play an important role in supervising and directing the process of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling. It is their duty to guarantee that the project is finished on time and within the specified budget.
Project management also includes quality control measures to verify that project deliverables match specified standards. This emphasis on quality improves client happiness and the organization’s reputation. Depending on the nature of the project and the preferences of the business, many techniques, such as Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, and others, give frameworks and approaches for effective project management.
Reading project management books can be beneficial to both beginners and seasoned experts. You can improve your skill set and effectiveness by picking up strategies from experienced authors. Reading books on the various techniques can help you become acquainted with their frameworks, allowing you to select the best approach for your specific needs.
In this article, we dive into some thoughtfully chosen picks from an enormous library of knowledge that will provide you with the blueprint to reach all your objectives.
The fundamental idea is that the Scrum methodology is a new way of project management and team collaboration that can assist teams in achieving productivity gains of up to 1200%. It is based on the authors’ experiences as Scrum co-creators as well as their work with various sectors and organizations. They go into the roots of Scrum, its evolution, and the essential ideas that make it effective. One of the key subjects discussed in the book is the implementation of Scrum, not only in your business but also in both personal and life planning to achieve your objectives.
Making Things Happen
BOOK
Making Things Happen
Author
Scott Berkun
Goodreads Rating
4 out of 5
Project Management Book – Making Things Happen
Making Things Happen by Scott Berkun is a best-selling collection of writings on project management and team leadership. Using his Microsoft project manager background, Berkun offers guidance and views on project management’s complex issues and challenges. He emphasizes that successful project management entails more than simply tools and methods; it also includes understanding people and effective communication. It stands out for its blend of practical guidance, real-world examples, and the author’s entertaining writing style, which provides a holistic vision.
Project Management Book – HBR Guide to Project Management
The Harvard Business Review’s HBR Guide to Project Management is a comprehensive resource that offers assurance and tools for setting and achieving wise objectives. The book provides ways for breaking down large undertakings into smaller, more achievable tasks. It even gives practical suggestions on developing a schedule that accounts for all parts of a project. The article discusses ways to finish a project, evaluate its success, and capture lessons acquired for future proposals.
Risk Up Front
BOOK
Risk Up Front
Author
Adam Josephs and Brad Rubenstein
Goodreads Rating
3.6 out of 5
Project Management Book – Risk Up Front
Risk Up Front facilitates reengineering how technology programs are run to prioritize finding and mitigating risk until the cross-functional team is confident and can “commit” to a schedule. The book focuses on the principles of project management in a complicated context. It underlines how costly it is to make modifications as projects progress, emphasizing how crucial early risk identification and mitigation are.
Project Management JumpStart
BOOK
Project Management JumpStart
Author
Kim Heldman
Goodreads Rating
3.6 out of 5
Project Management Book – Project Management JumpStart
Kim Heldman is a well-known author and project management expert. Her book seeks to provide a complete introduction to fundamental project management principles and methods. To guarantee a project’s success, the book highlights how important it is to manage logistics, including finances, schedules, and resources. It has been completely rewritten to coincide with the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide).
The ONE Thing
BOOK
The ONE Thing
Author
Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Goodreads Rating
4.1 out of 5
Project Management Book – The ONE Thing
The book, released in 2012, centers on prioritization and the notion that people can accomplish remarkable things if they pick and concentrate on the most crucial activity. Individuals can obtain more significant results in less time by focusing on the most critical training, resulting in higher productivity, revenue, and overall success. The notion is that you should only focus on one item at any given moment. As a result, devote uninterrupted time to the most essential tasks. The book also debunks the misconception of multitasking as well as its harmful influence on time.
What the Heck is EOS?
BOOK
What the Heck is EOS?
Author
Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer
Goodreads Rating
Nil
Project Management Book – What the Heck is EOS?
What the Heck is EOS? is a book aimed to get employees interested in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) approach and technologies. The book is written in clear, straightforward language and includes questions about each tool managers and employees can use. It goes over the foundational tools of EOS and how they affect workers, such as the People Analyzer, the Weekly Meeting Pulse, the Accountability Chart, the Vision/Traction Organizer, Rocks, and Scorecard and Measurables. The book is intended to assist employees in having a better understanding of EOS and using it effectively to achieve goals.
The Lazy Project Manager
BOOK
The Lazy Project Manager
Author
Peter Taylor
Goodreads Rating
3.5 out of 5
Project Management Book – The Lazy Project Manager
The Lazy Project Manager illustrates how we can do more with less effort and time. It disputes the widely held belief that project managers must continuously engage by highlighting productive laziness. The book is intended to assist project leaders in working smarter, not harder, by reducing their burden and focusing on the most important duties. Explore the art of delegation and how it can improve the effectiveness of your project management. Taylor claims empowering team members and believing in their abilities could result in better project outcomes.
Conclusion
The sphere of project management is broad, dynamic, and constantly changing. Each book on this list adds a unique jigsaw piece to the puzzle of successful project execution. As professionals turn to these publications for direction, they acquire theoretical knowledge and the instruments and strategies required to address the intricate problems surrounding project management.
Project management involves specialized knowledge, skills, and strategies to achieve specific project goals within budget and on time.
Why should I read project management books?
Reading project management books helps both beginners and seasoned professionals enhance their skills and effectiveness by learning from experienced authors and gaining insights into different methodologies.
What are some recommended project management books?
Scrum by Jeff Sutherland and J.J. Sutherland
Making Things Happen by Scott Berkun
HBR Guide to Project Management by Harvard Business Review
Risk Up Front by Adam Josephs and Brad Rubenstein
Project Management JumpStart by Kim Heldman
The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
What the Heck is EOS? by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer
Thinking about buying a sports cycle or a pair of comfortable shoes for your next trek, or a handy bag for your wildlife watching, France-based Decathlon has solutions for every sports enthusiast in India. Decathlon is a multinational sporting goods retailer with having presence in over 70 countries of the world.
Founded in 1976 by Michel Leclercq, with a commitment to ‘sport for all, all for sport’, the company has grown to become one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers.
In the past few years, India’s retail industry has witnessed a noteworthy shift, with the entry of many local and global brands targeting to meet the growing demands of the Indian consumer market. Within this perspective, there has been significant growth in the sports retail sector also, with Decathlon emerging as a leader.
Decathlon has created a mark, by providing quality and affordable gear for various sports and fitness activities. Over the last decade, the company has made a major shift in taking India’s sporting culture away from cricket.
No other segment of Indian retail has seen a sharp shift from unorganized to organized. In the days before Decathlon, if you wanted non-marking shoes to play badminton, your choice was limited to that old uncle’s shop in the neighborhood, often tiny and dingy, with gear whose layers of dust betrayed their age.
“For those with the dough, expensive brands such as Nike, Reebok, and Adidas were the main choices for shoes and apparel, with the corner shops selling sporting goods. Decathlon brought these disparate markets together. So, how exactly did the French retailer crack India?,” said a report, ‘The Decathlon effect: How a French retailer is moving India beyond cricket’, by the Economic Times.
Decathlon’s Domination in Indian Sports Retail Segment
Today, the company has 100 plus stores and 110 factories in more than 19 Indian states. It has a no-cost EMI available, easy returns, and one million-plus happy customers. It covers 85 different categories, and its pricing is about 30-40% lower than its rivals–Adidas, Nike, and Asics in India.
Decathlon India sales jumped 37% to almost Rs 4,000 crore in FY 2022-23, all thanks to the crazy demand for fitness wear and sports gear. Despite a Rs 18.5 crore loss in the current financial year (2023-24), their growth in India has been consistent.
In an interview with The Economic Times, Decathlon’s global CEO, Barbara Martin Coppola, shared that the firm was looking to accelerate its presence in India. It has started experimenting with a multi-brand approach, partnering with brands like Adidas and Yonex.
In the Indian sports retail industry, there are two main sectors: organized and unorganized. Dominating the organized sector are multinational corporations like Decathlon, Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok.
Revenue of Decathlon
Organized Retail Sector
Let us understand how Decathlon has been dominating the organized Indian sports retail scene by sticking to several key strategies:
Diverse and Affordable Product Range
Decathlon offers a vast and diverse range of sports and fitness products, covering a wide array of activities from mainstream sports to niche interests like skiing, snowboarding, wildlife watching, rock climbing, and fishing. The affordability of its products appeals to a broad spectrum of local consumers, making sports and fitness accessible to a larger population.
In-house Brands and Vertical Integration
Decathlon emphasizes vertical integration, manufacturing a substantial portion of its products in-house. This allows the company to maintain control over the entire supply chain, ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness. Decathlon’s private labels and in-house brands contribute to competitive pricing and unique offers.
Extensive Physical Presence
Decathlon has strategically expanded its physical presence across various cities and regions in India. The company operates large-format stores with ample space for customers to explore and experience the products. This extensive retail network enhances brand visibility and accessibility.
In 2009, Decathlon came as a cash-and-carry format and wholesale store in Bangalore. In 2013, the retailer got the green signal for single-brand retail and shifted its business model from wholesale to retail.
In 2019, Decathlon intensified its efforts by introducing 720 new products, expanding its suppliers, and starting the production of most of its items in India. Just recently, they unveiled their 6th store in Chennai, showcasing over 3,700 styles of sports clothing and gear for both genders.
As per media reports, the firm is focused on improving its local production from the current 60% to reach 85% by 2026.
Decathlon stores are designed to provide an interactive shopping experience. Customers can test sports equipment, try out apparel, and receive expert advice from in-store friendly staff. This approach fosters customer engagement, mutual trust, and loyalty.
It implements a multi-channel distribution strategy to ensure its items are accessible. The company operates a large network of physical stores strategically located in urban areas, shopping malls, and sports complexes. Decathlon’s store layout is carved to provide consumers with an immersive experience, featuring separate sections for different sports and staff, who are well-informed and ready to help.
Ecommerce and Omnichannel Presence
Decathlon has a robust online presence, complementing its brick-and-mortar stores. The company’s eCommerce platform allows customers to purchase products online, catering to the evolving preferences of modern consumers, who prefer online shopping. It is also exclusively selling products of brands including Adidas, Tifosi, Leatherman, Rab, and BLUB online on its website.
Community Engagement and Events
Decathlon organizes events, sports activities, and workshops to engage with customers beyond traditional retail transactions. This strategy not only promotes a healthy and active lifestyle but also builds a sense of community around the brand.
Decathlon’s promotes the joy of sports, inspiring an active lifestyle. It engages people with its rich content like articles, videos, and customer-related stories, which inspire and captivate their audience. Through active participation in sporting events, sponsorships, marathons, and collaborations with sports clubs, Decathlon reinforces its brand presence.
Localized Offerings
Decathlon recognizes the varied sporting preferences across different regions of India. The company customizes its products to cater to local preferences and requirements, ensuring that its range aligns with the specific needs of customers in various parts of the country.
MADE IN INDIA | DECATHLON INDIA
Focus on Sustainability
Decathlon has shown a commitment to sustainability by introducing eco-friendly items and promoting responsible practices. This resonates with a growing segment of environmentally conscious customers. The company has minimized packaging waste and, the use of plastic, and executed recycling initiatives. Through marketing campaigns with environmental organizations, Decathlon communicates its efforts, drawing in environmentally conscious consumers and reaffirming its dedication to a brighter future.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Decathlon works with a mission to provide sports to all. It is working with 55 plus Indian government schools, with over 350 volunteers coaching more than 2,800 students.
Globally, it has the DECATHLON Foundation, supporting more than 500 projects in 50 nations since 2005. More than 4 lakh children, women, and men in vulnerable situations have benefited from DECATHLON Foundation projects, as per its website.
It’s worth noting that the success of Decathlon in the Indian sports retail market is a result of a mix of these strategies, adaptability to local market dynamics, and a commitment to providing value to customers at an affordable range in an organized fashion.
However, there is still a huge gap in the sports retail segment between remote and urban India.
This gap is a lucrative opportunity for more players and startups to pitch in and tap the retail sports segment.
“Why don’t we have a homegrown stylish clothes brand for adventure seekers in India? Why am I paying Decathlon for sub-quality products? As a rule of thumb what was out of fashion in the Western world a few years back is sent to India. Like we are some third-world citizens who deserve rejected products. Why can’t we build our own North Face? We have excellent textile and fashion designers, manufacturing capabilities, eCommerce and logistics distribution, and a growing adventure market that already spends a lot of money on gear each year,” said Akhil Dua, founder of Trek Library. Dua is a hotelier by profession and mountaineer by passion.
Unorganised Retail Sector
When it comes to manufacturing of sports equipment, India is among the top producers across Asia with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal being the top producing states.
Among these, Jalandhar in Punjab, and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh account for 75-80% of the total production in India. Almost 60% of Indian sporting goods are exported and around 5 lakh people are employed in the sports goods manufacturing sector in India.
Commodity-Wise Share in India’s Total Sports Goods Export (2021-22)
The Indian sports goods market is estimated to grow to US$ 6.6 billion (about Rs 49,000 crore) by 2027 from US$ 3.9 billion (about Rs 32,000 crore) in 2020-21. However, the unorganized segment of the sports retail industry is still a major player in the Indian retail market.
The industry is still confronted with various roadblocks, including limited brand awareness, restricted capital access, and competition from established players in the market.
FAQs
Who is the CEO of Decathlon?
Decathlon’s global CEO is Barbara Martin Coppola.
What is the pricing strategy of Decathlon?
Decathlon’s products are strategically priced lower than those of competitors, making the allure of sports within reach for a wider demographic.
How Decathlon is sustainable?
Decathlon has shown a commitment to sustainability by introducing eco-friendly items and promoting responsible practices. The company has minimized packaging waste and, the use of plastic, and executed recycling initiatives.
Nirmit Parikh leads Apna, a pioneering venture in India’s professional networking and job landscape. As the founder and CEO, Parikh’s journey showcases entrepreneurial determination, foresight, and a keen grasp of India’s job market trends.
In 2019, Parikh set out to tackle the hurdles confronting countless job seekers in India. He envisioned Apna.co as a tech-driven solution to connect job seekers with employers, laying its groundwork. The platform quickly gained momentum, becoming a go-to hub for both job seekers and employers nationwide.
Apna’s rapid ascent highlights Parikh’s knack for spotting market needs and delivering innovative solutions. With over 40 million users and 545,000 employers onboard, Apna has become a key driver of socioeconomic progress, linking individuals with meaningful job prospects across 74 Indian cities.
As India experiences economic revitalization, Parikh remains steadfast in his vision for Apna, to equip individuals with the tools and opportunities essential for success in a dynamic job market. Through continuous innovation and a commitment to societal betterment, Parikh is not only shaping India’s employment landscape but also empowering millions to pursue their aspirations.
‘Every Emerging Working Class Individual Is A Champion’: Nirmit Parikh
Nirmit Parikh – Biography
Name
Nirmit Parikh
Nationality
Indian
Education
Master of Business Administration, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Nirmit Parikh completed his Bachelor of Technology degree in Instrumentation & Control at Nirma Institute of Technology between 2005 and 2009. Following this, from 2014 to 2016, he pursued a Master of Business Administration at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
He is the founder of Incone Technologies, a company specializing in control systems for hydropower automation and IT sectors. These systems can range from single powerful components to complex integrated systems spanning entire enterprises. Incone Technologies has implemented innovative control systems for various hydro and irrigation projects, benefiting corporations such as ICCS, AD Hydro, and NHPC, contributing to over 1200 MW of renewable energy.
Additionally, Parikh co-founded Cruxbot, a company acquired by Kno Inc, Intel Corp, focusing on designing artificial intelligence solutions capable of processing large amounts of data to establish connections between people and machines.
In November 2023, he joined Intel Corporation, leading the research and development team for personalized education. His responsibilities included strategic planning, data analysis, trend identification, defining product roadmaps, and overseeing product development of decision-making engines and algorithms. He successfully facilitated technology transfers and established Intel’s first office in Ahmedabad, India.
Transitioning to Apple in July 2016, Parikh oversaw product and strategy for software platforms, particularly focusing on Capex.
In 2019, he founded Apna, marking another milestone in his entrepreneurial journey.
Nirmit Parikh – Career
Apna, aside from its significant user base, has made notable partnerships with prominent companies such as Zomato, Burger King, and Delhivery, demonstrating its effectiveness in meeting the hiring requirements of various industries. Notably, Amazon.com, BigBasket, and HDFC Bank Ltd. have utilized the platform for recruitment purposes.
Additionally, Apna’s collaboration with respected organizations like the National Skill Development Corporation and UNICEF Yuwaah highlights Parikh’s dedication to enhancing skills and employment prospects for India’s young population. Through partnerships with both public and private entities, Apna serves not only as a job platform but also as a force for societal change, empowering individuals to realize their full potential.
Parikh’s influence extends beyond Apna, as he actively engages with government initiatives such as the Ministry of Minority Affairs of India to promote inclusive growth and opportunity creation. By leveraging technology and strategic partnerships, Parikh aims to democratize access to employment opportunities, ensuring that everyone has equal access to building a rewarding career.
In terms of revenue, Apna primarily earns through its recruitment solutions provided on its website and mobile application. Revenue is generated through fees, recognized upon completion of services or at the end of the subscription period.
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Bangalore, Apna achieved unicorn status within just 21 months. Supported by Sequoia Capital, its total revenue surged by 283% to INR 65.7 Cr in FY22 from INR 17 Cr in FY21, while expenses rose by 293% year-over-year to INR 178.3 Cr, primarily due to increased spending on advertising and promotions.
In 2019, tech entrepreneur Nirmit Parikh immersed himself in the world of blue-collar work by taking on a role as an electrician in Mumbai. This firsthand experience revealed the significant challenges faced by workers in this sector, including a lack of support networks and resources for finding jobs and improving skills.
Inspired by his observations, Parikh launched Apna, a smartphone app utilizing advanced algorithms to connect job seekers with employers on a local level, catering to rural areas as well. Apna also fosters more than 70 professional communities where individuals such as carpenters, electricians, and delivery personnel can network, share job-seeking tips, and enhance their skills.
In just 21 months, Apna achieved a remarkable $1.1 billion valuation, with a vision of leveraging technology to drive cultural and social change. The platform experienced rapid growth, expanding by 125% within two years and garnering usage from over 150,000 companies in India, including Shadowfax, Zomato, and Burger King. Apna has facilitated over 100 million interviews and boasts over 10 million downloads of its Android app.
Profile on Apna
Under Parikh’s leadership, Apna has become synonymous with innovation and impact in India’s job market. His adeptness in overcoming challenges, forming strategic partnerships, and fostering organizational growth reflects his leadership skills and dedication to positive transformation.
Apart from his role at Apna, Parikh is esteemed as a thought leader in the entrepreneurial sphere, sharing insights and knowledge to inspire future innovators. His contributions to the startup community have earned him acclaim, solidifying his position as a visionary leader in India’s technology landscape.
Furthermore, Apna collaborated with the Generation India Foundation, which aims to create employment opportunities for graduates of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) re/Start program. Through this partnership, Apna will assist graduates in honing their professional skills and connecting them with technology and cloud-related job opportunities through its platform. This collaboration addresses the growing demand for IT and cloud talent across India, providing AWS re/Start graduates with a platform to showcase their abilities directly to recruiters seeking entry-level tech roles nationwide.
FAQs
Who is Nirmit Parikh?
Nirmit Parikh is the founder and CEO of Apna, a tech-driven solution to connect job seekers with employers.
When was Apna founded?
Apna was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Bangalore.
How many users does Apna have?
With over 40 million users and 545,000 employers onboard, Apna has become a key driver of socioeconomic progress, linking individuals with meaningful job prospects across 74 Indian cities.
In a groundbreaking move, Bengaluru-based Flytant, the dynamic Influencer Marketplace, has successfully raised a seed round led by the innovative digital Investment Platform Shuru-Up, based in Ahmedabad.
Flytant’s strategic move to secure this funding is to be instrumental in the development of cutting-edge technologies, propelling the platform to revolutionize the Influencer Marketing industry with its flagship product.
Flytant’s journey began in 2020 with the Influencer Marketplace model, and it has swiftly become the second-largest platform in India and third-largest globally, boasting over 600,000 registered influencers and more than 1800 brands internationally. On a global scale, it ranks as the third-largest Influencer Marketplace, attracting top brands and agencies leveraging its capabilities for influencer onboarding.
Vivek Rai, the visionary founder of Flytant, envisions making the platform the largest influencer marketplace globally by the end of this year and will expand in the USA and MENA region as well. Speaking passionately about the platform’s unique offerings, Rai emphasized its scalability and democratized model, ensuring that influencers of all scales, from nano to macro, can monetize their content effortlessly and quality content creators get a substantial number of collabs. He further emphasized that our biggest USP is scalability and ease with which we help brands hire influencers without any commission involved.
“We are changing the way the influencer marketing industry works and ensuring influencers can monetize their social media content with great ease,” says Rai.
The company has developed an amazing model where the brands and influencers are able to connect directly on their model. Flytant uses AI-enabled algorithms to match the influencers and the brands. The typical agency model where brands go to agencies for their influencer campaign is outdated and generally a manual process is involved. With the Flytants AI model brands are able to shortlist influencers for their campaign easily.
In the second half of this year, Flytant is looking to launch their flagship product Flytant Ads which will enable Influencers to have even more seamless access to sponsorships from the brands. As per the company’s founder, this will be a game-changing product in the Influencer industry as the brands and influencers will be able to scale their campaign.
Team Shuru-Up said “With the growing trend in number of Influencers and the amount of content creation happening on social media along with content consumption in India, it seems necessary to have a platform that helps Influencers to avail sponsorships directly from brands and monetise their social media content. Flytant helps Influencers to monetise their content through sponsorships from brands, do networking with fellow influencers, create and manage their portfolio, and all these without any manual intervention which proves the scalability of the platform. With the growing number of content creators in India, it is time to revolutionise the Influencer Marketplace and ensure the market is well democratised and influencers are paid as per their work.”
In the dynamic landscape of Influencer Marketing, Flytant stands as a beacon of innovation. With exponential growth, it has emerged as a global influencer hub, spearheading a transformative journey that redefines the industry. A paradigm shift is underway, envisioning a future where influencers and brands seamlessly unite and thrive in a democratized digital terrain.
Coupon sites are one of those Internet business strategies that are simple to set up and operate. There’s no need to make a physical or digital product. Actually, there aren’t any deliverables at all.
Furthermore, because you are not selling anything, it is rather simple to establish goodwill with your visitors. In fact, you’re offering them discounts on items they already want.
This appears to be a fantastic business idea. Turning a profit on a discount site, like other business concepts, is much more difficult than most people believe. Advertising income and affiliate commissions account for 99% of the money made by coupon sites. To be profitable, a coupon site needs a lot of traffic.
33% of buyers say they frequently use coupons when making purchases, and 38% say they are always looking for coupons. That’s 71% of buyers who use coupons on a regular basis.
With customers’ coupon fixation in full swing, it’s understandable that coupon sites would want to cash in. Customers can have their stuff quickly going to many websites offered. Because they saw a need and provided it, coupon sites have grown to be a viable internet business. And this is not enough; they also give so many discounts on different products and provide various formats.
Coupons can be printed from websites such as Coupons.com and RetailMeNot. While the occasional coupon can still be found in newspapers and flyers, online sites have mostly superseded these possibilities. All that is left for the customers now they can print and scan from their devices.
CouponsWala.com, for example, is a coupon referral site that aggregates bargains from a variety of businesses. Customers can switch to a mediator website to buy coupons when they click on a coupon.
Coupon offers are dependent on sales volume on group-buying platforms like CouponsWala or HotOnDeals. A deal will only activate and take effect if a minimum sales volume has been met. Cashback websites reward customers for shopping online at their favourite stores. Users will receive a discount voucher and a 15% cashback incentive.
The appeal of coupon websites is that they offer a wide range of products and services. There is almost definitely a coupon website for whatever shoppers are looking for. Coupon sites are expanding to include sites that sell browser extensions as a means to make money. These websites promote the extension and attempt to persuade people to install it so that they can profit from it.
Honey and Wikibuy are two fantastic website plugin examples.
Honey
Honey Plugin
Honey is a browser plugin that searches the internet for coupons and applies them to users’ purchases automatically. Shoppers won’t have to surf the internet for bargains since the bargains will come to them.
After you’ve finished installing the addon, Buyers have the option of browsing stores, like Walmart, Home Depot, and Best Buy, as usual, and adding things to their cart. At checkout, Honey searches the web for coupon codes and automatically applies the best one to the order.
Let’s pretend a shopper is looking for a new camera. They adore Target shopping and lack the patience to seek coupons for the camera they desire. They simply install the Honey extension and search on Target’s online store.
They add the camera to their cart once they’ve found it. Honey displays a valid coupon, which the consumer puts into their cart, pays for, and is done. Honey provides more than simply coupons, so keep that in mind. Additionally, the browser extension searches for coupon codes and special offers. The main objective of the extension is to identify bargains that will save the buyer’s money.
It’s an Amazon-compatible iPhone and Chrome extension. Wikibuy investigates items purchased in stores like Target to discover an exact match for buyers who rely on Amazon to make their purchases. If the prices at these stores are lower, the savings are automatically transferred to Amazon’s purchase.
If customers enjoy the deal, they may use the Wikibuy coupon code at checkout to save money on their purchases.
Wikibuy Coupon Extension
What Is the Revenue Model for Coupon Websites?
The majority of large discount sites spend millions of dollars on bought traffic each year. “How are they making money?” you might wonder.” Each of the advertisers profiled here has a distinct marketing strategy. Furthermore, these sites almost certainly have hidden money streams that aren’t readily apparent. Remember that three things account for the majority of discount site revenue.
Commissions for Affiliates
Affiliate links or affiliate discount coupons will be used on coupon sites. The site will gain a small commission if someone purchases a product through their link or with their special deal.
Direct Media Purchases
When an advertiser buys ad space from a publisher directly, it is known as a direct media buy. The advertiser can buy a single creative or a full page, like in Crest and Coupons.com.
For example, Crest must understand its target audience and how it spends its internet time. Crest’s current advertisements are aimed at two types of women: those who are concerned about gum disease and those who want to whiten their teeth. Crest can use this data to approach publications like NBC News and The Hollywood Reporter about buying ad space on their websites.
The main advantage of this strategy is that the advertiser avoids dealing with a third party. As a result, if their targeting and placement are correct, they stand to benefit more than they otherwise would.
Online Advertising
Coupon companies have the option of distributing coupons for free via pay-per-click ad placement services. This method involves paying for ad space on online platforms such as search engines or social media networks and then offering coupons to users who click on these ads. By using this approach, coupon companies can target specific audiences and track the success of their campaigns through click-through rates and conversion rates. Additionally, this method can help companies increase their brand visibility and drive sales by attracting new customers and incentivizing repeat purchases.
Coupon websites can create and organize their own promotional campaigns to showcase a variety of offers, products, and services. These campaigns can be tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of the website’s audience and can be designed to highlight the most popular or sought-after deals. Coupon websites can leverage their knowledge of consumer behaviour and preferences to create highly effective and targeted promotional strategies that drive traffic, increase engagement, and boost sales.
Direct Partnerships With Merchants
Coupon websites often form partnerships with other businesses to drive sales and increase revenue. These partnerships involve promoting the partnered business’s products or services through the coupon website’s platform. In exchange for featuring the partner’s offerings, the coupon website receives a commission on any resulting sales. This type of partnership can be highly beneficial for both parties. Coupon websites gain access to new products and services to offer their customers while expanding their reach and growing their customer base.
Partnered businesses benefit from increased exposure and access to a wider audience of potential customers, many of whom may not have been aware of their offerings. By forming these mutually beneficial partnerships, coupon websites and businesses can work together to create a thriving ecosystem that benefits everyone involved.
FAQs
What is the best coupon extension?
Honey and Wikibuy are the two best Coupon Extensions.
What are coupon websites in India?
MaddyCoupons
GrabOn
MyDala
CouponDunia
NearBuy
MyTokri
CashKaro
CouponRaja
CouponzGuru
CouponMoto
Do affiliates get discount codes?
An affiliate marketer gets dedicated promo codes or affiliate links for sales. They get credit for all their sales through that promo code or affiliate links.
What is a coupon affiliate?
Coupon affiliate networks connect marketers with affiliate programs that allow them to promote coupon-related offers.
The figures provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) reveal that every year, India generates approximately 500 million metric tonnes of agricultural and agro-industrial byproducts. As a waste management method, burning agricultural waste is widely used, although it has far-reaching and negative impacts on the environment. Because it’s the most efficient and cost-effective method, most farmers nowadays just burn the gathered straw to prepare their fields for the following planting season. This practice of stubble burning is prevalent in many parts of northern India, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, and even in certain portions of Pakistan. It adds to the heavy fog that blankets Delhi every winter. Around one-fifth of New Delhi’s yearly pollution is attributed to crop burning, according to the Indian government. Inefficiency in the food chain results in the annual loss of 16–17 million metric tonnes of grains, according to a recent media article. Grain storage and harvesting practices that lack scientific rigor are mostly at fault for this issue. The same is true for the enormous quantities of perishable food items that annually go to waste as a result of improper handling during storage, transportation, and distribution, including fresh produce, milk, and dairy products. More and more, though, people are making an effort to reduce and reuse this agricultural waste in a variety of ways. While interacting with StartupTalky Suhas Baxi, Co-founder & CEO, of BiofuelCircle, revealed the potential of agri-waste in the allied industry sector.
What is the annual amount of agri-waste generated in India, and how much of that amount has been utilized by allied industries?
Mr. Baxi: In an agrarian country like India, every year, there is a minimum of 235 million MT of surplus agri residue available in the farms. This is equivalent to 125 million MT of coal or 600 million barrels of crude oil, which is nearly 25% of India’s oil imports. 100% utilization of this surplus crop residue can potentially lead to providing 17% of the country’s energy needs, creating additional sources of income for farmers and creating jobs in rural and industrial sectors. The biomass opportunity in our country is big enough to potentially power a 40-billion-dollar economy. However, more than 70% get burnt or wasted due to a combination of reasons.
To realize the full potential of this opportunity, we are required to establish an end-to-end farm-to-fuel ecosystem. Given the tenuous nature of the rural-industrial connection, this would require enormous efforts to organize and enable all stakeholders in the biomass supply chain.
What are the major challenges involved in utilizing agri-waste for a quality product or service?
Mr. Baxi: A deep dive into the agricultural biomass segment in India indicates that supply chain inefficiency has created a twin problem of wastage and pollution. The problems are:
Fragmented Rural Sources: Small and spread-out land holding makes aggregation difficult
Seasonality: Biomass is available for only a limited time in a year at the time of harvests, while supply is required all year round.
High Cost of Logistics and Storage
Low Farmer Incentives
Market Access: Inability of rural suppliers to have direct access to industrial buyers
Are businesses that specialize in turning agri-waste into a marketable commodity getting any kind of government backing?
Mr. Baxi: The Government of India has classified this sector as a priority sector for lending. Several initiatives under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas have been put in place. Biomass supply chain, biomass aggregation, processing, and bioenergy refineries are seen as businesses that need startup support. The approach is not limited to just providing tools. This is one sector where the public sector and private sector along with the government are taking active steps to achieve near-term targets and a long-term vision.
We are working with MNRE to set up rural biomass enterprises as a part of our Local Markets mechanism for the biomass supply chain.
How technology can be the game changer in this drive to convert agri-waste into a formidable product?
Mr. Baxi: A few million farmers, seasonal supplies, small rural businesses, round-the-year industrial demand, and service providers for transport, quality, finance, etc make for an interesting used case for digitalization. To top it, the traceability of biomass from its origin to its end use will create a reliable framework for carbon neutrality. Along the way, one also needs to address issues associated with incentivization, price discovery, standardization, and supply reliability.
While applications such as food delivery, transport services, etc which have a consumer end-use have become popular, for biomass one needs a platform that makes it easy for millions of farmers to participate while providing a robust framework for industries too. All this requires a strong technological connection which has to be coupled with a skilled and hardworking team.
The biomass supply chain is still at a very early stage. We currently use about 20% of the available Agri-residue biomass. At its maturity, the biomass product supply chain has the potential to be > 40 billion US$ in annual turnover. The opportunity is for us to put a strong digital technology framework that creates, ease, efficiency, reliability, and choice.
Tell us about the cutting-edge technology you are employing to turn agri-waste into a competitive offering.
Mr. Baxi: BiofuelCircle has set up an e-marketplace for Biomass and Biofuels. The company has three main offerings that are available through Web/Mobile-App: My BiofuelCircle: A community portal for the bioenergy community. BiofuelCircleMarketplace: Digital platform for buying and selling biomass, biofuels, and biofertilizers. BiofuelCircle Network: A network of service providers for quality assurance and logistics services for biomass and biofuels.
Buyers and sellers of biomass and biofuels can subscribe to the BiofuelCircle marketplace through either pre-paid or post-paid subscription plans. They also have access to a bouquet of value-added services such as Verified Supplier Services, Smart Buyer Services, Delivery Services, Warehousing Services, and Trade Finance.
How having an advanced storage system can aid this sector?
Mr. Baxi: By BiofuelCircle’s digital platform, buyers & sellers of biomass and biofuels can discover prices commodity-wise, and region-wise, and trade online at market-driven prices. With price transparency & predictability, investments in the form of storage get a boost and financing opens up in the bio-energy sector. The BiofuelCircle model is based on such inter-connected local markets. One such market is depicted in the graph below.
BiofuelCircle Model of Inter-connected Local Markets
Under the guidance of MNRE, along with GIZ and BAIF, BiofuelCircle is developing an entrepreneurial model for FPOs and farmers to build capacity in the Bioenergy sector.
It has introduced a digitally enabled rural business concept – a Biomass Bank that facilitates biomass collection, aggregation, transport, and processing for green energy using BiofuelCircle’s digital platform.
A limitation on Paytm’s ability to engage in banking operations beyond February 29 by India’s Reserve Bank has put the country’s fintech behemoth in a bind.
Paytm, which was started in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma—who became famous as the face of digital payments following demonetization—is currently unable to process deposits, FASTag transactions, or credit transactions through any of the main financial institutions.
As they say “Someone’s loss is another person’s gain”! Exactly on the same lines the rival fintech companies are scripting their new expansion stories. Businesses that accept Paytm as payment have been approached by field agents from companies including Google Pay, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank, and PhonePe. To get a piece of this burgeoning industry, SBI is also actively engaging with domestic and international tech companies to extend its sound box network.
The development has shocked users. The Paytm website claims that the company’s customer base in India exceeds 300 million people. Following its first public offering in 2021, the company’s finances began to deteriorate. Building a sizable loan book, it has been attempting to become profitable and expand into additional segments ever since. Laid off 1,000 workers over a few months is another cost-cutting measure.
According to specialists in the field who spoke with various media outlets, Paytm’s credit operations have nearly stopped and earnings streams have come to a standstill as a result of the regulatory crackdown. This is happening even though probes into the firm are still ongoing.
After facing serious allegations, industry analysts predict the company may face the loss of its licence. Paytm is a shining light in India’s startup scene, and if that happens, it would be a black day for them. Until 2022, the business served as the official title sponsor of all cricket matches played by the BCCI, both at the international and domestic levels. In 2023, it partnered with Ticketmaster for the Indian Premier League playoffs and final.
This disaster has occurred just as investment in the financial technology sector has begun to decline. According to a Tracxn FinTech Report, the third-highest funded ecosystem in the world—India’s fintech sector—saw a 63% drop in funding to $2 billion in 2023 from $5.40 billion the year before.
Latching to the Opportunity
According to industry watchers, if Paytm goes under, customers may go to other financial apps, which would be good for their competitors.
Amid the continuing crises, news surfaced recently that Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Financial Services Ltd was among the leading bidders for Paytm’s wallet business, sending shares of Jio soaring by more than 15%.
“It would appear that businesses and customers are increasingly turning to alternative QR code platforms, UPI, and wallet transactions as a result of the aforementioned RBI injunction against Paytm.” According to Aviral Jain, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services at Kroll, “This disruption period could be short-lived if Paytm can resolve quickly,” meaning that competitors of Paytm have a good chance to gain a larger portion of the market.
From a business-to-business standpoint, the effect is more on the company’s bottom line than on Paytm’s reputation, albeit the latter will feel the effects in the medium run. Paytm must instill extra trust in its customers to avoid irreparable harm to its brand during this period of interruption, as Jain pointed out that gaining customers’ trust takes time.
For Paytm’s senior executives, the most pressing issue is calming nervous investors and forming alliances with financial institutions to support its Unified Payments Interface (UPI), wallet, and other merchant services. The firm also has the difficult challenge of transferring loan repayment customers from Paytm Payments Bank to other banks.
The top bank is already pressuring financial institutions to increase their net interest margins and reduce their high loan-to-deposit ratio; Paytm may encounter resistance from hesitant banks even if it simplifies these difficulties.
Additionally, there is the issue of a significant lack of end-user communication, which may eventually cause a retention problem. Nevertheless, the senior executives of Paytm assert that they are fully aware of the situation and want to implement a comprehensive marketing and communication campaign to alleviate these concerns and redirect users to partner institutions.
In the meantime, 42% of Indian Kirana stores have begun accepting payments through other applications, according to a Kirana Club poll. According to the research, Paytm used to have over 69% of the Kirana shop market. The poll also uncovered another shocking fact regarding the level of trust that local retailers have in Paytm. Some 42% of Kiranas have shifted to utilizing different payment apps, and 20% more have said they plan to do so soon. Among merchants that have implemented or are considering implementing alternative payment apps, 50% have opted for PhonePe, 30% are leaning towards Google Pay, and 10% are leaning towards BharatPe.
Funding for India’s education technology sector fell 48% between January 1 and August 7, 2023, as compared to the same period the year before.
To date, Bengaluru has raised more capital than any other city in the sector. The information was published in a study by Tracxn, a platform for market intelligence.
As of August 7, 2023, EdTech startups in Bengaluru had raised over $8 billion, with Mumbai coming in second with $2.5 billion and Gurgaon with $497 million, according to the EdTech India – Feed Geo Report.
Factors such as rising interest rates to rein in inflation, economic uncertainty, falling demand for online education, and persistent funding limits have put pressure on the worldwide EdTech business. However, the report highlights that the Indian EdTech sector has potential because there is a disparity between the number of teachers and the number of offline courses available. This could lead to the sector’s growth in the future.
Most of the investment in Indian EdTech startups in 2023 has reportedly happened in the second quarter, according to different media reports. In the second quarter of 2023, the space saw $713 million in funding or 73.43% of the total funding for the year. Not only that, but this is a 37% rise over the same quarter last year.
The most well-funded areas of education technology so far have been those dealing with K-12, test preparation, and higher education. As of this writing, K-12 education technology startups have raised $711 million, down 45 percent from the same period in 2022 and 56 percent from the same period in 2021.
So far this year, there have been no new unicorns in this area, compared to two in the same period last year. The number of acquisitions in 2023 has been seven, a decrease of 70% from the twenty-three acquisitions in 2022 and the nineteen acquisitions in 2021.
Over the past two years, We Founder Circle, Peak XV Partners, and MMPL Trust have been the leaders among EdTech investors.
Seed investors included We Founder Circle, IPV, and LetsVenture; early-stage investors included AngelList, Better Capital, and Peak XV Partners. Several prominent late-stage investors were The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, WestBridge Capital, and MMPL Trust.
After school was canceled due to the pandemic, the Indian EdTech industry rode the wave of online learning to great success. Increasing access to the internet and mobile devices in rural regions was a key factor.
There are grounds to be positive about the role of the EdTech sector in reforming education in the country, the research observes, despite the current challenges.
During the peak of the EdTech industry in early 2020, the cost of acquiring customers skyrocketed from a meagre 20-25% of revenue for EdTech platforms to 70-80%. There is a basic dynamic at work here: all business-to-consumer EdTech platforms engage in digital marketing and branding. They all used digital-only channels to create leads, and then they paid high-priced salespeople to turn those leads into customers by setting goals and offering incentives. It was no longer feasible to explain the unit economics due to the exorbitant cost of acquiring a single customer, which encompasses the entire lead generation and acquisition cycle. The CAC for an EdTech company in India’s K-12 market ranges from INR 10,000 to 60,000 (USD 137-821) per student, according to an article in Kr. Asia. B2C EdTech companies in India will simply not generate enough revenue from their models, even after pouring a tonne of money into marketing and customer retention. The larger companies could afford to pour money into advertising and marketing, but the smaller ones had to cut costs or go out of business.
Indian Edtech Industry (2020-25)
An Illusory Approach to Pricing in the Indian Market
Another concern is the exorbitant price models that B2C EdTech companies in India attempt to impose on parents. Repeatedly high CAC forces EdTech companies to raise prices, even though the parents, who are the ultimate consumers, have no more money to spend. About 95% of the 7.9 crore students enrolled in India’s more than 400,000 low-cost or budget private schools pay yearly tuition of less than 30,000 Indian rupees (INR), according to the Central Square Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on education. Typically, the monthly cost for the subscribing or paying user exceeds the cost of tuition by more than two thousand rupees. Additionally, many EdTech companies pressure parents into signing up for long-term subscription models that they may not understand or be able to cancel, as well as into taking out loans to buy the gadgets they suggest for accessing their courses (e.g., tablets). A research on EdTech (2020) by RedSeer Consulting and Omdiyar Network brought attention to this problem by discussing the disparity between the prices offered by different business-to-consumer EdTechs and the average price that consumers are ready to pay. Unfortunately, EdTechs have not yet addressed that the cost of using some of their services can exceed a school’s yearly charge. There shouldn’t be a need for parents to pick between after-school activities and paying the whole tuition, since any reasonable parent would spend half of their child’s school budget on these.
The latest upheaval at BYJU’S has highlighted some major problems that the company is encountering as well as possible areas where all startups should be investigated. Many problems have arisen for BYJU’S in the past few months. These issues encompass:
After multiple confirmed allegations of allegedly abusive and poisonous work culture, as well as unscrupulous sales techniques and consumer exploitation, BYJU’S has become notorious for a hostile work environment, and revenue growth has slowed in recent quarters.
While BYJU’S is rapidly losing customers, it is also rapidly depleting its cash reserves. In the third quarter of 2022, the company’s monthly active user (MAU) base fell by 15% while its cash burn rate was anticipated to reach $1 billion per quarter.
In the past few months, BYJU’S has lost several prominent board members and executives. Among them are the COO, CFO, and director of marketing for the organization.
An examination into many financial irregularities, including delayed financial reporting, has been initiated by the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO), which is part of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
These problems have reduced BYJU’S value. Analysts currently estimate a worth of less than $10 billion for the firm, down from $22 billion at one point. What happens to BYJU’S is uncertain. The firm is resolute in its pursuit of growth, despite the numerous challenges it has encountered.
That BYJU’s is only one example among many. Some EdTech startups have been successful in maintaining operations, while others have failed. Both sets of instances are noteworthy. The future of India’s education technology sector is something to watch with interest.
Urbanization, rise in nuclear families, income growth, and vast change in lifestyle of Indians has increased the love of Indians towards pets. It has resulted in the growing demands of pets in the country. Pet ownerships in India has grown numerously in last decade and so there is rise in the pet care market. India has become the fastest-growing market in the pet-care. The market segmentation includes pet food, pet healthcare, pet grooming products, and pet accessories.
Supertails has come to provide a one stop solutions for pet food, pet accessories, pet health care, pet grooming, and more. It helps you become a happy pet parent by providing cost-effective training programs to pet owners.
Supertails is a testament to the changing pet care scene in India as it works to strengthen the link between owners and their pets. Supertails strives to improve the health and happiness of pets and their caretakers by providing a wide range of services and using a holistic approach. This helps to create a vibrant community of happy and contented pet owners.
Read to know about Supertails, founders, products and services, startup story, funding and investors, and more.
Supertails is the first of its kind digital platform that supports the ever-increasing pet parent community with a one-stop solution for pet food, supplies, vet consultation.
Supertails is differentiated by its unique proposition of fully digital tele-health consultation and online dog behavior training services, made available through a team of highly experienced in-house veterinarians and pet behavior experts.
With pet supplies, vet care, and training under a single roof, Supertails looks to bring together a fragmented pet parenting community in India and provide holistic support to make pet parenting enriching.
Supertails – Industry
As per Market Decipher’s analysis, the pet care industry in India was expected to reach a significant value of Rs 7,400 crore by 2021. Forecasts show an impressive development trajectory, with Rs 21,000 crore being the target market size by 2032.
According to Market Decipher’s extensive analysis, a strong Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.2% is predicted for the projected period of 2022 to 2032. This enormous growth is a reflection of the changing dynamics and growing demand in the Indian pet care industry.
Supertails – Founders and Team
Varun Sadana, Vineet Khanna, and Aman Tekriwal are the Co-Founders of Supertails.
Aman Tekriwal, Vineet Khanna, and Varun Sadana, Co-Founders of Supertails (Left to Right)
Varun Sadana
NIT Kurukshetra and IIM Lucknow alumni Varun Sadana has a varied work career. He focused on effective meat distribution while co-founding Licious and serving as COO. He was VP at Snapdeal before that, where he was instrumental in the establishment of the marketplace and account management.
In addition, he had managerial positions at Hindustan Unilever and began his career as a software engineer at IBM before working as a research engineer at Sterling Commerce. Varun’s career path demonstrates his adaptability and accomplishments in the e-commerce, food delivery, and technology industries.
Vineet Khanna:
Vineet Khanna is a Co-Founder of Supertails and an alumnus of IIM Lucknow and NIT Nagpur. Vineet joins Supertails with a plethora of experience, having established the supply chain vertical while serving as Senior Vice President at Licious. Having known Varun for over 13 years, dating back to their IIM Lucknow MBA days, their strong professional relationship strengthens the business.
Vineet started his career as a management intern at HSBC Private Banking and has also worked in TAS and held the post of Associate Vice President at Snapdeal before that, demonstrating his broad experience in a variety of industries.
Aman Tekriwal
Aman Tekriwal is another Co-Founder of Supertails. He had a varied professional background. He entered the corporate world as an Articleship at G.P. Agrawal & Co. and than as an Assistant Manager with Adhunik Group of Industries.
Afterwards, he moved to Cognizant Technology Solutions, where he was a Process Specialist. Aman demonstrated his financial savvy and leadership in the startup industry while serving as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Licious prior to co-founding Supertails.
Aman’s impressive educational background includes the Chartered Accountant (CA) designation, which highlights his proficiency in strategic decision-making and financial management. His diverse background in a range of businesses adds to Supertails’ overall strength.
The company has 51-200 employees, as per LinkedIn.
Supertails – Startup Story
Coworkers Varun and Vineet at Licious had a similar passion for pursuing business concepts in 2017. Developing a platform for pet care was one concept that struck a chord with them. The team made the decision to go on with this project after realizing the increasing tendency of people to adopt dogs for mental well-being, particularly during the pandemic.
Following their departure from Licious in January 2021, they held conversations with a large number of pet parents, speaking with over 300 people. After these discussions, they determined that there are two main categories of needs for pet parents: the first covers food, nutrition, training, and healthcare; the second covers grooming, boarding, travel, insurance, and other services.
This in-depth knowledge of the pet care industry served as the basis for Supertails, a startup committed to offering a comprehensive answer to the many demands of pet owners.
“At Supertails.com, our vision is to create a platform that makes their (pet parents) lives easier. From providing pet nutrition to round-the-clock pet care and consultation, our aim is to build a platform that integrates products, services, and communities,” said Supertails.com co-founders Varun Sadana, Aman Tekriwal, and Vineet Khanna.
Supertails – Name and Logo
Supertails Logo
The legal name of Supertails is Petfully Yours Private Limited.
Supertails – Products and Services
Supertails is an ecosystem of support for pet parents. It aims to provide everything that a young pet parent may need to raise a healthy and happy pet, whether it’s a platform where they can discover the widest range of pet supplies, get on demand online vet consultations, or speak to pet behavior experts to bond with their pets and train them better.
Their USP is that it brings it all together in one place, where, beyond 1:1 consultations, pet parents can learn about caregiving better through content on social media.
They believe that the increase in pet population in India is going to be geared toward Gen Z and the millennial segment. Due to this, Supertails was created as a platform that could ensure accessibility with a complete online presence.
Supertails – Business Model
Supertails uses a strong business-to-consumer (B2C) business model, establishing itself as a cutting-edge online marketplace serving the growing pet parent population. Supertails provides an easy and all-inclusive one-stop solution for pet food and supplies, catering to the changing needs of pet owners.
The B2C strategy places a heavy emphasis on direct communication with end users, which enables Supertails to build a close-knit relationship with pet owners. Supertails provides a smooth and intuitive experience for its consumers by utilizing its digital platform to offer a wide selection of pet care items and necessities.
The company’s business model highlights its dedication to offering pet owners a comprehensive solution, in line with the expanding need for easy and specialized services in the pet care sector.
Supertails – Revenue Model
Supertails makes money from different resources; some of the prominent ones are listed below:
Sales of Pet Supplies: Makes money by selling products for pets, such as food, toys, and accessories.
Veterinarian Consultations Online: Levies charges a fee for its virtual consultation services, which include professional advice on pet health.
Services for Pet Training: Programs for pet training that are profitable, meet a variety of pet needs and habits, and add revenue.
Supertails – Challenges Faced
Supertails faces a significant task in changing consumer attitudes about the pet care sector. After they make the move from being pet owners to adopting the position of pet parents, the next step is to provide them with the necessary information to become competent pet parents.
Supertails, a forward-thinking company, aims to spearhead this revolutionary change by providing reliable information, making sure that being a pet parent is not only fun but also responsibly directed.
Supertails faced challenges as they grew, mainly with implementing order synchronization and integrating new platform capabilities. Sadly, the results of these efforts were disparities in inventory and sales data, which delayed order fulfillment. Supertails strategically tackled operational inefficiencies and implemented solutions to improve overall platform efficiency and optimize operations in order to overcome these obstacles.
Supertails – Funding and Investors
Supertails has raised $28.4 million from investors in four funding rounds.
Date
Funding Round
Amount
Investors
February 13, 2024
Series B
$15 million
RPSG Capital Ventures
November 9, 2022
Series A
$10 million
Fireside Ventures
September 21, 2021
Debt Financing
Rs 5.75 crore
Alteria Capital
Jun 30, 2021
Seed Round
$2.6 million
DSG Consumer Partners, Saama Capital
Supertails – Growth
The growth highlights of Supertails are:
It is present in 24 cities with 24-hour delivery as ofFebruary 13, 2024.
It has 1,50,000+ happy pet parents as of February 13, 2024.
It has completed 70,000 online consultations as of February 13, 2024.
The company has provided 20 in-house visits as of February 13, 2024.
Supertails – Marketing Strategy
Supertails use various marketing strategies; some of the prominent ones are:
Digital-First Approach:
Supertails focuses on an online-only business model for its platform, deliberately positioning itself as a digital-first brand. This strategy fits nicely with the tastes of its largely Gen Z audience, which uses the internet extensively.
Strong Campaigns for Community Development:
Supertails distinguishes itself in the market by the implementation of powerful campaigns, such as the popular “Crime Master Doggo.” The goal of these initiatives is to thrill the target audience and grab their attention.
Concurrently, the business prioritizes fostering community via social media, especially Instagram. Among the content initiatives are DIY projects, hacks, and fun and educational tips and tricks that promote a feeling of community among pet owners.
Utilizing Social Media and Connectivity:
Supertails understands the influence of Gen Z and millennials on the pet parent community and uses social media, especially Instagram, smartly. The brand’s content strategy is centered on disseminating timely, interesting material that has both immediate and long-term value.
Social media’s affinity for the digital age is used to improve connectivity, as seen by the significant reach, impressions, and engagement on these platforms. This strategy highlights Supertails’ accomplishment in forging a close bond with its target market.
Supertails – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
Supertails Campaign
The digital pet care firm Supertails.com released a clever commercial clip called “The Super-Store that comes to your door.” By seeing the world via a pet’s eyes, the campaign offers a pleasant perspective that departs from the traditional human-centric approach.
The story presents a distinctive and enjoyable representation of the daily activities and observations of pets. The video emphasizes Supertails.com’s dedication to pet welfare by showing how the website can help with everything from choosing the ideal diet to making sure pets have fun and engaging activities with its wide selection of toys.
Supertails – Awards
In 2023, Supertails won the e4m IMI South Best Start-Up of the Year Award.
Supertails – Competitors
Supertails top competitors are:
HUFT
DogSpot
Goofy Tails
Supertails – Future Plans
Supertails has raised funding and has a clear plan for expanding in the future. The investment will be used to advance technology capabilities and put acquisition strategies into action in order to accelerate corporate growth. Concurrently, Supertails is hard at work creating an omnichannel presence, with plans to open its first physical retail location by the end of Q1 of FY25.
Even though its foundation is technology, the company recognizes the value of some services, like medical consultations, immunizations, and diagnostics, which are best provided in person. With an emphasis on providing thorough and hands-on pet care, Supertails intends to hire 50 veterinary physicians in total over the next few years in order to further enhance its offerings.
Supertails – FAQs
When was Supertails founded?
Supertails was founded in 2021 at Bangalore.
Who is the founder of Supertails?
Aman Tekriwal, Varun Sadana and Vineet Khanna are the founders of Supertails.
What is the amount of total funding raised by Supertails?
Supertails has raised a total funding of $28.4 million to date.
Has Deepika Padukone invested in Supertails?
Yes, Deepika Padukone along with DSG Capital, Saama Capital, Titan Capital and Sauce VC has invested in Pre-Series A funding of Supertails.
Baishali Das Adhikari
