In a video posted by Khan Academy on YouTube, founder Salman Khan thanked Elon Musk for his generous donation of $ 5 million through Musk Foundation. Khan said that he hoped that Elon really felt good about the donation as the amount would help them in accelerating their subject-wise content starting from kids to early college stages and software development.
As the pandemic forced schools into adapting distance learning methods, many students who found it difficult to learn through this medium turned to Khan Academy to understand concepts better.
Khan Academy has 120 million + registered users, and upto 30 million per month users.
Indian Government has announced on 29th June 2020 to ban 59 Chinese apps as it is believed to be prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, security of state and public order. This move is following Galwan Valley clash between Chinese and Indian armies.
Additionally, this decision also came after Reliance Industries Limited’s Jio Platforms owned by Mukesh Ambani has raised Rs 1.68 trillion ($22 billion) through a 24.7% stake sale to several stakeholders including Facebook. It is not surprising that one of the banned Chinese apps “TikTok” is the closest rival of Facebook. Will it pave the way for Facebook to launch its long awaited app “Lasso”, short video platform in India.
BANNED CHINESE APPS IN INDIA AND JIO’s PRESENCE IN THE INDUSTRIES
Overall, this is a strategic move which not only safeguards Indian security by keeping its data safe in its own boundaries but also to make them self-reliant and promote home grown apps. The above graph highlights Jio’s presence in majority of the industries where Chinese Apps have been banned. This surely provides Jio with an easy entry and dominance in the Indian market which is hugely dependent on the Chinese Apps for entertainment and other daily activities. Additionally, with fund raising activity, Jio now has a substantial amount for cash burn to position itself in various industries.
We need to also highlight here that Indian Government’s decision is a welcoming move. Talking about Chinese economy, China has promoted lot of home grown apps by incentivizing them while restricting international apps in order to manage leakage of data. Chinese Government has been very diligent of the type of data and conversations are exchanged between its people.
INTERNATIONAL APPS BANNED OR RESTRICTED IN CHINA
Some interesting case studies are provided for your read. Most of them are banned and others are restricted in China:
Surprisingly China also banned TikTok in order to have a control on content shared outside of China. LinkedIn is one of the few US social media companies that has broken into the giant and lucrative Chinese market. The site has north of 41 million users in the country.
The ‘Great Firewall’ in China prevents internet users from viewing or posting socially or politically sensitive content. Therefore, leading to banning of the global favorite apps. That is the major reason of India being one of the highly populated countries becoming favorite market for US giants such as Amazon, Facebook, Whatsapp, Netflix and similar companies. This is a wait and watch move for a New-India.
Contribution: Levin Tilak, working as a Consultant at Cretum Advisory. He is pursuing Chartered Accountancy and is a graduate from University of Delhi.
Global education market size is worth $6 Trillion. India is positioned distant 3rd after China and the US at $ 215 billion in terms of the market size in education sector.
Indian EdTech industry is estimated to be worth $2 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach $5 billion by 2024. The Indian EdTech industry is categorized as below:
Note 1: Estimated for year 2021; Source: Study on online Education by KPMG & Google
India is moving towards digitization at a rate of 40% with emergence of large startups such as Byju, Unacademy, Vedantu and others, however it still is lagging behind when compared globally and benchmarked against its population. EdTech sector has also attracted large number of renowned investors since past 5 years such as Sequoia Capital, Blume Ventures, Gray Matters, Nexus Ventures, General Atlantic, among others. Indian EdTech startups have raised more than $1.8 Billion from 2014 to 2019; around 14 EdTech companies raised investment amid coronavirus pandemic. K-12 & Exam Prep Segment seen the maximum growth.
KEY GROWTH DRIVERS OF EDTECH INDUSTRY IN INDIA
There have been several factors that are driving the growth of the EdTech industry especially after COVID:
Campaigns by MHRD, India like Bharat padhe online, SWAYAM & Digital India will make way for the infrastructure needed by students to study online with the aim to transform India into a digitally empowered society.
PM e-VIDYA: A multimode access to digital/online education with DIKSHA, QR coded energised textbooks for school education, Earmarked channels for education, Extensive use of Radio, community radio and podcasts and Top 100 Universities allowed (automatically) to start online courses
Launch of Manodarpan (psychological support), New National Curriculum and Pedagogical Framework for school, early childhood and teachers and National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission
SWAYAM PRABHA DTH channels to support and reach those people not having access to the internet.
200 new textbooks added to e-Paathshaala
Currently, 564 million Indians have access to the internet but its steady growth, especially in semi-urban and rural areas, provides high potential for the proliferation of online education. Google KPMG report estimates nearly 1.2 billion mobile internet users and 1 billion smartphone users in India by 2021
Largest Education Market base: India has 1.5 Million number of schools, 900 Universities and 39,071 Colleges
Over $2 billion is raised in funding in last 5 years in Indian Education sector, while Byju is driving major fundraising activity. Byju has raised more than 60% of the total fundraising in Indian Education sector.
Source: Secondary Research; MHRD,IBEF, Inc42
Contribution: Pratyaksh Dang working as an intern at FundTQ. He is a Business Economics graduate from College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi.
How to calculate Total Addressable Market, Served Available and Target Market? Bottom up approach and Top down approach Helpful in fundraising and building up startup story Relevance of Total Addressable Market and Target Market for investors
A brand is more than just a slogan or a design preference of the business. It’s the company’s whole reputation, image, and vibe that accompanies it everywhere. Creating a brand effectively can take your business to new heights of achievement. However, if you don’t build your brand correctly, it might turn off customers and make it very difficult to earn a profit.
For this reason, having a strong marketing plan and an understanding of brand management are crucial. What tools are needed for the branding process, and how does your brand image affect the consumer experience?
In this post, we’ll go over several branding best practices and tactics for aspiring business owners.
One of the most crucial components of any organization, big or little, B2B or retail, is branding. In markets where competition is escalating, having a strong brand strategy offers you a significant advantage. However, what does “branding” actually mean? What impact does it have on a small company like yours?
Your brand is, in essence, what you promise your customer. It distinguishes your offering from that of your rivals and lets them know what to anticipate from your goods and services. Who you are, who you aspire to be, and how other people see you are the foundation of your brand.
Are you the creative outlier in your field? or the trustworthy, seasoned one? Which option high price, high quality, or cheap price, high value is your product? It is impossible to be both and to please everyone at once. A certain amount of who you are should come from who your target audience needs and wants you to be.
Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand. Your brand should be communicated through your website, packaging, and promotional materials, all of which should incorporate your logo.
Brand Strategy & Equity
The how, what, where, when, and to whom you intend to communicate and deliver your brand messaging make up your brand strategy. A component of your brand strategy is where you promote. Your brand strategy includes your methods of distribution as well. Additionally, your verbal and visual communications are components of your brand strategy.
Strong brand equity, or the value added to your company’s goods or services that enables you to charge more for your brand than comparable, unbranded goods fetch, is the result of consistent, deliberate branding. When comparing Coke to a generic beverage, this is best illustrated. Coca-Cola can charge more for its product because of its strong brand equity, and consumers are willing to pay the higher price.
Perceived quality or emotional attachment are common forms of the additional value inherent in brand equity. Lakme, for instance, links its products to actors and models in the hopes that consumers will feel the same way about the product as they do about the actors and models.
Defining Your Brand
Establishing your brand is similar to going on a business self-discovery journey. It can be uncomfortable, challenging, and time-consuming. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:
What is the mission of your company?
What qualities and advantages do your goods and services offer?
What opinions do current clients and potential clients have of your business?
Which attributes do you want people to connect with your business?
Make an investigation. Recognize the wants, needs, and habits of both your present and potential clients. Additionally, don’t base your decisions on what you believe they believe. Understand their opinions.
In essence, your target audience is the subset of consumers most likely to make a purchase from your company. Understanding your target audience’s essential characteristics, such as gender, age, geography, and more, will help you identify it.
Determine the demographics of your potential customers by conducting market research. Your ability to sell to and ultimately meet the needs of your target audience will improve as you get more knowledge about them.
It can be difficult to define your brand and create a brand strategy, so think about using the resources of a Small Business Development Center or a nonprofit small-business advisory organization.
How do you spread the word about your brand once it has been established? Here are a few easy, tried-and-true suggestions:
Obtain a fantastic logo. Put it everywhere.
Put your brand’s messaging in writing. Which are the main points you wish to make about your brand? Each employee ought to be familiar with the qualities of your brand.
Include your brand. Everything about your company, including how you answer the phone, what you or your salespeople wear on calls, your email signature, and more, is part of your branding.
Give your business a “voice” that is consistent with your brand. This voice ought to be used in all written correspondence and integrated into all offline and online products’ visual design. Is your brand user-friendly? Engage in dialogue. Is it elegant? Adopt a more formal tone. You get the idea.
Create a slogan. Compose a concise, meaningful, and memorable statement that encapsulates your brand.
Create brand guidelines and design templates for your marketing collateral. Maintain the same style, feel, and color palette throughout. It’s not necessary to be elegant; simply reliable.
Stay loyal to your brand. If you don’t live up to your brand promise, customers will stop doing business with you or recommend you to others.
Maintain consistency. I only included this suggestion last since it ties into everything mentioned above and is the most crucial advice I can offer. Your efforts to build a brand will be ineffective if you are unable to accomplish this.
Having an intriguing yet distinct brand style is crucial because your brand’s visual identity may greatly boost brand recognition. Let’s explore some of the topics mentioned above in more detail.
For instance, the logo for your company should be distinctive, recognizable, and connected to the products or mission of your company. A professional graphic designer can build an amazing logo from scratch, so don’t be scared to hire them. Try to incorporate some aesthetic or stylistic element of what your firm does into the logo.
You have one shot to create a logo that your target audience will remember. If it’s a good one, it will make the growth of your brand much more successful. Your target market and existing customer base can be persuaded to try your business by using a well-designed logo. Plus, it’ll act as excellent branding on product packaging!
In a similar vein, you should carefully consider the color, text fonts, and other stylistic components of your brand. Depending on your sector, a particular color or text type can attract customers to your brand or drive them away. Pink could be a bit too traditionally feminine for your target market, but red or violet might be ideal if you want to create a line of power equipment just for women.
It’s important to think about how the voice of your brand complements the overall aesthetic of your business. For example, if your business is B2B and your target market is other businesses in your sector, you shouldn’t use a lot of catchphrases or be condescending to them.
As an alternative, you ought to speak in highly technical, educational terms that demonstrate your brand’s expertise and authority in its field. Conversely, if you market and sell to the general public, your copy and material should be as clear and basic as possible.
Spreading the Word – Ensuring Brand Continuity
Creating a strong brand identity is only the first step. Next, you must ensure that all of your marketing collateral including that created by outside contractors or freelancers maintains brand coherence.
In light of this, you might want to consider developing a brand style guide. All of the aforementioned details, such as the appearance of your logo, the colors to be used in marketing materials, and the brand voice to be used in copy text, should be broken down in the style guide.
Distribute the style guide to all professionals and marketing experts affiliated with your organization. This incorporates social media messaging and typography, particularly since you’ll frequently interact with your devoted clientele on social media.
Everyone in your organization, including yourself, must always follow the style guide. Why?
Your brand will be easier for customers to remember and more memorable overall if they perceive it as being consistent with you. People are less likely to recall your brand’s name and mission when they need one of your products if it seems disorderly or chaotic. They might even believe that your brand values are shifting or that you are rebranding when in fact you aren’t.
If you execute this well, your brand will become ubiquitous with the services you offer or the items you manufacture.
Conclusion
In the end, developing a brand takes patience, experience, and practice. Continue to refine your brand’s identity and theme as you get more insight into your target market’s needs and preferences. Eventually, you will have the most profitable form of your brand. Wishing you luck!
By now, the COVID-19 pandemic had already battered the global economy, and startups faced significant challenges. Supply chains were disrupted, consumer demand plummeted, and everything moved online, leaving hundreds of startups struggling to raise enough funding or losing their sources of revenue. However, a few startups managed not only to survive but to flourish by adapting their startup fundraising strategies and creating long-term value. Their success highlights the importance of mastering the art of fundraising in challenging times.
Most importantly, a comprehensive breakdown of how to protect your startup in the current times, and what the future holds for us all when it comes to fundraising.
Key Strategies For Startup Fundraising
Following are the key strategies for startup fundraising:
1. Angel Networks vs Venture Capital
The type of investor you go for during these times is everything. Angel investors are different from VCs because of the way they support startups; thus, it will be important to choose the type of investor that best suits your startup.
– Angel Investors: Angel Investors are more friendly and sympathetic; they have a self-realization that all do not operate as this would always be. That means investing with one’s own money, and indeed they may be willing to support pre-seed stage startups; however, their funding can be lighter compared to venture capital.
– Venture Capital firms: Greater sums of money are brought in by venture capital, but with faster expansion come often higher control demands. They put money into new businesses that have already begun to take off.
Tip: An angel investor might be the greatest choice if you’re just starting out and need mentoring. Venture money is the ideal option if you need a large infusion of funding and are scaling quickly.
2. Discussion on Term Sheets and Negotiations
It is therefore more crucial than ever to negotiate investment arrangements under the COVID-19 scenario. A term sheet, which is a written agreement outlining every detail of an investment, needs to be carefully examined.
It’s relevant to keep the focus on:
– Equity stakes: At founding, don’t give away too much too early.
– Valuation: It should also be updated as per the realistic market condition.
– Control terms: Do not give up so much control over your startup that you get pushed aside.
Tip: Hire an attorney experienced in startup investments to help you negotiate the best deal.
3. Use Investor Money Only as a Booster
Every penny counts during a pandemic. Investor money should be a booster, not the only lifeline on which your business hangs. Use it judiciously to fund projects that promise growth in a sustainable manner.
– Invest in technology upgrades that provide added efficiency.
– Financing of marketing strategies that correspond to new consumer behaviors.
This means expanding operations into digital channels to capture the growing demand for online service delivery.
Tip: Instead of merely focusing your funds on short-term benefits, focus on using the money as a strategic lever in solving very significant company problems that will fuel your long-term success.
The bottom line is this: pandemics have shown us that all our eggs should not be in one basket. Product, service, and revenue diversification are the things that will safeguard your business against disruptions in the future.
– Enter new markets or industries.
– Diversify revenues by developing as many revenue streams as possible and refrain from total reliance on one source.
– Be adaptable to varying consumer needs and adjust your offerings accordingly.
hint: Diversification geographically when your market is in a slump may help. Opening to international markets may translate to enormous opportunities.
5. Not the Courage of Abandoning
Being an entrepreneur requires perseverance, and the epidemic put every startup founder’s bravery to the test. When facing the prospect of a financial meltdown, perseverance makes all the difference.
– Be adaptable: Take brief breaks to adjust your plan of action if needed, but don’t abandon the current task.
– Maintain team motivation: A driven team is one of the main things your startup is built on.
– Seek out opportunities: Market gaps are frequently created by crises.
Tip: Be steadfast; challenges could arise, but take measured chances to keep your startup alive.
6. Create Value, Not Just Valuations
When times are uncertain, creating real value pays more dividends than chasing sky-high valuations. Investors are certain to flock to startups solving real problems in the real world.
– The focus should be on gaining the trust and loyalty of the customer.
– Develop a product or service offering that truly addresses the needs of your target market.
Value creation gives a long-term sustainable business, whereas inflated valuations may not stand up to disruptions in the market.
It’s wise to consider more than just what will increase your short-term valuation and consider how you can actually add value for your partners and users.
7. Choosing the Right Incubator and Accelerator
Therefore, if your company is still in its early stages, joining an incubator or accelerator could provide much-needed financing, connections, and coaching. But times have changed in the pandemic era for incubators and accelerators themselves.
– Incubators are best serving the needs of early-stage startups that need mentorship, space, and business resources.
– Ideally, accelerators are for those kinds of startups that have a certain traction going on and seek more capital to access scaling opportunities.
Tip: It is worth mentioning here that choosing incubators and accelerators based on your industry or powerful networks of mentors and investors is important, as they will lead you through the worst times.
8. Dare to Dream Big
It’s the big dreams that even today-when largely struggling from the pandemic-play a crucial role in the success of any startup. Founders are far-sighted in their thinking, bold in their ideas, and imaginative in their approach to emerging from crises even stronger.
– Go beyond just survival: Set up your business for success after the epidemic by identifying growth prospects that coincide with long-term trends.
– Bold to innovate: To set your startup apart, stick with cutting-edge concepts and innovations.
Key Stakeholder Tip: Your dream should involve not only short-term survival but long-term impact. Emphasize how your startup can leave a legacy in your industry or society.
Although the epidemic has presented previously unheard-of difficulties, it has also highlighted the need for resilience, adaptability, and creativity in the startup industry. Selecting the appropriate investors, using good judgment while negotiating, and generating value through diversification can all help to facilitate this further.
In times of distress, fundraising is not difficult. It does require a calculated approach, a great deal of bravery, and unwavering faith in your goal. Dream large. Quickly adjust. Construct intelligently.
Fundenture webinar series by FundTQ. It is a series to share learning from venture capitalists, angel networks and other investors. Our speakers were two different venture capitalist Amit Singal from Fluid Ventures and Sushil Sharma from Marwari Catalysts. Both shared their opinion on positive aspects of startup ecosystem. Aspects being discussed:
1) Choose Investors wisely
2) Right time to kickstart venture
3) What investors look in a pitch
4) Advice to aspiring founders
5) Criteria and USP of investments by Fluid Venture and Marwari Catalysts
Today, with technology advancing at an unprecedented rate, fundraising is undergoing a revolution of its own. Conventional fundraising methods included direct mail campaigns, phone calls, and in-person events. Today, these methods are replaced by a range of tech-dependent services designed to maximize efficiency, broaden donor reach, and improve donor experience. Developments in blockchain technology, such as programmatic crowdfunding, reciprocity-based barter fundraising, artificial intelligence (AI) blockchain fundraising, and others, point to the beginning of a new phase of digitalization in the financing industry.
This blog explores the key technological trends that are changing fundraising and enabling firms, startups, and nonprofits land, to fund their business is otherwise low in a global market like today.
Tech Innovations and Trends For the Future of Fundraising
Following are the Tech Innovations and Trends for the Future of Fundraising:-
1. Online Crowdfunding Platforms
Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe have revolutionized the way individuals and organizations raise funds. These platforms allow users to pitch their projects or causes directly to the public, leveraging the power of social networks to generate financial support. What was once considered a niche method for raising capital has now become mainstream, with billions of dollars raised annually through these platforms.
The future of crowdfunding looks even more promising, as emerging technologies like blockchain are being integrated into these platforms. Blockchain can provide enhanced transparency and security for transactions, allowing donors and investors to track where their money is going. The tokenization of assets, made possible through blockchain, will also allow for new ways of structuring crowdfunding campaigns, making them more flexible and accessible to a global audience.
2. Security Token Offerings (STOs)
Security Token Offerings (STOs) are poised to revolutionize the way companies raise capital. Unlike traditional Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), STOs use blockchain technology to issue tokens that represent legal ownership in an asset. These tokens can then be sold to investors worldwide, allowing companies to raise capital without going through the lengthy and costly process of an IPO.
One of the main advantages of STOs is their compliance with regulatory frameworks like the SEC in the United States. This ensures that companies raising funds through STOs are doing so in a legal and transparent manner, reducing the risk of fraud and other illegal activities. As more businesses adopt this cutting-edge technology, STOs are expected to become a major force in the fundraising world, offering a faster, cheaper, and more secure way to raise capital.
3. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs)
Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) took the cryptocurrency world by storm a few years ago, allowing companies to raise funds by selling digital tokens to investors. However, ICOs have come under increased regulatory scrutiny in recent years, as concerns over fraud and market manipulation have grown.
In response to these concerns, Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs) have emerged as a more secure alternative. IEOs are conducted through cryptocurrency exchanges, which vet the projects and ensure that they meet certain standards before allowing them to list their tokens. This added layer of security has made IEOs a more attractive option for investors, and they are expected to play a significant role in the growth of the cryptocurrency and blockchain space in the coming years.
4. Social Media Engagement
Social media has become an indispensable tool for fundraising, allowing organizations to reach a wider audience and connect with donors and investors in real time. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer businesses the ability to run targeted ad campaigns, create engaging content, and build strong relationships with their followers.
In particular, social media allows for the amplification of fundraising efforts through organic reach. By encouraging followers to share campaigns with their networks, organizations can exponentially increase their visibility and attract more donors. Moreover, social media platforms are continually evolving, offering new features like live video, stories, and interactive polls that can enhance engagement and drive donations.
As digital marketing becomes increasingly important in the fundraising world, leveraging social media to its fullest potential will be critical for organizations looking to secure capital in the future.
5. Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is one of the most exciting and disruptive innovations in the financial world. By using blockchain technology and smart contracts, DeFi platforms offer financial services such as lending, borrowing, and trading without the need for traditional intermediaries like banks.
For fundraising, DeFi presents a unique opportunity to raise capital outside of the traditional banking system. Businesses can use DeFi platforms to borrow funds, issue tokens, or even create new forms of digital assets that can be traded on decentralized exchanges. The transparency, security, and accessibility offered by DeFi make it an attractive option for companies looking to raise funds in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.
As DeFi technology matures, we can expect more businesses to explore its potential for fundraising, particularly in industries where traditional financing options may be limited.
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Fundraising
AI is becoming an indispensable tool for organizations looking to optimize their fundraising efforts. From automating administrative tasks to analyzing data and segmenting donors, AI can dramatically improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fundraising campaigns.
One of the most valuable applications of AI in fundraising is the ability to create highly personalized donor experiences. By analyzing donor data, AI can help organizations identify patterns and trends, allowing them to tailor their messaging and outreach efforts to specific donor segments. This not only increases the likelihood of securing donations but also helps build stronger relationships with donors over time.
Moreover, AI can be used to predict donor behavior, allowing organizations to proactively engage with donors who are most likely to contribute to their campaigns. By automating these tasks, organizations can focus their resources on high-impact activities, ultimately improving their fundraising outcomes.
7. ESG Funds: Environmental, Social, and Governance
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing is rapidly gaining popularity among investors who want to align their financial goals with their values. ESG fundraising focuses on companies and organizations that prioritize sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance practices.
As more investors seek to make a positive impact through their investments, organizations that embrace ESG principles are likely to attract greater funding. This trend is particularly relevant for nonprofits and businesses with a strong commitment to social and environmental causes, as they can leverage their mission-driven focus to appeal to socially conscious investors.
In addition to attracting new sources of funding, ESG fundraising can also enhance an organization’s reputation and credibility, making it a valuable strategy for long-term success.
8. Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have taken the digital world by storm, offering a new way to create and sell unique digital assets. Unlike cryptocurrencies, which are interchangeable, NFTs are one-of-a-kind and can be attached to digital or real-world objects, such as art, music, or experiences.
In the fundraising world, NFTs have been used in innovative ways to raise funds for various causes. For example, organizations can create limited-edition NFTs that donors can purchase, with proceeds going towards the organization’s mission. NFTs offer a way to engage donors in a more interactive and immersive manner, making fundraising campaigns more exciting and memorable.
As the use of NFTs continues to grow, we can expect to see more organizations leveraging this technology to enhance their fundraising efforts and appeal to a tech-savvy donor base.
9. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are creating new possibilities for immersive fundraising experiences. With AR and VR, organizations can offer donors the ability to explore projects, interact with beneficiaries, and experience the impact of their donations in real time.
For example, a nonprofit working on building schools in remote areas could use VR to give donors a virtual tour of the construction site, showing them the progress being made and the lives being changed by their contributions. This type of emotional connection can be a powerful motivator for donors, increasing their willingness to give and their sense of involvement in the cause.
As AR and VR technologies become more accessible, we can expect to see them play a larger role in fundraising events and campaigns, offering donors a deeper, more meaningful connection to the causes they support.
10. Mobile Fundraising Apps
Mobile technology has made fundraising more accessible than ever before. With mobile apps like GoFundMe, JustGiving, and Facebook Fundraisers, individuals and organizations can create and share crowdfunding campaigns directly from their smartphones, allowing donors to contribute with just a few taps.
These apps have streamlined the donation process, making it easier for people to support causes they care about. Moreover, mobile apps allow for real-time updates and notifications, keeping donors engaged and informed throughout the campaign.
As mobile technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative fundraising apps that offer new ways to connect with donors and raise funds on the go.
Know more about tech and innovation trends in fundraising
The Future of Fundraising
The future of fundraising is undoubtedly digital, with technology playing an increasingly important role in shaping how organizations connect with donors, raise capital, and achieve their goals. From blockchain and AI to AR/VR and NFTs, the possibilities for innovation are endless.
As businesses and nonprofits continue to adapt to this new fundraising landscape, moreover, those that embrace these emerging technologies will be well-positioned to succeed in the competitive world of fundraising. Ultimately, the key to success lies in staying ahead of the curve, leveraging technology to enhance donor engagement, streamline operations, and maximize the impact of every dollar raised.
In this new era of tech-driven fundraising, the opportunities for growth and innovation are limitless — and the future is brighter than ever.
The Indian startup ecosystem has seen the rise of deep tech startups as a significant force over the last few years, making profound impacts in verticals and the broader economy. These deep-tech startups, which are powered by cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), blockchain, quantum computing, and robotics, are redefining the boundaries of innovation and contributing to what is shaping the new-age Indian economy.
An innovation of this magnitude is much more than a ripple; it is a wave that opens up novel avenues, disrupts long-established territories, and establishes India as the front-runner in techno-economic solutions worldwide. Keep reading to see how these deep-tech startups are quickly changing the face of the Indian economy.
Startups Transforming the Indian Economy
Following are the startups transforming the Indian Economy:
1. Fueling Innovation Across Industries
Deep-tech startups are playing a vital role in impacting the Indian economy in many ways and transforming sectors of our country through innovation is one of the best practices of it. Using novel technologies such as healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and manufacturing these startups disrupt traditional business models and processes.
– Healthcare: AI diagnostics, robotics-assisted surgeries, blockchain for secure medical records improving patient outcomes, and reducing costs – Agriculture: Drones are still gaining significant traction and are now being more widely used to provide farmers with advanced technology such as drone mapping, data analytics, IoT technologies for optimized farming practices. – Financial Services: Blockchain technology is used for more secure and transparent financial transactions, whereas AI and ML are being widely adopted for risk assessment and fraud detection.
Such technological enhancements are making Indian industries more efficient, competitive and globally aligned.
2. Creating High-Skilled Jobs and Attracting Global Talent
Deep-tech startups will continue to proliferate and generate thousands of high-skill jobs within the country. Deep-tech start-ups are responsible for >12% of the nation’s start-up environment and have access to a large proportion of engineers, investigators, R&D specialists as indicated by an investigation by NASSCOM.
– AI and ML Developers: Data scientists, and AI developers are in high demand as companies in all sectors require talent to build and maintain sophisticated algorithms. – Robotics and Automation Engineers: undisputedly one of the most critical because with automation being so crucial to manufacturing and logistics, skilled robotic engineers are in the highest demand. – Blockchain Developers: With more fintech and supply chain start-ups implementing blockchain for transaction security and product tracing, there is a strong increase in demand for developers with experience in Blockchain.
With a strong Innovation ecosystem, India is not only generating jobs locally but also bringing in global talent and investments.
3. Boosting the Economy with Investments and Exports
Deep-tech startups are instrumental in boosting economic growth, by attracting foreign investments and adding ons to the exports. India has seen a growth in funding available to startups working in deep-tech because VC and PE executives appreciate the potential of using intellectual property to build new companies.
– Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): The potential of the Indian deep-tech startups has attracted investments worth billions from global investors in the field of AI, blockchain, and quantum computing. – Exports of Tech Solutions: Deep-tech startups in India are exporting tech solutions to the international stage and cyber security, AI driven software and Fintech are some of the leading areas.
These investments and exports not only contribute to the economy, but also position India as a global technology innovation hub.
4. Solving India’s Unique Challenges with Technology
While deep-tech startups develop tech-driven solutions to cater to the challenges specific to India, they are also helping improve some of the direst conditions in the country. For instance:
– Rural Connectivity: using satellite technology and wireless networks, startups are making the internet more accessible for poor rural communities, ultimately decreasing the digital divide. – Clean Energy: As India has committed to clean energy, deep-tech startups are working in the areas of energy storage and distribution with the broader ecosystem parts. – Smart Cities: Deep-tech companies are developing internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics technologies for more intelligent urban management around resource usage, traffic flow and infrastructure maintenance.
Deep-tech startups in the country are resolving these challenges and this is one way they contribute towards developing India and aiding in building a sustainable future.
5. Fostering an R&D Culture
The mindset of deep-tech startups are more focused towards research and development, and those kind of approaches and interventions comes from business is a must for long term vision. While traditional startups often rely on scaling and market domination as a key part of their business model, capital-light deep-tech focused enterprises tend to value spending substantially more on research and development (R&D) in order to create innovations that can change the industry.
– Collaboration with Academia: With some top Indian universities and research institutions, many deep-tech startups collaborate to receive the latest research discontinues nurturing innovation – Government Support: The Indian government is supporting deep-tech startups by funding R&D-focused companies through initiatives like the Startup India program, and the National Research Foundation (NRF).
This focus on R&D, in turn, is not just paving the way for advancements in technology but fast establishing India as the innovation leader worldwide.
6. Enhancing India’s Image in World Competition
To begin with, deep-tech startups drive India to a greater competitive level on the world stage. Moreover, India has caught up with tech powerhouses like the USA, China, and Israel in terms of innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Quantum Computing, etc.
– AI and Quantum Computing: India is emerging as a power-house for founding multi-national startups in the domains of AI and quantum computing. – Global Partnerships: Is the new norm and Indian deep-tech start ups a forming strategic partners with global players taking the competitiveness/ reach to the next level.
These startups in turn are making India as an innovation hub leading the technology of future.
Fast-paced Deep Tech Startups in India are rapidly bringing about a transformation of the Indian economy through innovation-led growth, job creation, attracting investments, and solving critical problems. In addition, they are bringing new solutions in multiple domains including AI, ML, blockchain, and quantum computing, which will undoubtedly change industries forever while simultaneously positioning India as a global tech leader. And with startups on the rise and stronger than ever, these firms will definitely to contribute to India’s business narrative and tech road map. India has started its deep-tech journey and the future is as bright as the summer sun.
