AgroStar's Culture: The invisible fuel offering competitive advantage for sustainable growth

AgroStar's Culture 2.0: A transformative journey towards creating a sustainable and aligned organization in the agritech industry

The roots of AgroStar's culture

• There is a heavy importance of organizational culture in startups, and a specific need for a proactive and scientific approach to culture development
• AgroStar's preferred culture closely linked with founder's DNA and company's Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

AgroStar's background and mission

• AgroStar was founded by Shardul Sheth and Sitanshu Sheth in 2013, and has become a leading agritech startup, impacting millions of farmers
• Their mission: helping farmers win by combining technology and agronomy, creating progressive farming solutions and easy access to quality agri inputs

How Zetwerk is Changing Product Sourcing in the Global Manufacturing Industry

• Meeting Amrit and Srinath in 2018, impressed by the team and their solution
• Experts' doubts versus a brilliant team attempting to upend the supply chain in the manufacturing industry
• Zetwerk's story and journey so far

Zetwerk:

• Amrit and Srinath's friendship and shared experiences during IIT-Madras days
• Amrit's experience in ITC and realization of pain points for project managers
• Srinath's startup journey with OfBusiness and Blackbuck

Founding Zetwerk:

• Amrit and Srinath's decision to create software for organizing supplier databases
• On-ground research and positive feedback from large manufacturing companies
• The addition of Rahul and Vishal as co-founders

The First 500 Days of Urban Company

1. The journey of Abhiraj Bhal, co-founder of Urban Company, from an engineer's background to launching a successful startup.
2. The formation and early stages of Urban Company, which would go on to become a leading home services provider.

Abhiraj Bhal's Background:

1. Each co-founder took on a role based on background and skill set.Cautious approach to avoid previous mistakes.
2. Focused on solving real problems and embraced technology.

The Power Law in Venture Capital and Kunal's Delta 4 Theory

Understanding the reasons behind startup failures and the key to building successful products

Introduction

• Kunal, an entrepreneur, analyzed venture capital and startup failures
• He concluded that a majority of startups fail, but entrepreneurs are not willing to give up easily

Introduction to Amagi Media Labs

• Amagi Media Labs, a SaaS platform established in 2008, allows TV networks and content owners to distribute and monetize content.
• Despite its low-profile approach, the company has experienced significant success, posting  136% annual revenue growth in 2021.

Baskar Subramanian's Journey and the Genesis of Amagi

• Baskar Subramanian, a seasoned entrepreneur, co-founded Amagi with the goal of disrupting TV advertising through technology
• His early challenges, such as being left-handed and dyslexic, sparked his interest in computers and catalyzed his journey

Lessons from Impulsoft and the Beginnings of Amagi

• From his experience with his first startup Impulsoft, Baskar learned the importance of focusing on the market before developing a solution
• He had a vision of empowering local advertisers in over 3000 cities, a concept that was warmly received

How Zetwerk is Changing Product Sourcing in the Global Manufacturing Industry

• Meeting Amrit and Srinath in 2018, impressed by the team and their solution
• Experts' doubts versus a brilliant team attempting to upend the supply chain in the manufacturing industry
• Zetwerk's story and journey so far

Zetwerk:

• Amrit and Srinath's friendship and shared experiences during IIT-Madras days
• Amrit's experience in ITC and realization of pain points for project managers
• Srinath's startup journey with OfBusiness and Blackbuck

How Bizongo is Disrupting the Fragmented Packaging Market in India

Bizongo's Journey

• Bizongo co-founders Aniket Deb, Ankit Tomar, and Sachin Agrawal are redefining the $40Bn+ packaging industry
• By overcoming challenges and pivoting to focus on the packaging sector, Bizongo now counts over 100 large enterprises, including Cadbury's, Amazon, and FirstCry.

The Early Story of Chargebee: Why it’s Better to Start with People, not Ideas

An overview of Chargebee's early journey, from humble beginnings to building a strong foundation.

Modest Beginnings:

In 2002, Krish Subramanian, a young programmer, worked at a small technology startup called MatexNet in Bangalore. This experience shaped his future aspirations and laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey.

Early Inspiration:

Krish's family ran restaurants, and he had early exposure to entrepreneurship through these experiences. Additionally, he followed companies like Fog Creek Software that documented their growth, fueling his passion for entrepreneurship.

Future of Insurance: Learnings from Varun Dua, Founder & CEO Acko

India's under-penetrated insurance market holds immense potential, and Varun Dua's Acko aims to transform the industry with a direct, digital, and data-driven approach.

India's insurance market potential and challenges:

• Life insurance premiums reached global averages due to COVID-19 pandemic
• Non-life premiums (health, motor) lag behind (sub 1% of GDP)
• Rising GDP and per capita income will increase insurance adoption

The state of insurance in India:

• Dominated by public sector undertakings (LIC, PSUs)
• Private insurers face high costs, poor customer experiences, and low retention rates
• Motor insurance example: intermediated by brokers, slow claims processing, and lack of digital touchpoints