This article has been contributed by Sajju Jain, Board Member, Entrepreneur, Harvard Alum.
Do you like to buy fewer but higher quality things? You don’t buy new things unless they’re absolutely necessary? Do you like to repair something instead of purchasing new ones? You might be a minimalist.
Minimalism started in the arts as a style or technique in music, literature, or design that focused on extreme spareness and simplicity. It then evolved into a lifestyle focused on intentional living with fewer possessions, focusing only on those that you need. Today, over 20 million people worldwide embrace a minimalist lifestyle.
While contemporary Indian culture often equates success with material accumulation, many in our younger generations are embracing a more mindful approach to consumption. They place greater importance on sustainability, mental well-being, and experiences over goods. What was once a niche concept is now gaining traction, particularly among young professionals and startup enthusiasts.
Climate Concerns
Minimalists see climate challenges, including increasing pollution, waste generation, and disposal, as a factor in their choice of lifestyle. They see sustainable living as a way to reduce their environmental impact. Minimalism emphasises buying less and focuses on quality, a thought process that aligns well with the growing environmental consciousness in India.
Government initiatives like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), and the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) have helped raise awareness of climate change throughout the population creating a fertile ground for minimalist philosophy. Young people looking for solutions find the minimalist mindset attractive as it supports both reduced consumption and waste.
Globally, 37% of consumers are motivated by sustainability considerations when adopting minimalist principles, and this trend is increasingly reflected in India as well. This has led to the emergence of eco-friendly startups like No Nasties, a sustainable fashion brand that is committed to concepts like zero waste, recycling, and upcycling. These brands see a growing number of Indian minimalists who want to be environmentally conscious in their consumption, thereby reducing their carbon footprints and also promoting a more thoughtful approach to consumption.
Preference for Experiences
Another trend influencing the rise of minimalism in India is a preference for experiences over material possessions. The Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of the gig economy have both contributed in a major way to a shift in people’s mindsets. More and more people are increasingly spending their money on travel, dining, and entertainment experiences instead of purchasing assets and possessions.
Platforms like Airbnb further enable this shift by offering access to a wide variety of affordable travel experiences, providing consumers with easier paths to creating lifelong memories. A study of 2,635 adults by three universities based in the US found that “happiness was higher for participants who consumed experiential purchases versus material ones in every category, regardless of the cost of the item.”
Cost and Availability of Solutions
The growing popularity of minimalist solutions like capsule wardrobes and multifunctional products has also helped make the transition from a consumption-centric lifestyle to a minimalist lifestyle easier.
Startups like Little Black Book or LBB (acquired by Nykaa in 2022) are curating minimalist collections from local artisans and smaller brands while actively promoting the philosophy through blog posts by major influencers. Given that 90% of those who purchase online in a recent survey have bought at least one product because it was endorsed by an influencer they trusted, the importance of these blog posts cannot be underestimated.
In urban centers like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, as land prices have risen, small and compact apartments have become common. This led to functional and minimalist furniture becoming a practical necessity. However, the elegance of their designs has attracted the affluent as well, and this further helps spread the concepts of minimalism across additional layers of society.
Any discussion on minimalism would be incomplete without talking about digital minimalism. With over 650 million smartphone users, India is the second largest user base of this technology in the world. It’s also increasingly experiencing digital fatigue. Constant connectivity, social media platforms, and the rise of e-commerce have resulted in a growing sense of digital overload. Many Indian consumers are now seeking ways to disconnect. This has given rise to digital minimalism, which involves reducing time spent online, unsubscribing from unnecessary apps, and curating a more focused digital space.
Startups like Minimalist Phone from Germany are leading this change by helping individuals and businesses embrace simplicity and purpose in their digital communication. It’s a philosophy that is resonating with a growing number of Indian consumers as well who are looking to reclaim their time and attention spans in an increasingly digital world. Moreover, apps like Headspace and Simple Habit, are helping promote mindfulness and mental well-being and are becoming more popular as consumers seek to reduce their digital clutter and enhance their quality of life.
Minimalist Business Models in India
As the minimalist culture continues to grow, Indian startups are also adapting their business models to align with this change in consumer behaviour. From eco-friendly packaging to sustainable products, entrepreneurs are finding new ways to cater to the demand for intentional living. Beco, a startup offering eco-friendly household products, has built its brand around minimal packaging and sustainability, appealing to consumers looking to reduce their environmental impact.
LBB and Beco are just a few of a growing list of startups that have been able to raise millions of dollars of funding by tapping into the growing community of minimalists.
Uniquely Indian Minimalism
Despite the growth of minimalism, India’s unique cultural and economic context does pose some unique challenges. One of the challenges is balancing India’s traditional affinity for ornamentation with minimalist ideals. Indian culture has long celebrated intricate designs and elaborate decor, which can clash with the minimalist aesthetic.
However, there is a growing movement toward integrating minimalist principles with Indian aesthetics, creating a unique blend of simplicity and tradition. This is primarily seen in architecture, where more homes are being designed using a combination of traditional elements and minimalist principles.
Conclusion
The rise of minimalism in India, the land of yoga and mindfulness, feels like a coming-to-home moment, an important milestone on how consumers approach their buying habits. For startups and businesses, this shift presents a unique opportunity. By aligning with the values of intentional living, sustainability, and mindful consumption, Indian entrepreneurs can cater to a growing audience that is looking for products and services that enhance the quality of their lives without damaging the environment. In a world that often feels chaotic and cluttered, minimalism offers a path to simplicity, clarity, and fulfilment – values that naturally resonate in India as well.
Elite Business Schools have been famous for over a lot of years. Some of the major elite business schools are Harvard, Stanford, Colombia Business school, etc. Jack Ma, the founder of the popular e-commerce site Alibaba has also founded one of the elite business schools, Hupan University. Hupan University has announced that Jack Ma is stepping down as the president. Let’s look into more information about the Elite Business School founded by Jack Ma.
Jack Ma has announced that he will step down from the elite business school he had founded back in 2015. This is because of the crackdown on the influence of the billionaire in the Chinese society. The retreat from the academy is because the regulators of China have increased the pressure on Jack Ma.
Jack Ma had disappeared from public view from the day he had given a public speech against the Chinese regulators during the month of October. He had criticized the Chinese regulators and the state-owned banks.
Admission requirements for Hupan University
Hupan University which provides an executive training programme for entrepreneurs is claimed to be as hard to get into the university like Harvard or Stanford University. It was founded by Jack Ma in the year 2015 along with nine business executives.
The admission requirements of the university are very strict and accept only the candidates who have 3 years of experience in running their own business, employing at least 30 people, and have an annual revenue of around USD 4.5 million. They should also obtain 3 recommendations at least one of them which should be chosen by the university.
In the past 5 years, the university has admitted around 254 entrepreneurs and a total of 11,788 applicants have been admitted to the school. Together they employ over 1 million people and the average age of the admitted members is around 38 years and have been doing the business for the past 11 years.
So far, the school has offered 271 classes out of which most of the classes were undertaken by entrepreneurs of various traditional companies as well as internet companies. Unlike a traditional MBA school, Hupan University aims at inspiring the future entrepreneurs with a sense of social and moral responsibility.
Changes to Hupan University after Jack Ma Stepped down
As Jack Ma announced that he would step down from the Presidential position of Hupan University led to restructuring the educational programme of the university and has changed its name. Hupan had changed its name from its website and social media accounts to Hupan Innovation Center.
There were even videos released that showed workers removing the name from a large stone sign in front of the campus. The change of name was because only a licensed educational institution can mention its name as a university and Hupan is not an official university yet.
However, a person close to the business school has conveyed that Jack Ma would not hold any high profile post in the institution but several people have mentioned that he would remain connected to the school giving lectures in the future.
FAQ
Where is Hupan University located?
Hupan University is an elite business school located in Yuhu Bay, Xihu Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
When was Hupan University founded?
Hupan University was founded in 2015 by Jack Ma with nine fellow business executives.
Why did Hupan University changed its name?
Hupan University changed its name to Hupan Innovation Center because only a licensed educational institution can mention its name as a university and Hupan is not an official university yet.
Mark Zuckerberg is famous for Facebook. He was one of the youngest self-made billionaires just at the age of 23. In 2020, in the month of August, he came under the centibillionaire list. He’s an American media magnate, internet businessman, and philanthropist. He serves as Facebook’s president, chief executive and controlling shareholder. He is also co-founder of the Groundbreaking Starshot Solar Sail Spacecraft Production Project and serves as one of its board members.
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg – Biography
Name
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg
DOB
14 May, 1984
Nationality
American
Occupation
Internet Entrepreneur
Title
Founder & CEO of Facebook, Inc and Co-founder of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York. His parents are Karen, a psychiatrist, and Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist. He along with his three sisters, Randi, Donna, and Arielle, were brought up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a small Westchester County village about 21 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. His ancestors hailed from Germany, Austria and Poland and Zuckerberg was raised in a Reform Jewish household. At the age of 13 he had a Star Wars-themed bar mitzvah.
Mark Zuckerberg – Education
Zuckerberg excelled in classes at Ardsley High School. He transferred to the private school Phillips Exeter Academy after 2 years. He won prizes in mathematics, astronomy, physics, and classical studies. In his youth, he has also attended the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer camp. Zuckerberg stated that he could read and write French, Hebrew, Latin, and ancient Greek on his college application. He is not just a nerd and was the captain of the fencing team.
Mark Zuckerberg – Beginning of Facebook
Zuckerberg had already gained a “reputation as a programming prodigy” by the time he started classes at Harvard, and he studied psychology and computer science. He was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi and of Kirkland House. He wrote a software he called CourseMatch, which enabled users to make class selection decisions based on other students’ choices. After a short time, he created a new software that he originally called Facemash, allowing students to pick the best-looking individual from a collection of images. According to Zuckerberg’s roommate, Arie Hasit, at that time, “he built the site for fun.” Hasit explains:
We had books called Face Books, which included the names and pictures of everyone who lived in the student dorms. At first, he built a site and placed two pictures or pictures of two males and two females. Visitors to the site had to choose who was “hotter” and according to the votes there would be a ranking.
The site went up over a weekend. But the college turned it off by Monday morning, because its popularity overwhelmed one of Harvard’s network switches and stopped students from accessing the Internet. A lot of students complained at that time that their photos were being used without permission. But Zuckerberg publicly apologized, and articles were run in the student paper saying his platform was “absolutely unacceptable.”
Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website the following semester, in January 2004. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched “TheFacebook,” which was originally located at thefacebook.com. When he launched Facebook, three of his seniors (Cľ Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss and Divya Narendra) in Harvard after 6 days accused him of purposely misleading them into thinking that he would help them create a social network called HarvardConnection.com, while instead using their ideas to develop a rival product.
The three protested to The Harvard Crimson, and in response, the newspaper launched an investigation. Those three filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg after Facebook was launched officially. It resulted in a settlement. They agreed a settlement for 1.2 million Facebook shares.
In his sophomore year, Zuckerberg had dropped out of Harvard to complete his thesis. In January 2014, he recalled:
I remember really vividly, you know, having pizza with my friends a day or two after—I opened up the first version of Facebook at the time I thought, “You know, someone needs to build a service like this for the world.” But I just never thought that we’d be the ones to help do it. And I think a lot of what it comes down to is we just cared more.
Zuckerberg received an honorary degree from Harvard on May 25, 2017. He gave a commencement speech on the same day at Harvard’s 366th commencement Day.
A month after Zuckerberg launched Facebook in February 2004, there was launch of i2hub, another campus-only service created by Wayne Chang. The i2hub focused on sharing files peer-to-peer. At the time, both i2hub and Facebook gained media attention and were rising exponentially in users and advertising. In August 2004, Zuckerberg, Andrew McCollum, Adam D’Angelo and Sean Parker founded a rival peer-to-peer file sharing service called Wirehog.
Platform, Beacon, and Connect
Zuckerberg unveiled on May 24, 2007 the Facebook Forum, a forum for programmers to create social applications within Facebook. A lot of applications were developed within weeks and some already had millions of users. It has expanded to more than 800,000 developers around the globe developing Facebook Platform applications.
Zuckerberg revealed on November 6, 2007 Beacon, a social advertisement system that allowed people to exchange information with their Facebook friends based on their surfing habits on other pages. For instance, eBay sellers might automatically let friends know what they’ve got for sale via Facebook news feed as they list items for sale. The software was under investigation due to concerns regarding the privacy of groups and individual users. Zuckerberg and Facebook failed to respond quickly to the complaints and Zuckerberg published a blog post on Facebook on December 5, 2007, accepting responsibility for Beacon ‘s issues and offering users a simpler way to opt out of the service.
In 2007, Zuckerberg was named to the TR35 list by MIT Technology Review as one of the world’s top 35 innovators under 35. Zuckerberg revealed on 23 July 2008 Facebook Link, a user-friendly version of the Facebook Site.
Critics say that, Facebook bought Instagram because it was scared of Twitter and Google+. Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion in 2012. Today Instagram has over 1 billion users. Instagram contributes $20 billion to Facebook annual revenue. Facebook purchased Whatsapp– the messaging sevice, for $19 billion in February, 2014.
The 3 main social networking sites owned by Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg – Controversies
Saverin lawsuit
A complaint brought against Facebook and Zuckerberg by Eduardo Saverin was settled outside court. While settlement terms were sealed, the firm confirmed Saverin ‘s role as Facebook’s co-founder. After the settlement Saverin signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Pakistan criminal investigation
Pakistani Deputy Attorney General Muhammad Azhar Sidiqque initiated a criminal investigation into Zuckerberg and Facebook co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes in June 2010, following a Facebook hosting of a “Draw Muhammad” contest. The investigation identified the German woman who produced the contest as anonymous. Sidiqque requested police from the country to contact Interpol to have Zuckerberg and the other three arrested for blasphemy. Facebook’s website was briefly blocked in Pakistan on May 19, 2010, before Facebook removed the contest from its website in late May. Sidiqque also demanded that its UN representative discuss the issue with the UN General Assembly.
Cambridge Analytica Data Breach
Zuckerberg appeared before Congress in April 2018, after it was reported that the company had exchanged consumer data with Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm.
Forbes has attributed the dramatic decline in the stock price of Facebook following the company’s July warning investors of slowing growth and profit margins to the increasing effect of the battle between profit and privacy, citing the story of Cambridge Analytica and the rising inability of Facebook to protect users from harmful misuse and misinformation.
Palestinian terror attacks
Israeli cabinet minister Gilad Erdan accused Zuckerberg of having some responsibility for Palestinians’ deadly attacks on Israelis on 2 July 2016.[93] According to him, the social network was not doing enough to ban posts on its site that encourage violence against Israelis. “Sure of the blood of the victims is on the hands of Zuckerberg,” Erdan said.
Hawaiian land ownership
Zuckerberg filed eight “quiet title and division” lawsuits against hundreds of Hawaiian natives in January 2017 to buy small tracts of land which they own. This land is located within the 700 acres of land which Zuckerberg had purchased in 2014 on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. After learning that Hawaiian land ownership law differs from that of the other 49 states, he dropped the lawsuits.
Paul Ceglia
Paul Ceglia, owner of a wood pellet fuel business in Allegany County, upstate New York, filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg in June 2010, alleging 84 percent Facebook possession and demanding monetary damages. According to Ceglia, on April 28, 2003, he and Zuckerberg signed a contract for an initial fee of $1,000 entitled Ceglia to 50 percent of the website ‘s sales, as well as an additional 1 percent stake in the company every day after January 1, 2004, until completion of the website. At the time, Zuckerberg was creating other ventures, including Facemash, Facebook’s precursor, but the domain name thefacebook.com was not licenced until 1 January 2004. Facebook spokesperson Barry Schnitt told a reporter that Ceglia ‘s lawyers had unsuccessfully pursued a settlement outside court.
On 26 October 2012, federal prosecutors arrested Ceglia, charging him with mail and wire fraud and “tampering, damaging and manipulating evidence in a conspiracy to defraud the Facebook founder of billions of dollars.” Ceglia is accused of creating emails in order to make it appear that he and Zuckerberg exchanged specifics of an early version of Facebook. Before it was launched, some law firms withdrew from the case, and others after Ceglia ‘s arrest.
Zuckerberg contributed an undisclosed sum to Diaspora- a personal open-source Web server that operates a distributed social networking programme.
Zuckerberg founded the Start-up: Education foundation.
Zuckerberg had donated $100 million to Newark Public Schools, the public school system of Newark, New Jersey on September 22,2010.
Zuckerberg, along with Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett signed “The Giving Pledge” on December 9, that year, in which they vowed to devote at least half of their wealth over time to charity. They also invited others among the wealthy to donate 50 percent or more of their wealth to charity.
2012
In December, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced that over the course of their lives they would give the majority of their wealth to “advancing human potential and promoting equality” in the spirit of The Giving Pledge.
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg
2013
On December 19, Zuckerberg announced a donation to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation of 18 million Facebook shares, to be completed by the end of the month. Based on the valuation of Facebook as of then, the value of the stock was $990 million.
On December 31, the donation was recognized as the largest charitable gift on public record for 2013.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy put Zuckerberg and his wife at the top of the 2013 annual list of the magazine’s 50 most generous Americans.
2014
Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan donated US$25 million to fight the Ebola virus disease, specifically the West African Ebola virus epidemic on October.
2015
On December, Zuckerberg and Chan pledged to transfer 99% of their Facebook shares, (then at US$45 billion) to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the organization that focuses on health and education. Instead of the funds transferring immediately, it transfers over the course of their lives.
Instead of creating a charitable organisation to donate the value of the stock to, as did Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and other billionaires, Zuckerberg and Chan opted to use a limited liability company ( LLC) structure. Some journalists and academics have even come to say that, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative conducts philanthrocapitalism.
2016
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gave $600 million in 2016 to establish the tax-exempt charity Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a collaborative research facility near the university in San Francisco’s Mission Bay District from California, San Francisco, with the goal of promoting cooperation and collaboration between UCSF, University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University scientists. The developed intellectual property would be jointly owned by Biohub and the house institution of the discoverer. Unlike foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that give up all research that is funded to free public access and reuse, Biohub maintains the freedom to sell any research that it supports. Inventors will have the option of making their findings open-source, with permission from Biohub.
2020
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Zuckerberg donated $25 million to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is a foundation that is searching for treatments for the disease. He announced $25 million in grants to support local journalism that was impacted by the pandemic. And $75 million in advertisement purchases in local newspapers by Facebook, Inc., where Facebook will market itself.
Mark Zuckerberg – Awards and Achievements
A film entitled ‘A Social Network’ was released in 2010, focused on the life of Mark Zuckerberg and his Facebook founding years. The film has received eight academy award nominations.
In 2010 he won ‘Person of the Year’ by ‘Times’ Magazine.
‘CEO of the Year’ at 6th Annual Crunchies in 2013.
He was also named on Time 100 list four consecutive times between 2009 and 2012. Time 100 is a list of around the world’s 100 most influential individuals.
He was also the youngest self-made billionaire just at the age of 23.
August, 2020 he was able to come under the “centi-billionaire” list.
Mark Zuckerberg – FAQs
Who Mark Zuckerberg?
Mark Zuckerberg is an American media magnate, internet businessman, and philanthropist. He is the founder of Facebook and serves as Facebook’s president, chief executive and controlling shareholder.
What is Mark Zuckerberg age?
As of 2021, his age is 37.
What is Mark Zuckerberg net worth?
As of May 2021, according to Forbes, the net worth of Mark Zuckerberg is $115 Billion.
How old was Mark Zuckerberg when he became a billionaire?
Mark Zuckerberg was just 23 years old when he became a billionaire.
Chaitra S
