Category: Business World

Healthcare Startup Shri Chyawan Ayurved raises USD 200k in SEED round…

New Delhi, July 2022: Shri Chyawan Ayurved, a firm providing herbal products, has raised USD 200K (1 crore and 53 lacs) in its SEED round. The round was led by Dhaval Shah and Vibhor Kanodia, Raipur-based Chartered Accountants and Angel Investors.

Founded by Devkar Saheb, Shri Chyawan Ayurved offers well-researched and effective herbal products to solve problems related to Hair Care, Skin Care, Weight Loss, Menopause, Diabetes, Heart, Varicose Veins, Stress, and other health issues. Additionally, the company launched the EHO Healthcare App which provides users a one-click solution for various healthcare services such as Ambulance, Hospitals, Medical, and Labs.

The funds raised in the seed round will be used for research and development of Shri Chyawan Ayurved Product, expansion and marketing activities of EHO Healthcare App.

Devkar Saheb, Founder, Shri Chyawan Ayurved affirmed “We are delighted with the investments received so far. We are happy with the trust and commitment that our investors have shown. At Shri Chyawan, we are motivated by the vision of revolutionizing the healthcare segment. Healthcare in India is expensive and the majority of the population cannot afford medical bills. Through EHO Healthcare people can access proper medical facilities at a reduced cost. In order to extend this service to the people of India, we needed a helping hand and are glad to have investors who share our vision. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.” 

Currently, EHO Healthcare offers its services to users in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The firm wants to extend its reach to Mumbai, Lucknow, Indore and Nagpur.

Dhruti Shah’s Book “The Resilient Entrepreneur” Worldwide Launch…

Dhruti Shah’s Book “The Resilient Entrepreneur” a modern Entrepreneur‘s roadmap to become resilient and successful, launched

The Resilient Entrepreneur written by Dhruti Shah, was launched globally in the presence of entrepreneurs from Singapore, India, and the United States.The book is published by Ocean Reeve Publishing. The book will be available at bookstores everywhere, and online on Amazon, Flipkart and bookzone.in. The catalogue of this book is available in the National Library of Australia.

After reading this book, one will have the tools and mindset to tackle any challenge to be successful. With the insights provided in the book along with some questions that will challenge the status quo, the reader is bound to be empowered with sustainable resilience. The book is filled with actionable insights, practical how-to advice, real-life examples, quizzes, and checklists. Ultimately, when one chooses resilience, success follows.

Dhruti Shah, the author of The Resilient Entrepreneur, on launching her book quips, “I am excited to launch this book and I am confident that the book will encourage entrepreneurs to pursue their passion and build their resilience muscles. Entrepreneurs whom I have interviewed for this book have inspired me personally and am sure their stories will motivate the readers as well. Each of their stories is powerful on its own but together, makes for an extremely unique read.”

The Resilient Entrepreneur also talks about how one can create a legacy and can adapt, survive, thrive, and remain resilient in today’s volatile world. What sets apart this book are the exclusive stories of entrepreneurs like Mui Hoon POH- Co-founder and CEO, Esseplore; Saumil Majmudar- Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sportz Village; Ankur Warikoo- Co-Founder and Board Member, Nearbuy.com; Masami Sato- Founder and CEO, B1G1: Businesses for Good; Sairee Chahal-Founder, Sheroes; Bikash Kumar, Founder, Integrated Retail; Sapna Narang, Managing Partner, Capital League; Gaurav Dublish-Founder, Wildcraft India Pvt Ltd; Jo Aggarwal-Founder & CEO, Wysa; and James Peng-Managing Director, My Drum School, Singapore. These are entrepreneurs who have faced the challenges head on, stayed resilient and successfully scaled their startups.

Riya is hyper local, says Mr. Aditya Vikram Daga Founder & CEO, Purpos Planet

Perfume business in India is 790 cr industry excluding E commerce as per Nielson IQ Retail Audit Report, Jan- Dec 2021. The industry is expected to be 1200 cr by 2025 including e commerce. The Journey of Riya dates back to 1997, when my Mr N K Daga and Mr L K Soni with a capital of INR 1 lakh from Kolkata started the brand. The aim was to provide every household of India with world class perfumes at extremely popular prices. The founders shifted their base to a rented place in Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar in 2000. With their revenue clocked 5cr in 2000, in 2021 they became the no. 1 perfume brand in India.

Riya is hyper local, says Mr. Aditya Vikram Daga Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Purpos Planet. “We did not limit ourselves just in metros and catered to the needs and sensibility of tier 1, 2, 3 markets. While Riya is available at an attractive price, we never compromised with its quality. This makes Riya different from other brands in the market.Interestingly, we never spent a penny in advertising. People of India have embraced Riya for its unique fragrance and world-class quality in last 25 years.”

In 2019, Purpos Planet was founded to restructure, diversify, and to grow brand Riya with its offices in Kolkata and New Delhi. Currently, the brand is into perfume, deodorant, room fresheners, air fresheners. They are aiming to intensify their business where they are already present and expand to areas which are yet to be tapped.According to the Nielson IQ Retail Audit Report, Jan-Dec 2021, Riya was certified to be the Perfume Segment Leader in India by Value Share. Riya market share by value has consistently grown in the last three years. At MS value 10.8% in YEC 2021, it is reportedly ahead of other top players Hinterland, wherein Riya has strong focus, performed better than urban India according to our feedback in last few quarters.

Riya perfumes are quality perfumery products that have been ranked first in value sales in the Perfume segment as per Nielsen IQ which is the industry leader in global measurement and data analytics, and the most trusted source for retail and consumer intelligence. The retail index service covers “Grocers, General Stores, Chemists, Cosmetic Stores, Paan Plus Stores and Modern Trade Stores”.

CM Shri. Bhupesh Baghel to launch TV9 Chhattisgarh Digital Channel on July 16

Noida/Raipur, July 2022: TV9 Network, with its content distributed across digital platforms, is India’s largest digital news network on YouTube and is set to expand its reach further with the launch of digital channels in key Hindi-speaking states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

The recent launch of TV9 Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand digital channel has cemented the Network’s leadership position further, with it gaining fast currency.

To celebrate the launch of the Chhattisgarh HSM Digital Channel, TV9 plans to organize a ‘Baithak’ with the eminent personalities of the state speaking about the themes concerning the growth and welfare of the state. And, the issues that will be the deciding factors in the coming state elections.

Shri. Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh will be the Guest of Honor and the Inaugural Speaker at the event. The ‘Baithak’ will feature other top influencers drawn from various walks of life in the state.

Talking about the HSM foray, TV9 Network Chief Growth Officer, Raktim Das, said, “Regional and hyper local content in Indian languages will drive the future of digital media consumption. The decision to expand deeper and wider into Hindi speaking markets is motivated by the purpose-driven goal of bridging the access gap to news and thus enabling citizens to make informed opinions and choices and ultimately feel more empowered.” 

The media consumption habit of consumers in Hindi-speaking markets is evolving rapidly, with trends largely aligned with any major metro. Increased adoption of digital platforms, including digital news and entertainment platforms such as social media, aided by low bandwidth costs and cheaper, more powerful mobile devices, are factors fuelling this evolution.

Matching its leadership in news broadcasting, the TV9 Network has taken equally significant strides in the digital news space as well and reached more than 100 million unique monthly visitors in record time.

Bank of Baroda initiates a digital and social media customer awareness and education campaign #PehchaanCon On Cyber Jagrookta Diwas

Mumbai, July 2022: With the convenience of #DigitalBanking, comes the threat of #CyberCrimes.  In the wake of a rising number of bank frauds, Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, is observing the Cyber Jagrookta Diwas to educate the public to stay aware and stay cyber safe.

The Bank has initiated a digital and social media customer awareness and education campaign that underlines how people can combat banking frauds and protect their hard-earned money. On Cyber Jagrookta Diwas, the Bank took the initiative to educate its customers and the public by launching an Awareness Campaign under the banner, #PehchaanCon. The aim is to ultimately enable all
of us to #PehchaanCon.

The campaign aims to spread awareness on the various fraudulent practices adopted by fraudsters and provides tips to safeguard against such malpractices. This includes:
1. Do not click on an unverified UPI link.
2. Do not share your OTP, ATM PIN, or UPI PIN with anyone.
3. Do not fall for tempting offers on social media.
4. Enter sensitive data on secure websites i.e., the website must begin with ‘https://’ with an
icon of a closed lock.
5. Do not download any applications, attachments, or software from unknown and untrusted
links.

Amazing Monsoon Season Offers at the Pride Hotels

Monsoon is a season that requires no introduction. Be it the nostalgia you get into hearing your favorite songs or the special “Adrak wali chai” or the ever delicious “Pakora” which are relished in these days.

Pride Group Of Hotels takes you to a fun spin with each of these experiences and more at their choicest destinations Pan India. It’s indeed pouring offers at the Pride Hotels. Enjoy a 25% off* on your stays with special offers on food, soft beverages and laundry. *T&C

The offer is valid for bookings until 31st July, 2022 while the room stays are valid until 30th September, 2022

Announcing the development, Atul Upadhyay, Senior Vice President, Pride Group of Hotels said, “The season has it’s own charm. While one can get over stressed work wise but surely enjoy the mist and cool nostalgia that the Monsoon brings alongside. We’ve introduced this package to ensure all in the family enjoy the rains to the maximum”.

Pride Hotels has a presence in around 44 great locations with 4,400 rooms, 89 restaurants, 116 banquets, and conference halls. Currently, Pride Hotels Ltd operates and manages a chain of hotels under the brand name “Pride Plaza Hotel” an Indian Luxury Collection, “Pride Hotel” which are conveniently centrally located business hotels, “Pride Resorts” at mesmerizing destinations, Mid-Market segment hotels for every business “Pride Biznotels” and a fresh concept of Premium luxury serviced apartment stays “Pride Suites”. Locations are prominently in New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, Bangalore, Chennai, Rajkot, Goa, Jaipur, Indore, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Mussoorie, Puri, Gangtok, Anand, Alkapuri, and Manjusar (Vadodara), Sasan Gir and Somnath. Upcoming locations are Nainital, Jim Corbett, Jabalpur, Daman, Rishikesh, Aatapi, Surendranagar, Dwaraka, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, Agra, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Neemrana, Rajkot, Bhopal, Haldwani, Gurugram and Aurangabad.

EHL unveils a brand new campus in Lausanne…

Lausanne, July 12, 2022 – After five years of construction and 250 million Swiss francs invested, EHL unveils a brand new campus in Lausanne. The jewel of sustainable and eco-certified architecture aims to create a holistic university village that is open to the local community, encourages interactions between students, professors and professionals, while offering an exceptional living environment to study.

Designed by students, for students 

Following a call for proposals in 2013, more than 385 students from nine schools of architecture and landscape design around the world submitted their ideas for the design of the campus. From the 100 proposals received, 20 students and their professors were selected and invited to Switzerland to meet EHL students and learn about their expectations and aspirations for the new campus.

The result? A revamped campus with 80,000m2 of grounds, expanded from 25,000m2 previously, nearly 1,000 beds to accommodate students on site and 12 food outlets that are open to the public including a new high-end brasserie and a vegan restaurant. True to the adage “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” the campus offers first-rate sports facilities such as a 25-meter swimming pool, a wellness area with a sauna and a cold bath, a multipurpose sports hall, petanque, tennis and beach volleyball courts, and 2km of running track around the school.

“Many are surprised to learn that the new campus infrastructure is primarily focused on living spaces and not on classrooms per se. Yet, at EHL, our pedagogical approach is applicable both inside and outside the classroom. We believe that the campus is a vehicle for learning and should encourage the development of valuable soft skills. Our students will be able to further enrich their university experience and develop personally and humanity – this, in particular, is thanks to the thirty or so student committees that will bring the campus and the soul of EHL to life,” comments Prof. Michel Rochat, CEO of EHL Group.

Sustainability at the heart of new campus 

In line with EHL’s corporate social responsibility goals, the new campus encourages sustainable living. It offers a natural ecosystem with an organic orchard, with approximately 300 trees and 5,500 shrubs of local species planted, and a 2,500m2 educational garden, which allows students to understand the notion of seasonality and the importance of supporting local and regional produce through short food supply chains. The garden is also home to more than 250,000 bees housed in six hives and has more than 400 grapevines. In compliance with the Minergie-P© standards, the campus is equipped with 44 geothermal probes and an innovative wastewater heat recovery system to cover 80% of the university’s heating needs. The campus is also equipped with solar panels covering an area equivalent to three Olympic-sized swimming pools. EHL has already offset 58% of its carbon emissions from construction works and expects to fully offset carbon emissions by 2024.

A festive and carbon neutral inauguration 

The inauguration of the campus took place on July 8, 2022, in the presence of former students, neighbors from the town of Epalinges, personalities close to EHL and numerous political figures including the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Ignazio Cassis, and the Mayor of the City of Lausanne, Mr. Grégoire Junod. Highlights included many “magical” moments, notably a presentation by other Lausanne academic institutions: the Haute Ecole de Musique (HEMU) and La Manufacture. Ending on a high note, the inauguration was lauded for its carbon neutrality, certified by the “climate neutral event” label from the consulting firm South Pole.

The Calm – Salon and Spa Launch by Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach…

Visakhapatnam, July 2022: Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach successfully launched its new, Calm – Salon and Spa, a thoughtfully crafted, holistic hub of wellness treatments and salon experiences, on the 4th of July 2022. With a glorious view of the Bay of Bengal perfectly perched to calm your senses, the spa is designed for exquisite rejuvenation and self-care.

Overlooking the surrounding scenic avenues, Calm – Salon and Spa offers signature body treatments such as Vinotherapy, Aromatherapy, Balinese, Thai massage, and more for a tranquil state of your mind, body and soul. The spa packages also offer a combination of massages, traditional body scrubs and facials with enriching products to soothe and refresh. Calm – Salon and Spa have a dedicated reception and retail area along with 5 treatment rooms consisting of 4 single rooms and a dedicated room for couples with a delightful view of the Bay of Bengal.

On the occasion of its announcement, Ravi Rai, Cluster General Manager Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach said, “We are delighted to open our doors for the Calm- Salon and Spa at Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, designed to offer an exclusive and invigorating experience. We look forward to welcoming our guests to unwind with its refreshing spa and wellness treatments.” 

In addition to effective treatments with select ingredients, the spa also offers premium skincare solutions, and other services including bridal makeup, hair stylist services, nail care and other beauty facilities. Compose your mind and soothe your soul with the wellness regime in a sophisticated and elegant space. The Calm – Salon and Spa offer expert care while nourishing serene mindfulness and calmness for all your senses.

DPS RNE Organizes Tree Plantation Drive…

A Tree Plantation drive was organised at DPS RNE to educate Nursery-Prep children about the importance of conservation of nature This also helped to enhance their intellectual, social, personal and emotional growth and make them climate conscious global citizens .The children brought various saplings including Ashoka, Neem, Belpatra, Tulsi, Herb plants, Fruit plants, etc., and helped each other plant the saplings in the school ground.

The drive was to develop a pro-environment sensitivity among students and keep them sustainably aware of the ramifications of ecological destruction and natural resource depletion.The teachers supervised the campaign and took a pledge with students to take care of the planted saplings and plant more trees to contribute toward environmental conservation.

The school children shared their experiences after the activity, and some even recalled their previous experiences of the same and expressed their jubilation.

Expressing her thoughts, Mrs Pallavi Upadhayay, Principal, DPS RNE, said, “The tree plantation drive was to foster strong mental and social health amongst today’s children. It was organised to establish a strong connection of children with their peers, elders, community and most importantly, the environment. Deforestation is a caustic and scornful reality today. In days when we see fetid litter and trunks of garbage being spilt on the roads on a frequent basis, it becomes our responsibility to sow seeds of environmental consciousness among young children so that they lay a foundation for a better tomorrow. The children enjoyed an outside activity after a long time post-Covid-19 and shared their experiences in a lovely way.

Campus Fund raises INR 75 CR ($ 10 mn) to invest in student founders

Bangalore, 10^th  July 2022: Campus Fund announced its second fund to deepen its commitment to investing in student-led startups. Based on a funding model that has been successful in the Silicon Valley, Campus Fund has been funding Indian students for the last two years. It already has some notable successes to its name, ranging from Digantara (building google maps for space) to HealthySure (unified health insurance platform) to Expand My Business (B2B managed marketplace for digital services) amongst others, who have gone on to raise follow on funding from reputed VCs.

Karan Bhagat Founder, MD & CEO of IIFL Wealth & Asset Management, an investor in the Fund said, “Campus Fund is contributing well to unearth the most exciting startup talent in Indian universities. Student Entrepreneurs are shaping a better future for everyone in India and Bharat. We at IIFL Wealth & Asset Management will continue to do our part to help build this ecosystem.”

Campus Fund started with a rolling fund of INR 7 crore in July 2020 and is the first fund of its kind in India to employ students as investors, who scout, evaluate, and also get a seat in the decision-making regarding investments in student-led startups.

Deep Kalra, founder of MakeMyTrip said, “Campus Fund is unique in its purpose and approach and is a game-changer in the early venture space. It is becoming a formidable force on Campuses, in identifying innovation early on and nurturing it. I am excited to be part of it.”

Campus Fund is founded by Richa Bajpai, a student entrepreneur herself, starting out of a Dorm Room in her final year of engineering in 2009, and having co-founded Goodera, a global technology platform in the Tech4Good space. Bajpai says, “We worked with over  60+ Students across the country to scout and evaluate more than 1600 student led-startups in the last two years. We now have a portfolio of 10 diverse student-led startups with strong fundamentals and a potential to shape the future and contribute towards India’s ambition of becoming a $5 trillion economy”.

Campus Fund is backed by large institutions, family offices, GPs of leading funds, industry veterans and founders, including those behind Delhivery, redBus, TaxiForSure, Sheroes, Udhyam Learning amongst others.

“Considering her entrepreneurial background and the exposure she has had with Creator Fund in the UK, Richa has an absolute advantage to build the student entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. Her experience, passion, hard work, patience, and perseverance will make Campus Fund the most sought-after student-centric VC fund in India. She is doing the right thing in a right way to the right student community at the right time”, said Ullas Kamath – Former Joint MD at Jyothy Labs, Board Member VGuard, Wonderla amongst others.

With its second fund, Campus Fund will continue to invest at the pre-seed stage, playing the role of the first institutional check in student-led start-ups and supporting them through their journey.  “The level of innovation that is taking place across academic institutions in India and the crying need for capital to support these young entrepreneurs is a need of the hour and Campus Fund is well-positioned to bridge this void in the Indian ecosystem”, said Soumya Rajan, Founder and CEO of Waterfield Advisors.

By searching for entrepreneurs at universities, Campus Fund identifies a more diverse range of founders than traditionally accessed by venture funding. In keeping with this philosophy, Campus Fund has a portfolio that has 40% Non-Tech Founders, 30% Female Co-Founders, and 30% Hardware First Tech-Enabled student-led Startups.

“We are excited to back Richa and the team at Campus Fund in their mission to promote student entrepreneurship in the country. This will give impetus to the bold young entrepreneurs who are solving important problems in the country and generating employment. We are impressed by their commitment towards diversity, in the selection of entrepreneurs they will back”, said Sarvesh Kanodia, Principal at Omidyar Network India.

The long-term ambition of Campus Fund is to partner with student founders across the country – from Bangalore to Bhopal to  Jammu and to play its part in supporting the National Education Policy 2020 which encourages students to be job creators and innovators.

About Campus Fund:

Campus Fund (CF) is India’s first and very own Dorm Room Fund, investing in student-led start-ups.

Campus Fund II Corpus: INR 75 Cr

Campus Fund I Corpus: INR 7 Cr

Campus Fund I Portfolio: 10 Start-ups

Investors of Campus Fund include the likes of: IIFL Wealth, HDFC Bank, Bharat Shah (Former Chairman HDFC Securities Chairman), Jaimin Bhatt (CFO Kotak Mahindra Bank), Kanwajit Singh (Founder Fireside Ventures), Shivkumar Janardhanan (Former CEO Essilor India) amongst others.