In this new Insight series we connect with industry professionals to gain idea on starting and scaling a D2C Brand. It features startup experience, growth hacks, D2C industry highlights and learnings directly from expert!
A little background, D2C brands are companies that built its offering around direct digital marketing channels as opposed to selling through an online marketplace, retailer, or auction site. In D2C (Direct to Customer) business model, any seller/manufacturer willing to sell their products directly to end-customers can set up an online website cum store, or promote the products on various social media platforms eliminating the middleman.
StartupTalky exclusively interviewed Sujata Pawar, Co-founder & CEO of Avni to know her perspectives on D2C Brand & how she and Apurv scaled Avni to over 27 retail stores & served 5,000 women in just 1 year! Founded by wife-husband duo Sujata Pawar and Apurv Agrawal in 2020, Avni provides innovative and eco-friendly menstrual care products.
1.From where did it all begin? Itâd be great to walk through the initial journey of Avni.
Sujata Pawar comes with a background in pharmacy. She was already working on a venture when she had an uncomfortable personal experience using commercially available sanitary pads which led to rashes. She started researching the issue and figured that the only reason for the skin troubles she was facing was the chemical-based pads. She got to know that not only were these sanitary napkins causing skin troubles but also affecting the environment and sanitation workers.
When she wanted to opt for a more sustainable alternative, she learned that there were no products that were viable on all these three grounds. Then she decided to address this gap by launching Avni, a menstrual healthcare startup, which is also environment friendly. Over the period, the co-founders realized that sanitary napkins cannot alone replace all the products that cater to menstrual needs as a lot of women use different products that are causing harm. The brand then launched the Avni Ezeepad and Avni cups.
Avni Logo
As an entrepreneur moves ahead, one by one he notices other obstacles too. Along the journey, the co-founders realized that there is less awareness, and more fear due to the lack of reliable support for women when it comes to the choice of products. Thus, the brand launched India’s First 24X7 period helpline accessible via whatsapp/call/sms which will make the transition smooth and help women develop a sustainable period routine. Putting the efforts in the right direction did prove fruitful for the brand. The brand raised INR 65 Lacs in seed funding in April 2021 from WeFounderCircle. All in all, the brand has already reached over 5000 customers.
2. How do you differentiate yourself from other D2C brands in the ecosystem? Highlight the USP, Features & the problems that Avni tends to solve.
Avni has been putting all its efforts towards creating menstrual care products that are skin-friendly, chemical-free, and do not cause any harm to the environment too. While pursuing this ambition, co-founders came across the fact that the traditional methods that women used to follow during periods were way more effective than the current commercially popularized options. For example, cloth-based pads were never harmful, only the use of dirty cotton cloth can cause infection. Digging deeper unfolded the better alternatives and formed the foundation of Avni product line. Â
Products – Avni Ezeepad, Avni Cloth pad, Avni Menstrual Cup
3. The pandemic has posed its own challenges & opportunities. We are intrigued to know how it impacted the D2C industry in general and Avni in particular?
The pandemic did impact all the industries and activities. However, we maintain availability on most of the eCommerce platforms including – Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, 1mg, Qtrove, Shycart, Vayas Sakhi, Upciclo, ThePinkBox etc. However, what intrigued us more during the pandemic was that even the lesser privileged face this monthly cycle and the challenge of unavailability of the products. In order to address the same, we tied up with local NGOs in different regions across the country and ran a drive to educate them and provide the young girls, and underprivileged women with the Avni product kits. Each of the product kits could easily cover their periods for over 4 years.
4. What are the offline & online marketing strategies adopted by Avni? How do you ensure that your D2C brand is known across the nook & corner of the target market?
As we are in a space which is sensitive and has taboos associated with it, we are working on increasing the awareness regarding best menstrual health practices. We conduct live interview sessions with experts from this field who share their views, their experience which could be useful women & girls across ages. As we started during Covid times, we only had online channel at our exposure. One thing that worked in our favor was that ours is an essential commodity. To have reached to various customers, we listed our products in the most common and trusted online platforms in India. We are now present on Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal,1 mg, Qtrove, Shycart, Vayas Sakhi, Upciclo, ThePinkBox with presence in few more platforms expected to be completed in the next month.
5. Amongst 1000s of companies in the D2C domain, how did you evolve Avni’s brand identity & create brand loyalty amongst customers?
With information overload these days due to accessibility of internet, everyone is confused on the correctness or authenticity of source. Since our founders are from healthcare background, we wanted to ensure that information passed on by us if authentic and from a verified source. Once we are able to help customers with right set of information, trusts start building which results in long lasting customer loyalty.
6. How does Avni’s supply chain model add value to the company? What does the process look like?
All our products are developed in-house and Made in India, in line with our honorable Prime Ministerâs vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. All our products are manufactured as per our raw material and final product specifications. Once a customer places order, the order is dispatched from our central warehouse after quality checks and customized packaging. With a robust supply chain, we are able to cater to almost 29000 pin codes. Our customers receive emails messages at each and every stage of orders processing, right from order receipt, completion of packaging, pick up of order by courier partners from warehouse till delivery. Our customers also receive phone call if their delivery is missed to reschedule the delivery. This gives our customer visibility of their order status in a transparent manner.
7. How do you ensure a higher degree of personalization/uniqueness in your product range? Are prospective customers surveyed? Is your R&D strong? How do you stay on top of new technologies & changing customer habits?
We introduced our products with the option of customization for customers. Any customer who visits our website, can order Avni Ezeepad pack of 12 based on their preference from available 3 most commonly used sizes. This ensures customer to buy as per their needs. We are constantly in communication with our customers with our helpline number. We communicate with almost 1500 customers every month via our helpline taking their feedback and views on the products and sharing information available with us. These inputs along with our panel of experts are continuously working on developing new products, bringing in changes in the existing product to improve customer experience and interactions with Avni
8. What metrics do you analyze to compare your performance from that of your competitors & previous periods?
For us, the simplest way to analyze our performance in the track to growth is new customers every month and the number of repeat customers. More than 5000 customers and a repeat percentage of almost 30%, gives us motivation to keep on creating much better product and experience.
9. Itâd be great if you could share any Advice/expertâs opinion/findings on the D2C ecosystem in India. And what do you think is the future of this industry? What should the budding entrepreneurs have a look out for?
D2C space in India is evolving at a fast pace. Internet has been a boon for this industry and consumers are now well aware and well read about products, the options they have and pros & cons. India has witnessed huge growth in customers shopping online. This has given all start-ups like us to showcase products across wider set of audiences without much hassle. There is a huge scope to introduce new concepts and products in the Indian market. In our opinion, all budding entrepreneurs should just grab the opportunity as any time is right time to start.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verifiedinformation ondifferent startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by ElaWoman.
Infertility is a topic people don’t talk about openly. It is the inability to conceive children even after frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse over a year or more. It’s a condition that impacts couples both physically and emotionally, often ruining relationships.
Victims of infertility are more often than not left disheartened by bogus advertisements and claims that guarantee a sure-to-work solution for this medical condition. In the end, they don’t get the desired results and regret spending so much for nothing.
ElaWoman is a visionary healthcare startup making a significant difference in the lives of those affected by infertility. ElaWoman provides customized plans and treatments to solve this problem through the use of latest technology and data analytics. The transparency in treatment is what differentiates ElaWoman from others. Moreover, safe and easy financial options ensures couples with financial difficulties are not left out out.
Elawoman helps couples who are struggling to realize the happiness of parenthood. Treated as a taboo, topics such as infertility are not discussed openly on healthcare platforms. This leaves no choice for patients but to blindly believe marketing gimmicks of a non-transparent ecosystem setup by some doctors and clinics in the medical industry. This is why out of 10% of couples (of child-bearing age) facing fertility issues, only 1% go for treatment.
ElaWoman was born as a one-stop solution portal to counter the increasing occurrence of fertility problems worldwide and the increase awareness about the same. The entire team makes it a point to bring the best quality infertility treatments to couples at affordable prices.
ElaWoman – Target Market
The infertility treatment/diagnosis segment is expected to grow steadily in the coming decade. According to a top research firm in India, this industry is set to grow at 13% CAGR in the year 2020. The rapid advancements in the field of infertility medicines is can be attributed to increasing child-bearing age, growing usage of contraceptives, and altered lifestyles.
The field of infertility medicine comprises fertility drugs, infertility-related surgeries, and Assisted Reproductive Treatments (ARTs). Latest developments include Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Screening (PGD/PGS), and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) tests to name a few. Array Comparative Genetic Hybridization (CGH) was recently introduced to increase the success rates of infertility treatments. A huge potential exists in this field which needs to be exploited and utilized for the welfare of couples across the globe.
How was ElaWoman Started?
The Elawoman founders came across several cases that revealed couples struggling to find a good infertility clinic or doctor for treatment. They also realized the stigma and taboo surrounding infertility issues; affected couples are afraid to discuss their issue in front of family members and friends.
ElaWoman solves the problem by bringing in transparency and independent facilitation through data analytics and other technological mediums. It offers a system that provides unbiased transparent information on doctor and centre data, treatment pricing, clinical success rates, and past patient reviews.
Couples get the benefit of having a personal health assistant to help them in each step of conceiving. The service is an end-to-end platform providing access to different features and plans.
Furthermore, ElaWoman provides information on over 5,000 fertility hospitals and doctors for IVF, IUI, ICSI, surrogacy treatments, and pregnancy care services. The fertility centres and doctors partnered with ElaWoman are encouraged to provide a transparent, upfront, and affordable pricing structure for infertility procedures. Patients are provided with customized treatment packages for result-oriented execution of the chosen infertility treatments. The customization is done based on the treatment cost, patient appointment, and the clinic/centre chosen. Ela specialists assist patients in the personalization of infertility treatment packages.
ElaWoman – Founders And Team
ElaWoman was founded by Ritu Singh, Yogesh Agarwal, and Aditya Kandoi.
Elawoman founders Ritu Singh, Yogesh Agarwal, and Aditya Kandoi (L to R)
Ritu Singh : Born in 1988, Ritu did her schooling from St. Thomas School and then pursued a B.Tech from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology in 2005. She then did an MBA in Marketing from IIM, Udaipur. Ritu Singh is the CEO of ElaWoman.
Yogesh Agarwal : Yogesh was born in 1986 and completed his schooling from Birla High school. He obtained a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from IIT, Varansi in 2005. Post graduation, he joined Lancaster University for an MBA. Yogesh is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of ElaWoman.
Aditya Kandoi : Aditya Kandi was born in 1989 and is an IIT Varanasi alumnus. He later did his MBA from Warsaw School of Economics. Aditya is currently working as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ElaWoman.
ElaWoman – Name, Logo, And Tagline
Logo of ElaWoman
ElaWoman was chosen as the brand name since Ela stands for a beautiful person surrounded by several friends and their loved ones. The company logo consists of a butterfly that demarcates freedom; the freedom ElaWoman gives couples in the form of parenthood. Â
ElaWoman – User Acquisition
We were on cloud nine when we met the achievement of the first 100 customers. Initially, it felt like a challenge as our concept is a new one. But then we came out with a combination of ways to reach the audience and have 100 successful customers – Ritu Singh, CEO of ElaWoman
The ElaWoman team leveraged the power of social media and user-oriented information through website’s blog section. This was combined with the reach of advertisements to target the desired audience.
Initially, it was difficult to attract customers/couples towards the concept of infertility treatment but the quality and usefulness of ElaWoman’s services made this possible. Testimonials of patients who had infertility treatments at the top centers and hospitals along with impressive success rates helped several couples contact Elawoman and trust its services.
Reaching the first 100 customers and helping them have successful infertility treatments was a remarkable experience for ElaWoman and a milestone.
ElaWoman has evolved into a healthcare platform dealing with infertility medicine, treatments, and surgeries. The innovative ElaPay facility, the first payment mode in the field of medicine, has also made it easy for patients to take a step forward. Ela’s medical loans have made the financial aspect of the treatment more hassle-free than expected. Patients also receive guidance on travel and accommodation as part of their infertility treatments.
ElaWoman – Startup Challenges
One of the biggest challenges which we faced during our initial days was mainly to convince couples to consult an infertility specialist about their infertility issues. Also, we had difficulty in making patients understand our unique brand concept  – Ritu Singh, CEO of ElaWoman.
The team eventually cracked it through timely counselling and discussions with several couples in collaboration with medical specialists and psychologists; distinguished medical professionals known for successfully dealing with some of the most complicated medical cases.
Chiratae Ventures with co-investor Alkemi Venture Partners
ElaWoman – Future Plans
ElaWoman has achieved several milestones in the domain of infertility medicine since its launch. ElaWoman today has a network of more than 11,500+ doctors and clinics. Ela has its footprints in over 89 cities and 11 countries. Features such as ElaPay and Ela medical loans have made the treatment for patients a smooth sail. The company’s future looks promising with expansion plans.
ElaWoman – FAQs
What is ElaWoman?
ElaWoman is a visionary healthcare startup making a significant difference in the lives of those affected by infertility.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Tattvan.
Today a tiny fraction of Indians in large urban cities and smaller towns, cities, and villages have access to the kind of healthcare they deserve. Mr. Ayush Atul Mishra launched Tattvan in 2016 with the passion and idea to bring quality healthcare to the masses.
At Tattvan, the team strives to bridge the gap by bringing the best healthcare on earth to everyone, especially to residents of small towns and cities. They believe that for India to outgrow and develop, all its citizens must have access to the most exceptional healthcare in the world. Tattvan was founded to realize this belief into a fruitful reality.
Read this article to know all about the Tattvan E-Clinic, Startup Challenges, Founder, Growth and its success story.
Tattvan delivers world-class healthcare to residents of cities and towns where it is lacking. At Tattvanâs e-clinics, visitors receive medical care that is as good as the best in the world. Also, their e-clinics cost less than they do in regular hospitals and clinics. Tattvan has innovatively used existing technologies to bring the highest quality healthcare to the masses. It has succeeded in bringing together engineers and physicians to deliver unbeatable healthcare services to those lacking it.
At Tattvan e-clinics, patients are examined by leading specialists at a fraction of the cost of regular OPDs. They opened the first telemedicine clinic in Bareilly and since then, opened many more in cities across North India. Tattvan E Clinics India was included in “Silicon India’s Top 10 Telemedicine Companies in India 2019”.
Tattvan – Target Market Size
Globally the size of the healthcare industry is well over four trillion dollars. Developed countries own the bulk of this industry, but India has a well-established healthcare industry as well. The total size of the healthcare industry in India is well over $100 billion and expected to reach a little more than $370 billion within two years. The online pharmacy industry in India is growing rapidly. Capturing the exact size of India’s healthcare industry is hard because so much of the industry is unorganized.
At roughly $100 billion, the Indian healthcare industry is among the most significant healthcare industries in the world. Telemedicine’s share of this industry is small today, yet it is growing. In 2020, the telemedicine industry will grow to be approximately $32 million.
While it is an almost insignificant fraction of the entire domestic healthcare industry, telemedicine is still in its infancy. As public awareness about telemedicine grows, the industry will multiply, perhaps even exponentially. In five years, Mr. Ayush estimates the telemedicine industry will generate revenues of several hundred million dollars annually.
The Tattvan team is targeting a market whose size exceeds $100 billion. They know there is a high demand for good quality healthcare across India because except for the largest metro cities, the quality of healthcare is substandard. Concerning market share, among leading telemedicine companies, have the most significant market share.
Tattvan – Founders & Team
Mr. Ayush Atul Mishra is the founder and CEO of Tattvan.
Ayush Atul Mishra | Founder, Tattvan
Mr. Ayush Atul Mishra is a healthcare market researcher and a MedTech market enthusiast with a decade-long experience in healthcare research and analytics. Currently, he is the Managing Partner at Growman Research Group (GRG), one of the fastest-growing global healthcare market research firms based out of India.
Tattvan – How It All Started?
This journey began when the founder, Ayush Mishra suffered from an accident and couldn’t be treated in his hometown because it lacked proper healthcare facilities. The accident and events following his injury were a wake-up call. He realized there were countless others like him suffering needlessly because they didn’t have access to sound healthcare. Thatâs how the idea to open e-clinics in locations where existing healthcare facilities were inadequate took root.
The team consulted with a few leading players in the healthcare industry, including doctors in leading hospitals. After interacting with them, they knew that they were on to something big. These industry professionals encouraged and guided the Tattvan team, which gave them the confidence to put the plans into action. And thatâs how Tattvan was born.
Tattvan comes from the Sanskrit word Tattva which means qualities in the body and in all matter which are Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether.
Tattvan – Startup Launch
At Tattvan, the priority was to educate people about telemedicine. As mentioned, Tattvan opened the first telemedicine clinic in Bareilly. Since Bareilly is a tier 2 city people were unfamiliar with the concept. Hence the team marketed Tattvan using radio promotions, newspaper advertisements, and pamphlets.
The patients who could only be treated at big hospitals in Delhi needed to know that Tattvan could make their life hassle-free. Without leaving their towns, such patients could be treated by doctors practicing in renowned hospitals in Delhi. The most significant advantage was that positive word of mouth about Tattvan quickly spread. Every patient who visited Tattvan had an excellent experience and shared the same with others.
“Tattvan’s success is highlighted by the superb treatment outcomes of those we treat. For example, in Bareilly, distraught parents brought their three-year-old child who had been prescribed anti-seizure medication. Because of the drugs, the child was suffering immensely. He could not engage in playful activities like other children his age. A doctor at our e-clinic requested the boyâs parents to have him undergo a few tests and scans. Once completed, the doctor realized the boy had been incorrectly diagnosed and should not take the anti-seizure medication. The doctor tapered off the boyâs medication and transformed him into a happy and active three-year-old again.”, says Ayush recalling a success story.
Numerous such success stories have helped spread positive word of mouth about Tattvan. People come to Tattvan because it has earned their communityâs trust.
The most challenging part of this business was shaping the perception that e-clinics are no different from traditional clinics. In many small towns and cities in India, patients expect that every visit to a doctor entails a shot. Many don’t feel they have been treated unless they are injected. Patients also expect a doctor to use a stethoscope to examine them. At Tattvan e-clinics, doctors examine patients over a screen which means they don’t give a shot or use a stethoscope.
Thankfully the team has successfully molded the perception of e-clinics. Today patients are being treated at its e-clinics and they know that these e-clinics are as good as or better than the best hospitals anywhere. This perceptual shift was brought about by effectively treating patients. As word of mouth about Tattvanâs successes spread rapidly, people began to trust the brand. Today Tattvan enjoys incredible goodwill wherever it has clinics.
The growth of the online doctor consultation market during the ongoing Pandemic has been tough for Tattvan E-Clinic. There has been a huge spike in the number of online consultancies during these difficult times which has been a challenging task for Tattvan and its Team.
Tattvan – Growth
Tattvan has been going from strength to strength. Tattvan is currently operating 5 telemedicine clinics in UP and Uttarakhand, 9 mobile centers in rural UP and 1 in Kabul. With over half a dozen successful e-clinics in India and abroad, Tattvan is treating patients in Afghanistan and parts of Africa. It is also making a foray into China.
According to a report by Practo, online doctor consultations have increased 500% since March 2020, as five crore Indians are now accessing online healthcare amidst the COVID-19. And, this number has increased since then which has been a major challenge to the telemedicine industry.
âIn the future, we expect to open several dozen e-clinics across India and overseas. We believe we have the expertise and business model to bring quality healthcare to millions.â said Mr. Ayush Atul Mishra.
Feel free to reach us and share your feedback. We would love to hear from you. Do comment us in the comments section below. Happy Reading.
Tattvan – FAQ’s
What is Tattvan?
Tattvan delivers world-class healthcare to residents of cities and towns or wherever it is lacking.
What is an e-Clinic?
e-Clinic is a web-based clinic management system designed to help users manage and monitor their clinic over the day using any available device.
Who is the owner of Tattvan?
Ayush Atul Mishra is the owner of Tattvan.
What services does Tattvan provide?
Tattvan strives to bridge the gap by bringing the best healthcare on earth to everyone, especially to residents of small towns and cities.
What are some startup challenges faced by Tattvan?
The most challenging part of this business was shaping the perception that e-Clinics are no different from traditional clinics.
âCity of Dreamsâ, as many people express Mumbai, is a place that helps bring dreams to reality. Angel Investors are one of the means for you, to help achieve your dreams. Thereby, find the list of Angel Investors in Mumbai and get an insight on their specific Market Interests, Contact details and Major Investments. It is also essential for you to clear certain Myths about Angel Investors. We are here to help you out on all of it.
Mumbai isnât just the well-off city, but the Economic Hub of India, that has various Industrialists, CEOs, Entrepreneurs, Well-known companies, Directors, Producers, Artists, and what not! Â The place ‘Mumbai‘ has its own culture and architecture that makes it the spot of tourist attraction. Well, a place that is full of life and energetic minds, requires a guide and a financial supporter to enthusiastic people, for building up the initial base of their dreams. Thus, here comes the Role of Angel Investors who act as wizards for breeding minds to help them act upon their dreams.
Before, moving ahead to get insights on Angel Investors, Lets’ understand the Pre-built Myths about Angel Investors and the Reality Strike.
Myths vs Reality of Angel Investors
Unlock Your Startup’s Potential with Our Exclusive Investor Lists and Resources
Supercharge your startup’s success with our comprehensive resources. Access investor lists, pitch decks, KPIs, and fundraising guides. Connect with pre-seed investors, angel networks, and family offices, while mastering VC pitches. Ignite your entrepreneurial dreams today!
Arihant is the MD at Ideaspring Capital (an early-stage VC) and Hive Technologies (platform for launching startups in big data space). He acts as the MD at Patni Financial Advisor and as a Director of Nirvana Venture Advisors. An Entrepreneur, Financial Advisor, and Venture Capitalist, Arihant completed his B.Sc in Chemical Engineering from the reputable University of Pennsylvania and MBA from Babson College, with concentration in Entrepreneurship. He also did a Masters in Statistics from Columbia University.
Anupam Mittal is the Founder & CEO of People Group, which has created ventures like Shaadi.com, Mauj Mobile, and People pictures. He is one of the prominent angel investors in Mumbai with over 20 investments. He completed his studies in Commerce field from the esteemed Boston College. Before People Group, he served as the Product Manager at MicroStrategy in Washington.
Ratan Tata, one of the most influential business tycoons of India, is an investor & philanthropist. He is the recipient of Indiaâs esteemed awards Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan for his immense contribution to the country. He was associated with advisory boards for various companies like Mitsubishi, Temasek, JP Morgan Chase, and Rolls Royce. He serves as the former Chairman of the Tata Group. He completed his Bachelor of Arts from the esteemed St. Xaviers College, Mumbai.
Markets Interested
Digital Media, Education, Healthcare, Ecommerce, Technology
Anirudh, the MD at Artha India Ventures (an early-stage investment firm) is an energetic investor in startups and also a prominent member of the Indian Angel Network. He has a vast understanding and experience of the Indian Startup Ecosystem. He is always on a hunt to find new ideas and accept new challenges. Before Artha Ventures, he acted as the Investor director at FindUrClass and Klip.in. he obtained his Bachelor Degree in Economics & Business Administration from the esteemed Austin college
Zishaan is a successful entrepreneur and a prominent angel investor. He is the Founder and CEO of Toppr, an online education platform. Before getting associated with Toppr, he also co-founded a Phone commerce marketplace Chaupaati Bazaar, which was later acquired by the Future Group. He has also worked with Opera Solutions on various strategies and consulting projects. Being a graduate from IIT Delhi, in 2015, he was awarded the Young Alumni Achiever Award.
Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of Mahindra group, is a reputable businessman and also an active investor in emerging startups. He founded Project Nanhi Kali, an NGO that provides financial and academic support to underprivileged girls across India. He was included in the Fortune Magazineâs List of âWorldâs 50 Greatest Leadersâ. He did his MBA from the reputable, Harvard Business School.
Anand Mahindra’s Investments
Thinkerbell Labs, Local circles, among many others.
Kunal, the Co-founder of FreeCharge (Online mobile recharge platform), is a successful entrepreneur, mentor, and among the top angel investors in Mumbai. He acts as an active advisor at AngelList. He is also the Founder of CRED, Advisor to the board at Times group, and had been an advisor at Sequoia Capital.
Sandeep Tandon, the Co-founder of FreeCharge (Online mobile recharge platform), is an active angel investor in Mumbai. He has invested in and mentored various early-stage startups. Being the Member Board of Directors at CRED, partner at Whiteboard Capital, Non-executive chairman of Aavas Financiers, and the Member of Board of Advisors of Iron Pillar, Sandeep got exposure to various domains. He completed his studies in Engineering from the esteemed University of Southern California.
Markets Interested
Digital Media, Ecommerce, B2B, Online Marketplaces, Matrimonial, Healthcare
Sandeep Tandon’s Investments
Pocket Aces, Bharat Bazaar, ShaadiSaga, Flyrobe, Spinny among many.
Sanjay, the Director of CORE (Centre of Recognition and Excellence), is a prominent angel investor of Mumbai. He was the recipient of the âAngel Investor of the Yearâ award by LetsVenture in 2017. He is an active member of Indian Angel Network, Mumbai Angels, B2B 1K Ventures & CIO Angel Network, Venture Nursery. He has angel invested in more than 100 startups in diverse sectors. He did his Executive education in Venture Capital from the esteemed The Wharton School.
Ronnie, the Co-founder & Chairman of upGrad and also the Founder of Unilazer Ventures, is an entrepreneur and an experienced angel investor. He is also famous for the creation of UTV, leading Mass media aggregate. He did his Bachelorâs degree from the Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics.
Jitendra, the Founder of Citrus Pay, Jupiter, Lazy pay & MD of PayU India, is a well-experienced angel investor. He has got expertise in the field of Banking & Financial Services industry. Before Citrus, he was associated with ICICi Bank and as the Chief Manager of Global Investment Banking Group.
Vishal, the Founder & CEO of GOQii (platform from health and wellness solution), Vishal Gondal, is an entrepreneur cum angel investor. He has acted as a major contributory in modifying the journey of many startups. Believing in leading and motivating startups to get extraordinary results, Vishal expresses the importance of extra effort & commitment Before, he was associated with the Walt Disney Co. and India Games Ltd.
Haresh, Partner at True North (Private equity firm), is one of the active investors in the Indian startup ecosystem. He is an alumnus of the reputable IIT Bombay & IIM Calcutta. Earlier, he had been associated as a Group CEO at Viacom18 & Network18. He also acted as the General Manager of Times Group & the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation.
Ajeet Khurana, the Former CEO of Zebpay (Mobile wallet for cryptocurrencies), is an entrepreneur and angel investor. He is skilled in building teams, ensuring performance, scaling, digital strategy, planning, and negotiation. He was also associated as an Advisor at Kalaari Capital, a Consultant at ii5 Ventures ltd and as the CEO of IIT Bombayâs business incubator: SINE. He completed his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.
Markets Interested
Cryptocurrency, E-stores, Fashion, Technology, Digital Media, Healthcare
Ajeet Khurana’s Investments
Medd, WittyFeed, Leaf Wearables, Stitchwood among others
Sanjay, an Operating Partner at GSF India (Venture capital firm & accelerator), is a wise mentor and an active angel investor. His portfolio is majorly composed of tech startups. He also acts as an Independent Director at Easy Home Finance Ltd. Earlier, he served as the President & CMO at Reliance Capital and also as the Marketing Head at Allianz Life Insurance. He excels at negotiations & alliances.
Anuj, the Co-Founder of Venture Catalysts (Start-up Incubator) & Samyakth Capital (Hybrid growth fund), is among the prominent angel investors in Mumbai. He has over 15 years of experience across various fields which includes real estate, financial services, manufacturing, and internet companies. By profession, he is a chartered accountant.
Markets Interested
Digital media, Cryptocurrency, Fintech, Ecommerce, Education, Real Estate
Anuj Golecha’s Investments
LenDenClub, Inc42, Koinex, Fynd, Supr Daily, Bharatpe among many.
Japan, the Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Sixth Sense Ventures, is a well-experienced angel investor. He has mentored and invested in various Indian startups and helped them in their journey of growth & development. He is also the Chartered Member of TiE Mumbai. Earlier, he served as the Director at IDFC Investment Advisors Ltd.
Anand, the CEO at Everest Flavours ltd., is an active member of the Indian angel network and Mumbai angels. He has got immense experience in International Trade.
He is also member of National Executive Committee of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), Managing Committee of FIEO (Federation of Indian Export Organisations). He has his footprints set on various social and charitable organisations.
Amit, the Co-Founder & Director of Raay Global and also the Chairman of Nirvana Venture Advisors, is a prominent angel investor in the Indian startup ecosystem. Additionally, he is also a promoter shareholder of Patni Computers and former Director of PCS Technology Ltd., Partner at The Hive-India & Ideaspring Capital. He holds a Bachelor in Commerce and an MBA from Babson College, Boston.
Vaibhav, he is a partner at Karnavat & Co and a prominent angel investor. In addition to that, he is a partner at Itreat Grocers LLP and also acted as CEO of Jewelex International Pvt Ltd. He did his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting & Finance from the H R College of Commerce & Economics and is Chartered Accountant by qualification.
Dr. Apoorv, the Co-founder & President of Venture Catalysts, is one of the prominent angel investors in Mumbai. He also acts as the Board member at TiE Mumbai. Earlier, he served as the Vice President of Indian Angel Network and as the General Manager at Amity Innovation Incubator. He did his Ph.D. in Incubation from Amity University, Graduated in Engineering from HBTI, Kanpur, and Diploma in Mentor Studies of Berkley Institute of Management, University of California, USA.
Rajeev, the Founder of Magnetic Partners, is a well-experienced angel investor in the Indian start-up ecosystem. Earlier, he acted as the CEO & MD of JM Financial Services.
Pravin, He is the General Partner at Seedfund (Early-stage venture capital fund) and the owner of the Infinity Technology Venture Fund. In addition to that, he acts as the Board Member of TiE Mumbai and as an Advisor at Aavishkaar India Micro Venture Capital Fund.
The Founder & Director of Malpani Ventures, Dr. Aniruddha, is a doctor-turned angel investor. He also acts as the Director at Solidarity Investment Advisors and the Board member of Invention Labs.
Aakrit, the Co-founder & CEO of Haptik (Conversational AI Platform), is an entrepreneur and an active angel investor. He is also the co-founder of Flat.io, a real estate platform and the Director of Winmark Enterprises  Earlier, he served as the director at Flurry Inc., Business Technology Analyst at Deloitte Consulting LLP and as a Financial analyst at Chicago Transit Authority.
Markets Interested
Education, Technology, AI, eCommerce, Healthcare
Aakrit Vaish’s Investments
Unacademy, ION Energy, Dataweave, Haikujam, Tookitaki, Talent Litmus among others
Bharat, the CEO & Senior President of Aditya Birla Group, is an active member of the Indian Angel Network, CIO Angel Network, Venture Nursery, and The Indus Entrepreneurs. He is an experienced person in varied fields like Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions, business development, and investing. He is the recipient of the “Professional Achiever â Finance Sector” Award from the ICAI.
Bharat Banka’s Investments
OYO, Perpetuiiti Tech, Invenzone, TalView, Vegayan, AdStringo, InstaSafe among others
Devesh Chawla, Founder & CEO of Chatur Ideas, a Startup enabling platform. He is an active investor, TEDx speaker, and mentor to budding entrepreneurs. He is a recipient of various awards which includes “Youth Leadership Award” by Trade Commissioner of Canada, âMahatma Gandhi Samman Awardâ, âEntrepreneur of the Year 2018″ and “CEO of the Year 2019”
He did his MBA in Finance and Insurance from the Mumbai Education Trust-Institute of Management and his Bachelorâs Degree in Computer Engineering from the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology.
Devesh Chawla’s Investments
NUOS, Cloudrino, Hublio, Koonk Technologies, and others.
Vikram, the Founding partner at 8i Ventures, is a prominent angel investor. He also acts as the Board Advisor to Blue Tokai and Signzy, and the co-founder & Board Member of Eight Capital. He did his MBA in Accounting & Finance from the New York University, MBA in Personnel Management & Industrial relations from the XLRI Jamshedpur and Bcom in Finance from the Shri Ram College of Commerce.
Farooq, the Co-founder of Fynd (Online Shopping Platform), is an entrepreneur and an active angel investor. He is a graduate from the IIT Bombay and also was associated with Opera Solutions before founding Fynd. He is an alumnus of the esteemed IIT Bombay.
Abhishek Shah, the Founder & CEO of Wellthy Therapeutics is a prominent angel investor in the Indian startup ecosystem. He did his MBA in Finance, strategy & Leadership from the Esteemed Indian School of Business.
Markets Interested
Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, E-commerce, IT, Food & Beverage, AI, Healthtech, Big Data
Abhishek’s Investments
Bizly, ZipDial (Acquired by Twitter), Innerchef, Haptik, Greatist, Silverpush, Meddo Health, myUpchar.com, Â Doxper, among many
Sohil is an Early stage investor and a prominent entrepreneur. With experiences in firms like Bank of America, Fortune Financial Services & Intellecap Impact Investments, he has explored his field of interest with enthusiasm and curiosity. He completed his MS in Finance from The University of Michigan.
Bhavik, the Founder & Chairman of Vamaship (Indiaâs largest e-commerce logistics marketplace), is a focused investor & entrepreneur. He also serves as a Director at BVC ventures. Being a part of various angel networks, he has gained exposure in several tech enabled startups. With regards to academic exposure, he was part of Harvard, London School of Economics, Indian School of Business, Singularity University & Narsee Monjee.
Markets Interested
Mobile Advertising, Social Media, Digital Media, Transportation, Logistics, E-commerce, Travel & Tourism, Software Technology
Siddharth is the Founder & CEO of Noesis.tech. He was also the founding partner at 369 Solutions. With a keen passion for technology, Siddharth constantly attempts to create a platform to monetize knowledge.
Being associated with Protiviti India & StyleCracker as Consultant and Advisor at Umoja & FoxyMoron Media Solutions, he gained immense experience and exposure in his field of domain.
This was our list of Angel Investors in Mumbai. Hope the contact details of these Angel Investors helped you! If you are an investor or know any Angel Investor in Mumbai, connect with us at shubham@startuptalky.com to get featured in the list.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Anvayaa.
While the whole world is rushing to make products and cater services to the Millenials, some startups are catering to elder care in India. Among the various Elder Care Startups in India, Anvayaa Kin Care is one among them. Anvayaa is founded by Mr. Prashanth Reddy and Mrs. Deepika Reddy in 2016.
Anvayaa aims at the empowerment of the elderly as envisaged by their loved ones, who, due to unavoidable circumstances, cannot be physically present with them over a while. The Organization aims to provide a reliable and trustworthy support system that is a 360-degree Technology Enabled Service which not only provides Medical Support but also acts as a Social and Emotional buttress that synergizes the Overall well-being of the senior and brings about a paradigm shift in their happiness quotient & zest for life.
Anvayaa Elder care also empowers its users with greater control over the nature, methodology, quality, and type of service provided to their loved ones. These include Emergency Care, Daily necessities, Health Improvement, Social engagements, Emotional bonding, and overall support.
Read this article to know more about Anvayaa Elder Care success story, Anvayaa Founder, Business Model, Funding, History etc.,
Anvayaa is Indiaâs only 360-degree, technology-enabled personalized senior care platform that offers a one-stop solution for all elder care needs be it assisting with healthcare, medical emergencies, socialization requirements, daily-needs, and payment management in addition to any other services that the elderly might require at their homes. To achieve these objectives, the company has tied-up with over 150 partners covering a range of services that include Home healthcare, hospitality, pharmacy, diagnostics, home maintenance providers, libraries, grocery, surveillance and security, lawyers and more.
Anvayaa allocates dedicated Care Managers to every elderly family who personally monitors the fulfillment of their needs. These Care Managers not only schedule doctor appointments & accompany the elders on their visits but also attend to medical emergencies. Also, they accompany the elderly while shopping, dinner, movies, entertainment, helping them shifting, finding a handyman to cater to mundane repairs, help with property & financial management including bill payments, medical claim reimbursements, online banking and more.
As an organization, Anvayaa strives towards creating trust and offering care to the elderly by being “a part” of their families while the kids live “apart” from elders. The salient aspect of the Anvayaa Care Managers and Service Providers is that they have Verified Backgrounds and are registered with the Police âHawk-eyeâ (In Telangana).
The idea is to create awareness regarding the firmâs existence and excel in the services provided to seniors for being able to generate continuous referrals, while the ultimate vision is to be known as the best company for Senior Care Services in India. The ultimate mission of the Company is to make India a Senior Friendly Nation in consonance with our Ancient Traditional values and as desired by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
Anvayaa – USP and Innovation
Anvayaa Elder care is a first in India to be the 360-degree senior care platform.
The Business model is unique & Innovative. Anvayaa follows the People-Partners-Technology process. Through the platform, it delivers high touch personalized services to elders that can provide a sense of empowerment & dignity.
The technology platform ensures the optimal use of technology.
Transparency of service delivery.
IoT and AI integration towards transitioning from being a reactive care provider to a proactive care provider.
âWe believe that we, by far, have the most innovative technology platform in the entire country in the eldercare space for efficient care and predictable service for senior citizens. Unique features such as the medical record management, Medical Emergency tracking system, auto reminders, E-wallet for managing bills/payments for parents are all currently available under our tech platform,â said Mr. Prashanth Reddy, Founder of Anvayaa.
The unique Anvayaa mobile app also empowers members to scan a QR code and verify the details of care managers for improved security. Cutting-edge Technology powers their day-to-day operations and provides the users with web and mobile interfaces to get real-time alerts on every service delivered. Care Managers also have dedicated mobile applications to manage tasks, handle medical emergencies and provide individual-specific care.
India is projected to have 350+ Million Estimated Senior citizens by 2050. Out of which 0.9 Million will be this ventureâs target senior Families. The number of families living in metros is estimated to grow to 2.5 Million by 2050.
The market for products and services for seniors is expected to increase from almost $320 billion in 2013 to $436.6 billion by 2018 globally, representing a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4 percent.
According to a market research report by BCC Research. The global research agency Persistence estimates that the global elder care services market will reach a market valuation of USD 1767 billion by the end of 2025 reflecting an 8.4% CAGR over this period. For Anvayaa, the team envisions expanding its services across all Metros PAN India and also bringing in IoT and AI-based solutions for proactive care. They are anticipating to grow by 200% YoY in the next 5 years.
Prashanth Reddy is the Founder and Managing Director of Anvayaa.
Prashanth Reddy, Anvayaa Founder
Prashanth met another co-founder apart from his wife, through a common friend. He had returned from Australia after his MBA and had earlier worked with Deloitte. Prashant spent a few hours with him and explained the overall concept and what he was trying to achieve. Then they met again after a couple of days and Prashant did give up another employment opportunity to join Anvayaa as it was emotionally connecting to him.
Prashanth Reddy has worked with Tata Consultancy Services in multiple leadership roles across the USA, Europe, Africa, and India in his 26 years of experience. He was the CEO of APOnline, a JV between Govt. of AP and TCS. He has been an entrepreneur for 12 years. He is a Computer Science Engineer and Alumni of UCLA â Anderson School of Management.
Deepika Reddy is the Director, manages the Financial Aspects and is involved in Strategy of Anvayaa. She has worked in the Financial and Insurance Industry for more than 15 years and was heading health and general insurance underwriting roles for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Prashanth Patkar is the Head of Operations. He has a dazzling MBA from Australia and has worked as a Team Lead at Deloitte before joining Anvayaa for over 5 years. He heads the Operations of Anvayaa and plays a key role in New customer acquisition and managing day to day operations
The current company size at Anvayaa is 48 Employees and the company has a very open work culture with less hierarchy. They normally hire from Social work colleges and most of the hiring happens through internal references or references from friends and other professional colleagues.
Anvayaa – How did it start?
Having moved back to Hyderabad, India from the United States to take care of his elderly parents, Prashanth Reddy realized that a lot of his friends and cousins from the US reached out to him to help their parents. Though he politely obliged, later he realized that there has to be a better way to look into such needs of parents those who live independently.
One can fall back on friends and relatives in times of emergencies but will soon realize it is not always possible to seek their help for different reasons. One canât expect them to attend to every small need. One must not forget their very purpose of existence, which is their parents who sacrificed and at the majority of times went beyond their abilities to ensure you are where you are today. It is time to take this opportunity that did not exist earlier and provide parents with care, comfort, and convenience.
âNot Providing Care to Our elderly is Abuseâ, quoted Prashanth Reddy.
With this very belief the team chooses to make the life of an elderly peaceful and make them live with dignity in the society. Another quote the company uses more frequently is âDonât wait until you see an empty Chairâ. The Call to action is “act now”. This is to give the right message for the kids who want to provide the care for their elders and they did not have such an option earlier.
Thus, Anvayaa – which is a Sanskrit word that translates into âFamilyâ,came to existence in early 2016. Anvayaa is Indiaâs only 360 degree technology-enabled personalized senior care platform that offers one-stop- solutions for all elderly needs.
Once the team decided to start this company, the task was to find a suitable name. The core team initially started calling it Hap50 like happy after 50 years. Prashanth Reddy was however very particular in having a Sanskrit name for the company as they are Indians.
âMy family was sitting in our living room and my wife, mom, and my daughter started to look for Sanskrit names with a meaning of old age, services, etc. But none were very impressive for us,â said Mr.Prashanth Reddy.
Finally, it was his daughter who started to search alternatives from Family in Sanskrit as we are serving a family and not just senior citizens. She found this name âANVAYAâ and it felt good for all of them.
anvayaa Logo, tagline
âWe then started to look for domains and we could find Anvayaa.com and there we go. We had the final Name âANVAYAA KIN CAREâ.â Added Mr. Prashanth Reddy.
The logo was another challenge. The team wanted to use the colors suitable for soothing, elders and caring with compassion. So the logo stands for all that and they were able to finalize after a few iterations.
The tagline of Anvayaa is another important story. This came up for discussions when one of their friends came from Australia and said you donât have a tagline for people to understand. So the team started discussing and in that discussion they came up with âCare. Comfort. Convenienceâ as they were the most important things they were delivering to the customers and families.
Anvayaa – Startup Launch
Prashanth Reddy started with Secondary research with the available information on the public domain and it was all flooded with health care needs the seniors requires as no one is around to take care of them and the relevant numbers etc. He wanted to do Primary research and find out what was needed. So he decided to hire a few MBA Interns and prepared a survey.
Together with the interns, they obtained survey from about 400 people across Hyderabad who are all senior citizens and to their surprise, the need was to have a comprehensive service provider rather than just health and medical care.
Further to validate, they launched another survey targeting NRIs who lived away from parents and there the team got a positive response that was needed for them. Hence Prashanth Reddy and the core team officially launched Anvayaa.
The team used the following methods to target and attain potential customers:
Digital Marketing entirely – SEOâs, Google PPCâs and social media platforms.
Being transparent has always been the strategy. One Number for all the needs of the elderly is working very well for them.
Preferred pricing from all our vendors for Anvayaa Members. The partnerships includes the likes of Apolloâs, Porteaâs Nightingales, 1MG, HouseJoy, Stanplus and more such reputed partners that help Anvayaa deliver quality care.
Predictability of Services and Compassion of the Care Managers.
Digital Marketing on real-life events and testimonials has worked as the best growth hack.
Regular feedback and actions.
Anvayaa – Business Model and Revenue Model
The Anvayaa revenue comes essentially from Anvayaa subscriptions revenue through Anvayaa members. The annual membership pricing starts from INR 50K- to INR 200K- per year per family depending on the type of services needed by them.
Anvayaa – Startup Challenges
Anvayaa, even though being a social startup, still faces a fair share of challenges. Some of them being direct competition,continuous focus on innovation & new market strategies and customizing subscription models based on customer needs for increased customer acceptance. Also, not meeting planned customer acquisitions, devise customer referral programs, increasing scope by rapid expansion to other cities are some other challenges faced by Anvayaa.
Anvayaa – Funding and Investors
The Anvayaa funding is essentially bootstrapped. In March 2019, Anvayaa raised INR 1.5 Crores from the teamâs friends and family.
There are various Eldercare startups in India, such as Life Circle Senior Services, Healers at Home, Nightingales, Care 24, Seniority, Athulya Assisted Living, SeniorShelf and Elder Ease.
Anvayaa – Advisors and Mentors
Mr. Shakti Sagar – Founding leaders of Hyderabadâs IT industry. He has been part of many start-ups since the 1970s. Also, he has been an ADP India Managing Director.
Anvayaa – Growth
Anvayaa is operational in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Mumbai (from April-1st, 2020) and planning to start operations in Mumbai and Vizag from July 1st -2020. It has revenue of INR 2.5 Crores in FY19.
Anvayaa has a userbase of over 800 subscribed members. Majority of clients of Anvayaa are IT professionals.
Anvayaa – Awards and Recognition
The following awards are backed by Anvayaa:
Awarded HYSEA best software product under the social impact category
Recognized as the Hy 10 most to be watched startup by HYSEA for the year 2019
Global Top 10 social impact sector at the City Preneurs-2019 Award Seoul, South Korea-the only international start-up platform in the world that focuses on building the capacity of young entrepreneurs to offer revenue-generating solutions that help solve urban challenges within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Awarded Social Enterprise award by Action for India 2019
Awarded Best Start-upâs Pitch among 250+ start-ups across India, at E-Summit 2020 @IIT Madras
Anvayaa Kin Care bags the prestigious HYSEA Award 2019
Anvayaa – Future Plans
Anvayaa’s future plans consists of:
Expansion to new Metro cities and aggressive customer acquisition
Transitioning from being a reactive care provider to proactive care provider with the help of (New wearable technology for seniors)
Investing in wearable technology and moving to tier 2 and tier 3 cities enabling revenue generation.
Technology platform stability
Stronger partner ecosystem
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is Anvayaa?
Anvayaa is Indiaâs only 360-degree, technology-enabled personalized senior care platform that offers a one-stop solution for all elder care needs. It is useful for NRIs living abroad to take care of elders.
How much does Anvayaa charge?
The annual membership pricing starts from INR 50K- to INR 200K- per year per family depending on the type of services needed by them.
Where is Anvayaa services available?
Anvayaa is operational in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and plans to expand further.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verifiedinformation ondifferent startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by the organization it is based on.
With all the awareness initiatives and the movements taking place in the field of mental health, we see people talking about it but we actually donât see people understanding what in reality goes behind being mentally unhealthy. For those whoâve felt like, âso many people have told me to open up, but nobody really understands whatâs going onâ, Bani Singh and Drishti Gupta launched nowandme.com in 2018.
Nowandme.com is an online safe space thatâs bridging the gap between people, their problems and someone who wants to hear them and lend a helping hand. This venture believes in the power of human experiences and the community. The aim of this company is to develop a community where people can share their experiences and emotions without the fear of being judged. Also, this portal publishes blogs and videos on the website to generate awareness about pressing issues like mental health.
Itâs as simple as logging onto nowandme.com and pouring your heart out!
Now&Me has shared and displayed more than 4000 personal and heartfelt experiences. Meaningful, wholesome and sensitive interactions take place among the community every day. One can choose to post/respond anonymously as well. nowandme.com is a pace where you can truly be who you are. It is basically a form of kinder internet, where you donât have to pretend to be someone youâre not.
nowandme.com lets you connect with strangers on a deeper level and allows you to heal, learn and grow through mixed experiences of individuals. It acts as a platform for people going through a rough phase in life and wanting someone to talk to. Even those who want to share their achievements and success stories can be found. It is a community that is growing with each passing day.
Now&Me is a glocal brand, which started in Delhi-NCR. It conducts various offline events and workshops regularly. The most recent one being on ‘Stress Relief’ at IIT-Delhi. Another event on ‘Social Media’ was conducted by the team at LSR. ‘Create Don’t Hate’ was organized at SelectCity CityWalk Mall in association with JustDelhiing. The team has also created offline no-judgment zones, talking circles, network therapy, and safe spaces to encourage catharsis and been an active part of activities like Drum Circle – Music Therapy and Art Therapy as well.
According to the WHO, âThere is growing evidence of the global impact of mental illness. Mental health problems are among the most important contributors to the burden of disease and disability worldwide. 5 of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide are mental health problems. They are as relevant in low-income countries as they are in rich ones, cutting across age, gender, and social strata. Furthermore, all predictions indicate that the future will see a dramatic increase in mental health problems.â
Founders of Now&Me and team
Bani & Drishti, Cofounders of Now&Me
Now&Me co-founders Bani Singh and Drishti Gupta are college friends. Both of them graduated from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University in May 2019 with a degree in statistics. They officially started working together in February 2019, while in the last year of college. Bani mainly handles the creatives (content+curation) while Drishti looks into the technology, communications, and outreach. Usually, it is a bit of everything that the two of them need to pay attention to.
The Now&Me team also includes tech support staff and constant help from interns. They only recruit individuals who are passionate about the cause and can grasp the complexities and commitment required to run the organization. The team mainly hires in the field of web development, content creation and communications.
How was Now&Me Started?
The idea and inspiration for the company came to the co-founders after seeing the people around who were going through some or the other issues or problems in life, but were not able to find an outlet to let out their troubles. Drishti and Bani tested the idea amongst the peers in college, and their response was taken into consideration.
Now&Me – Name and Logo
Now&Me logo
Other than the obvious choice of domain availability, the name- âNow and Meâ signifies being in the present with oneâs feelings.
Now&Me was launched through word of mouth and social media while the co-founders were in college. Support from friends and families helped Drishti and Bani in giving the initial push to the brand. Regular offline events helped as well in building the brand identity. Everybody is going through something in life and everybody needs a shoulder to lean on. NowAndMe is that shoulder.
âTo spread awareness among people regarding our product, we constantly share content on our social media pages and also upload informative blogs every week on the website, most of which are written by mental health experts. This has attracted more people and motivated them to share their feelings with us.â says Bani, co-founder of nowandme.
Now&Me – Startup Challenges
The biggest challenge for Now&Me is the long-standing stigma around mental health, that stops people from seeking help even when they know that itâs the right thing to do. Conducting safe, small talking circles in an attempt to encourage people to open up and own their feelings has proved to be extremely novel and successful in getting peopleâs attention.
Now&Me – Funding and Investors
NowAndMe has been bootstrapped and has not raised any funds yet.
Now&Me – Revenue Model
NowAndMe is a free platform and records no revenue.
Now&Me – Growth
nowandme.com gets over 10,000 unique visits every week, and has about 1000 registered users.
nowandme.com ranks amongst the best 10k websites in India (via Alexa Rankings)
Mr. Ankur Warikoo, former CEO, nearbuy.com is an esteemed supporter.
NowAndMe has conducted events on âStress Management and Mindfulnessâ in esteemed institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD)
The co-founders say that while they want to keep the platform free, they also want to provide users with access to the right kind of knowledge and professionals. For this, they will be compiling different means of recourse available, such as online and offline therapy, 24/7 helplines and tele-counselling services, and workshops.
Now&Me – Future Plans
âAlong with the sharing platform, we also aim to become the Yellow Pages for Mental Health in India.â Now&Me founder Bani Singh said emphasizing on the company’s future plans.
The long-term agenda is to integrate good professional help in the Now&Me platform along with its existing endeavors towards mental health and its affordability, availability and accessibility.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verifiedinformation ondifferent startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by the organization it is based on.
Gone are the days when one had to rely on word of mouth to find a good doctor, or when one had to stand in queues to book an appointment with the doctor. Thanks to the online appointment booking platforms, finding the best doctors is now easier than never before. Through these platforms, one can find doctors specific to oneâs health problem and book appointment in clicks.
One such platform that is simplifying the process of booking an appointment with the doctor and diagnostic centers isDocttocare. Moving a step forward this Bangalore based startup even arranges for transportation of the patient to the clinic if required, thus making good quality health care services more accessible.
StartupTalky interviewed Docttocare founder Sugandha to learn further about this startup.
Docttocare is an online healthcare service provider. Docttocare provides its users information about the best doctors, clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centers. The platform also offers virtual walkthroughs of the ambiance to showcase hospitality and their facilities. It makes booking appointments super easy and assures the confirmation of online appointment through call, SMS or email. Docttocare launched its services in 2018 at NASSCOM Bangalore.
Docttocare is one of the leading healthcare online portals that enable users from non-metro cities to access and book an appointment with doctors and hospitals located in major cities. Docttocare app handholds the users through the entire process of identifying the right doctors/hospitals and scheduling appointments on the desired date. Docttocare covers everything from dentist, gynecologist, dermatologist, ENT, ayurvedic and homeopathy.
Docttocare is making lives easy for doctors too. Docttocare helps the doctors increase the visibility of the services provided by them, and also provides facilities such as seamless integration with online payment. It also lets the doctors view patient records from anywhere, remind the patients about the appointment and manage the clinic through Docttocare dashboard. Â
Global Appointment Scheduling Software Market
The global appointment scheduling market was valued at 160 million USD in 2017 and is expected to surpass 360 million USD by the end of 2023. Again, the doctorâs appointment booking software market alone is expected to grow at a rate of 16.56% for the next five years, i.e. till 2023.
Sugandha Agarwal is the founder and CEO of Docttocare
Founder & CEO of Docttocare
Docttocare is a single female founder company. Sugandha Agarwal is the founder and CEO of Docttocare. An electrical, electronics & communication engineer by qualification, Sugandha worked with reputed organizations like Infosys, Oracle and Google Maps before starting Docttocare.
I do everything except writing codes. Jokes apart, driving partnerships with hospital brands, building end-user acquisition strategies, spending time with product positioning, etc are key responsibilities, says Sugandha Agarwal.
Docttocare has 15 members of team right now and looking for expanding in a couple of months.
Docttocare – Name and Logo
The name Docttocare has been derived from âDoctor to careâ.
Instant online ambulance booking – This feature allows the users to book an ambulance online instantly. Once booked, the user can track the live status of the fleet, the arrival time of the ambulance the expected time it will take to travel.
Blood Bank Facility â Lets users track the availability of bold groups with the hospital.
Manages health reports â Docttocare lets the users search, compare, evaluate and also share health record and prescription with doctors, thus making the platform user-friendly.
Simplifies the process of shortlisting a doctor or medical center – Docttocare allows the users to choose the best of doctors and clinics or hospitals based on ratings and helps the users in making an informed decision. It also provides a virtual 3D panoramic tour of the hospital thus making the users get a fair idea of the hospital or clinic even before visiting the place.
Docttocare also offers free cancellation and re-scheduling of appointments. Â
Docttocare has a simple commission – based revenue model. While the services are free for the patients, it charges a 10% commission from the hospitals.
Docttocare – Funding and Investors
Docttocare raised seed funding worth INR 4 Crore in May 2019.
Funding Date
Funding Stage
Funding Amount
Investor
May 2019
Seed
INR 4 Crore
Krishna Kumar Devnally
Docttocare – User Acquisition
Getting the initial set of customers required great effort. The Docttocare team roamed around Bangalore and enrolled the small clinics.
âWe used to visit at least 20 clinics per day. After some time when we started getting revenue from appointments then we realized Tier 2 cities people are more keen to get treated by reputed doctors, and they need transport as well, which we tried to solveâ, recalls Sugandha.
Currently, Docttocare is focusing on tier 2 and tier 3 cities to provide access to prime hospitals and connecting them with ambulance service and proving stay also.
Docttocare – Startup Challenges
Docttocare | Team Hustle
âStartup journeys are full of challenges, which to be honest, I didnât realize before taking the plunge. Thanks to the media, who always show the shiny side of it. Â Keeping professional and personal life separate & fulfilling is one of the biggest challenges and I had to let one of them go for a few years.â said Sugandha.
Building the team, acquiring an initial set of customers/partners, honing her selling skills were part of the early days’ challenges for Sugandha. Besides, though she had a brief coding background and was able to keep up with the engineering/product team but being in sync with them fully took her some time.
Challenges like customer acquisition, revenue were there since day one, but Docttocare now has a qualified team to take care of these aspects. Another major problem was raising funds.
âRaising funds was the other (good) problem we solved. While starting up, I did not realize that Iâd have the inherent disadvantage of being a solo female founder. I got my reality check, when one of the prominent angel investors with a massive following on social media, mentioned this fact bluntly to me. They didnât even delve into business and rejected the deal outright. But being a female founder gives you additional strength (in terms of team management and creativity), which not many investors realize. Incidentally, I met with our investor/mentor a year ago and he decided to support usâ narrates Sugandha.
Along with being the investor of Docttocare, Krishnakumar also plays the role of a mentor for the company. He is the Director of M-Power Solutions.
Docttocare – Growth
Through its excellent services, Docttocare has been successful to slowly gain trust from doctors and patients alike.
The company has enrolled all the major hospitals like Apollo, Manipal, Medanta and many more.
Docttocare is now getting around 300 + appointments per day.
4000+ medical tests have been done through Docttocare.
500+ clinics, 100+ hospitals and 2000+ doctors are registered with it. Â
Docttocare – Future Plans
Docttocare is planning to bring many positive changes in the healthcare scenario of India.
Emphasizing on Docttocareâs future plans, Sugandha said âI want to take healthcare in India to a much higher level. We have a dearth of doctors in this country and the patient count is undoubtedly increasing. People often ignore their minor health-issues, either due to lack of healthcare service or because of effort/cost that may go into addressing it.”
Awareness of health issues would be their next goal. How can they help you to be healthy without investing much? Something as simple as cutting refined sugar & unhealthy fat from the diet, eating your dinner early in the day, etc can go a long way in improving the fitness standard.
Making quality healthcare accessible to masses has been the company’s dream and they are very early in solving it. Currently, they have to move people to let them enjoy the benefits of high-quality services, but the eventual goal would be to send services wherever they are. Training local people on healthcare services, equipping them with the right tools and making them work under the supervision of qualified practitioners is the way forward.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verifiedinformation ondifferent startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by ekincare.
Lives have become easier, safer and better with technology. Today every aspect of our lives is touched by technology and one of the most important sector which is affected by technology is the Healthcare sector. Health-tech companies are coming up with innovative concepts to improve healthcare services. ekincare, a  health-tech startup, is helping corporates take better care of their employee’s health.
As of May 2020, ekincare  claims to have seen a 221% increase in online doctor consultations, and that 76% of doctor consults were non-COVID related.
Read ahead to know more about ekincare Company Profile, Funding, Growth, History, Success Story, Founders, competitors etc.,
To fight COVID-19, ekincare is helping India Inc by offering free telemedicine services to employees of more than 600 companies and their dependents.
It has also built a symptom checker for self-assessment, temperature tracking into the platform which enables employees and their dependents to check themselves for the coronavirus symptoms, seek doctor consults if at risk, followed by COVID-19 RT-PCR testing if required by ICMR approved network partners pan India.
âWe have added more than 50 corporates in just the last four months, with most of them opting for health benefits for the first time. From the client acquisition point of view, we had the best four months in the history of eKincare. We today are in 100 cities pan-India catering to over 200 companies serving 3.5 lakh lives.â Says Kiran Kalakuntla, Foudner ekincare
ekincare – About and How it Works
ekincare is a patent-pending AI powered integrated health benefits platform helping organizations monitor the health and well-being of the employees. The integrated platform provides access to multitude of  healthcare services such as 24*7 chat with doctors, health check-ups, medicines purchase and delivery, Gyms etc. ekincare provides health check services across 50+ cities all across India through 500+ NABL / NABH / CAP / ISO certified diagnostic centers. The company claims to have strategic partners across more than 2000 locations in India.
ekincare offers solutions for employees, organizations and also for insurance companies.
ekincare Solutions for Employees
ekincare acts as a one stop platform where a user can maintain all health related records and get tips, guidance and solutions to stay healthy.
The solutions that ekincare app provides to the employees are-
Employees can personalize the ekincare app by completing the ‘ Health Risk Assessment’, that the app prompts the users to do. After personalization, ekincare offers the users recommendations to stay fit based on the users lifestyle, family history etc
Using the ekincare app users can chat with general physicians 24/7 and can also talk to specialists.
ekincare lets the users digitize all his medical records and reposit them with ekincare so that these can be shared with doctors when required.
Employees can also order medicines through the ekincare app at discounted rates.
Users can sync their wearables like Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava, Gramin or Fitbit with the ekincare app
Employees can also take various challenges, earn points and redeem the same for availing healthcare services.
ekincare Solutions for Organizations
With the help ekincare, organizations can organize well-being programs like health check up camps etc in the office premise or any nearby partner diagnostic centers of  ekincare. Organizations can also organize employee specific activities and challenges. These activities and events helps organizations engage better with the employees
By using the detailed and analyzed health related data of the employees that ekincare provides, organizations can negotiate with the insurance providers for reduced premiums for their employee insurance plans.
Real-time analytics regarding employees health helps organizations take various predictive health initiative for the employees.
ekincare Solutions for Insurance Companies
Using ekincare data insurance companies can divide the population in terms of high, medium and low risk segments.
Insurance companies get information regarding accurate health related data of the insured individuals. Using ekincare eliminates the scope of manipulation of the data by intermediary.
By gaining insights from the ekincare data, insurance companies can develop new products, better suited to customer needs.
ekincare aims to create a preventive, predictive and highly personalized healthcare journey for individuals to help them adopt a healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, the company wants to empower the corporates with data and technology to reduce the overall health risks.
The global corporate well-being market was valued at US$ 29,266.9 Â million in 2017. It is projected to reach the valuation of US$ 61,690.9 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 9% from 2018 to 2026.
The well-being industry in India is estimated to rise and touch INR 500 billion. The well-being program alone is going to claim almost 25% of the market and it is expected that the growth of the particular segment will be almost 30% every year. The demand and supply gap in the corporate sector regarding the well-being service can be a huge opportunity for the entrepreneurs.
Adoption of Corporate well-being program can save India Inc. income up to US$ 20 billion by 2018 through a reduction in absenteeism rate by 1.00 percent and at the same time improve chronic and lifestyle diseases of corporate and employees, according to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) latest paper.
Kiran Kalakuntla and Srikanth Samudrala are the Founders of ekincare.
Kiran Kalakuntla, CEO of ekincare
Kiran is a graduate from Duke University. He has a 10+ yrs of experience in building and marketing 30+ technology products like Moto X, worldâs 1st 3D smartphone and RFID. Kiran has managed $100 million in product sales for AT&T.
Srikanth Samudrala, CTO of ekincare
Srikanth Samudrala is the Chief Technology Officer & Co-founder of ekincare. Srikanth is a graduate from IIT Madras. He has 11+ yrs of experience in building large scale web and mobile applications for Barclays and HSBC. He founded Teamroq, an open source enterprise collaboration platform. Srikanth is responsible for the overall product roadmap and technology in eKincare.
Dr. Noel Coutinho, Sr. Vice President of ekincare
Dr. Noel Coutinho is the SVP BD & Sales at ekincare. Noel graduated in BHMS, MHA (TISS), AIII. He has 15+ yrs of experience in the health and life insurance  space. He served at RGA, Metis and United Health care leading various functions including sales, customer  service, medical management and provider networks.
ekincare team
How was ekincare Started
ekincare was built out of a personal problem, where NRIs (Non Resident Indians) werenât able to contribute towards the health of their parents who are remotely located. Kiran was in Seattle, USA while his parents were in Hyderabad, India. Kiran found it very frustrating that even in the current internet age, people are still relying on a phone call home to keep a tab on their health. Merely asking parents daily about how they were doing over the phone didnât cut it. This frustration further aggravated when his father went through a surgery and none of the family members located in Hyderabad could explain the root cause and why a surgery was recommended. This made Kiran think of a way to take care of ones dear ones even while staying away and thus ekincare was started.
In 2014, ekincare started out as a B2C platform that allowed users to keep one’s medical records in a digitized form and the platform helped one track the health of  their close ones even while staying away. When he started up Kiran’s idea was to use existing technology and focus on just services. However, when Kiran entered the industry he realized that though there were platform where users can store their health records in digital form, there were no platforms that analyzed the health data to provide personalized recommendations. This led Kiran to build ekincare as an analytics driven platform.
Besides, Kiran also realized that India is a country where Health becomes a priority only when there is a pressing discomfort. Preventive healthcare is not still popular in India. As such, a user-specific health-tech platform was not suited for the current Indian scenario. This made the ekincare team to pivot the company and adopt and enterprise model.
India has a steep way to go before preventive healthcare takes the first foot. The decision of the team to try entering into the enterprise model and figure out solutions of Health benefits for Health enthusiastic organizations is paying off and actually creating an impact – Kiran says explaining the company’s decision to enter the enterprise model
At ekincare, Kiran’s method has been lean. The company has always tested its products with a sample group and taken their feedback. This is the foremost thing that has helped them make a product that is solving a defined problem statement in the real world right now.
In this 4 year on-going journey of mine since ekincare inception, the major challenge has been to to make sure the product resonates the best with the beat of the problem statement – Kiran says
ekincare – Name and Logo
The name ekincare is a thoughtful derivation from three words :- e – electronic, kin- one’s family and care Â
ekincare – Funding and Investors
The latest round in 2019 takes the total funding raised by ekincare to $5.6 million.
âWe have seen tremendous growth from our initial investment in ekincare, both in terms of patient-engagement, employers adoption as well as revenue growth. Hence through this round of investment, we reinforce our commitment to support ekincare management team in their vision to build a world class healthcare platform.â Srikanth Sundarajan, Partner at Ventureast, said.
ekincare – Acquisitions and Mergers
In a strategic move, ekincare acquired Celes care, an online healthcare provider with a strong focus on affordability.
Today, ekincare is known for being the fastest growing health benefits platform in India. Especially, the company has been able to achieve a lot in the last 2 years and proof of the pudding is the kind of fortune 500 companies that have trusted in them for their employee health. ekincare is the Health Benefits partner for global giants like Unilever, Barclays, BNY Mellon, Ebay, Fedex, Disney and more than 130 other companies.
ekincare caters to more than 200 companies including multiple Fortune 500 clients and managing 300,000+ employees health on their patent-pending platform.
ekincare has been growing 50% quarter on quarter in terms of revenues, they have a really strong set of industry backers who are invested in life sciences, paired with a strong advisory team vested across technology, data and insurance. Within 2 years, ekincare has been able to achieve what other larger companies are elsewhere couldn’t in terms of number of clients and the number of employees.
Kiran’s biggest challenge was his family to be convinced to move back with him and for them to sacrifice. The pressure was tremendous initially, as Kiran  had to make sure none of them should regret the move in the future.
When Kiran first had the idea, he did not have any network in India. All his friends were in the US and some of the friends who were here in India, he had not been in touch with them in 10 years. Moving to India, starting from the cold start and building the business, building the team, everything was from ground zero. That has been the biggest challenge and along the way.
I have been lucky in finding the right partners and common connects like Srikanth, Noel and the rest of the team. Today, we boast of some very good advisors like BVR Mohan Reddy, Dr.Vara Prasad and Nimish Parekh. There was a huge dilemma whether to start with healthcare or not because I am not from Healthcare background. How do I ensure that I will be doing justice to the idea that I had in healthcare? This is when I was told that an industry outsider will have a new perspective towards the industry which results in better innovation. Different thinking would result in a revolution, as compared to an evolution from  the traditional jaded mind-set
ekincare – Competitors
Companies like Practo, Call Health, Healthifyme, Healthi are some of ekincare’s competitors.
Kiran’s philosophy when it comes to competition is that you keep an eye on competition like a rear view mirror. Time to time glances on the competitor’s performance helps Kiran plan his strategies better.
When a competitor is doing well, I personally wish them well and I try to learn in terms of what areas they are right. Talent acquisition, what kinds of combinations of talents they are looking at, what kind of operational structure have they built, what kind of positions are they hiring for etc. What not to do is something I have always made a note of from the competition. If something is not clicking, it is just one of the 999 ways in which the puzzle is not to be solved – Kiran says explaining his take on competitors
ekincare has people like BVR Mohan Reddy, Dr.Vara Prasad and Nimish Parekh mentoring them in every step of their journey.
ekincare – Recognition and Achievements
ekincare has received following Awards and recognition till date-
Superstartups Asia awards – 2019
Top 10 most innovative startups by Nasscom
Aegis Graham bell award – By Aegis School of Business at India Mobile Congress 2018
Journal of mHealth – Top 100 most innovative digital healthcare companies, 2016â
ekincare – Future Plans
ekincare has grown from a 23 member team to a 120 member one in the last one year. With the right partners backing up the wheels of the wagon, Kiran is confident the company can grow to a 250 member team very soon.
In terms of clients, ekincare is looking forward to on-board 500 companies during this year.
ekincare – FAQs
What is ekincare?
ekincare is a patent-pending AI powered integrated health benefits platform helping organizations monitor the health and well-being of the employees. The integrated platform provides access to multitude of  healthcare services such as 24*7 chat with doctors, health check-ups, medicines purchase and delivery, Gyms etc.
Who are the Founders of ekincare?
Kiran Kalakuntla and Srikanth Samudrala are the Founders of ekincare.
Who are the Top Competitors of ekincare?
Top Competitors of ekincare are Practo, Call Health, Healthifyme, Healthi
How much funding has ekincare raised?
The latest round in 2019 takes the total funding raised by ekincare to $5.6 million.
Earlier in the last decade, we came across the concept of mental health and emotional intelligence and over the decade its importance was established correctly. All the attention emotional and mental well being is getting today is legit, given the mindset of this generation. Therefore to create an ecosystem of technological tools that help the individuals understand mental Health and eliminate the taboo associated with it, Simar Preet Kaur launched Therapy1on1 in 2018.
Therapy1on1 is the first 24*7 Online emotional wellness platform that provides instant help. If the person has something stuck on his/ her mind they donât need to wait for tomorrow and can directly approach Therapy1on1 online for professional help and this is what makes it different. provides instant, anonymous and confidential support through its online emotional wellness platform which is available 24*7.
Therapy1on1 is an online emotional wellness platform where anyone can come up anytime and discuss their issues with professional psychologists via calls, video calls, and chats. This is convenient, secure and much more effective than traditional therapy as anyone can get instant support. If anyone feels overwhelmed with personal and professional issues or has been suffering emotionally can definitely reach out to the Therapy1on1 team without any second thought. The user can also choose to stay anonymous and all details are kept confidential.
Therapy1on1 – Target Market Size
Sources say that one in four suffers from mental health issues in India. With the increase in the issues and stress levels amongst people, there is a shortage of mental health professionals too. By providing the services online, Therapy1on1 is all set to ease the pain people are going through.
âI met my co-founder (Karamjeet Singh) in college itself and since then we have been planning to start something. We had way too many plans in our head and this one specifically gave us a kick to work on.â Says Simar Preet Kaur. Both of the co-founders Simar and Karamjeet don’t come from a psychology background so it has been a little difficult to understand the key challenges being faced by the venture. There is a huge diversity of needs and subjectivity of issues and this is not something that comes down to a list and this platform needs to justify the same. Surveying various psychologists and communicating with various people in the health sector has helped the founders a lot and this has evolved over time.
Simar Preet Kaur â Simar has a degree in B.Tech (IT) from Indraprastha University, Delhi
Karamjeet Singh- Singh has a B.Tech (IT) from Indraprastha University, Delhi and an M.B.A in Marketing from Balaji Institute of Modern Management.
âWe are well versed with technology and have a strong desire to help people cope up with the struggles and create a positive aura all around.â Added Simar Preet Kaur. She has been managing everything from scratch and then eventually decided to align dedicated people for specific tasks. Now, Therapy1on1 has a dedicated team of developers, designers, testers and account management people. âI keep an eye on everything and make sure everything works well and clients can have a quality talk with the psychologist and have a smooth experience and also understand that anyone can come up anytime to discuss anything whatever’s bothering them because Big or Small, your problem matters.â Added Simar. Karamjeet Singh looks into Marketing and branding. They have also approached a lot of firms that are now associated with the firm and conduct offline introductory sessions for creating awareness too.
Therapy1on1 – How did it start?
Simar started Therapy1on1 in September 2018 with a vision to eliminate the mental stigma and help anyone who feels overwhelmed with personal and professional issues and help individuals. The thinking had initially begun when her life goals became anxiety spells until one of her colleagues advised her to visit a therapist and Simar was quite hesitant about it. âThis helped me change my outlook towards a lot of things and I soon realized that this applies to a larger population.â Says Simar.
Therapy1on1 – Name, Tagline, and Logo
For the name âTherapy1on1â the founders had something else in mind but again domain availability matters so they just went with Therapy 1on1. It means personal attention ( 1 on 1) and Therapy is for everyone.
For the tagline, the founders had this very particular thing in mind that common people suffering from any issues, life changes or anything can come up and seek guidance at the platform.
That is why the tagline: Big or Small, your problem matters!
Therapy1on1 – Startup Launch
The founders had a lot going on in their minds about this idea. So they went ahead and checked about the legal aspects online and if any other firms were working on this or not. Simar couldnât really get this out of her head which kept her insanely working on this. Initially, she discussed this with her family and one of her friends ( who is now the co-founder too) and then they together started working on it. In another couple of months, Simar was ready with the masterplan.âWe went ahead and approached colleges, attended seminars and promotional events and got a lot of clients. This helped us in giving an initial push.â Said Simar Preet Kaur.
Therapy1on1 – Startup Challenges
As mentioned above, the founders don’t come from a psychology background so it has been a little difficult for them to understand the key challenges being faced by the people in general. There is a huge diversity of needs and subjectivity of issues and this is not something that comes down to a list and the platform needs to justify the same. Surveying various psychologists and communicating with various people in the health sector has helped them a lot in establishing a strong footing in the industry.
Therapy1on1 – Advisors and Mentors
The advisors and mentors of Therapy1on1 are:
Dr. Kamaljit Ananad
Ph.D. IIM Ahmedabad, Founder KiE Square Inc. ( Data Science)
Angel Inv, Transport ( Merchandise Tagging)
Advisor, Rupee Circle ( P2P Lending Platform)
Harpreet Sareen
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research Scientist ( Display Technologies, Interaction Techniques )
The company is still in the growing phase but the future looks bright. The dramatic increase in mental health issues and the inability to open up because of the stigma associated with it. Sources say that nearly 20% of the population is going to suffer from mental health issues and lack of expertise available might deteriorate the issue as well. Just like people take care of their physical health as mainstream, Therapy1on1 just wants to bring mental health at par with it.
Therapy1on1 – Awards and Recognition
âMaking a change every day is I would say our biggest achievement. Whenever people come up giving feedback like we saved their lives and they feel like they have a safe space to vent out. This keeps us going.â Concluded Simar. Â
Chayanika Goswami
