Explore Partnerships and Investment Opportunities in South Korea with MA!

Apart from giving the world groovy K-Pop tunes and binge-watch worthy dramas, South Korea is home to a vibrant and thriving startup ecosystem! It’s no secret that South Korea is a hub of innovation, being home to world electronics giants Samsung and LG, leading automobile companies Hyundai and Kia Motors among many others. South Korea also beats most nations in having the world’s fastest internet connections.

 

The bottom-line is that South Korea is a striking melting pot of culture, style, and technology, that is on the forward march, making several breakthroughs in diverse spaces, which is why it was only natural for MA Global Platforms to bring you incredible startups from this nation with whom you can explore partnership and investment opportunities!

 

With policy changes and continuous amendments it is now possible for the Indian investor to explore and make investments in other countries apart from India. For an in-depth look at how overseas direct investment in countries like South Korea can be an option for you, tune in on the 24th of March at 5.30 pm for our special event - MA Global Platforms presents South Korea!

 

About MA Global Platforms:

MA Global Platforms is an exciting new offering by Mumbai Angels Network, that brings you the best in startups from across the globe. Learn more about the process of investment and explore partnership opportunities that can help you grow your business! The startups that we bring to you are looking to demonstrate their technology, look for sales partners, business development or investments. MA Network’s platform continues to introduce global companies to the Indian investor, to enable their India entry in the most efficient manner. Through this channel, MA plans to continuously introduce innovative and unique offerings from across the world to its investors as well as to the larger ecosystem in its role as a leading angel investing platform. MA is equipped to handhold through the entire investment and post-investment process.

 

 

For more information about this event or Mumbai Angels Network, please feel free to reach out to us at chandni@mumbaiangels.in  / miloni@mumbaiangels.in 

 

It would give us great pleasure to have you in attendance!

Prescinto, renewable energy startup raises $3.5 Mn in the seed round

 

Prescinto, renewable energy startup raises $3.5 Mn in the seed round Prescinto, a leading tech startup reinventing the renewable energy industry through its AI-powered platform, has raised funding of $3.5 Mn in the seed round through Mumbai Angels Network and other External Investors. Prescinto is an IIoT Platform designed for vendor-agnostic connectivity and real-time insights for Solar plants. It is currently the most advanced solution in an industry which is still at the data acquisition and visualization stage. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services including data acquisition & visualization, advanced analytics, and O&M automation, with a strong pipeline of IPs in the domain.  Prescinto has been recognized amongst the top 10 AI startups by Stellaris Venture Partners and International Finance Corporation as well as awarded the RE Assets Award for the best data Analytics platform by the Solar Quarter. After demonstrating itself with customers like Radiance Renewables, SoftBank Energy, etc, and establishing its leadership in the Indian market, Prescinto plans to expand to and capture International markets through its single-minded focus on performance enhancement. Puneet Singh Jaggi, Founder, and CEO at Prescinto said, “At Prescinto, we are building the brain of solar projects using AI. We are building tech which will herald the future of clean energy not only in India but across the world. I am extremely thankful for the trust of our investors who have partnered with us in this very exciting journey ahead!” Dean Menezes, Mumbai Angels Investor commented, " We are going to see a lot of activity in the green energy and energy storage space in the next decade. Prescinto is backed by an experienced team and is well poised to offer a SaaS Platform to green energy companies to optimize their facilities. Prescento can then ride wave in the development of green energy and energy storage technologies." Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Promoter and CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented "The Indian renewable energy sector has gained momentum in the last decade creating new opportunities for players in performance enhancement. Prescinto has developed an AI platform that helps renewable energy players increase their profitability by increasing the power generation and return-on-investment (RoI) of solar plants.  This investment will accelerate Prescinto's growth trajectory and we are  delighted to welcome Prescinto in our diversified portfolio.”

Not worried about cybersecurity? Think again!

What do companies like Sony, Yahoo, Microsoft, Marriotts, Facebook, Twitter have in common? They have all been victims of cyberattacks. Experts estimate that there will be a cyberattack once every 11 seconds in 2021, to compare, in 2016 there was a cyberattack once every 40 seconds. Dealing with a cyberattack comes at a huge price and is expected to cost economies USD 6.1 trillion, annually. You could be a nation, a company or an individual, but in today’s hyper-connected world, everybody is at risk of being a victim of a cyberattack.

Organisations have typically looked at cybersecurity as something only to be dealt with by IT Managers using a garden variety of firewalls and other technological tools often classified as cyber mumbo-jumbo. However, a cyber-secure environment is not just a product of tools, it is an approach and mindset that has to be integrated into every aspect of an organisation’s  online conduct. 

A startup faces many challenges across the board, from fund-raising to prioritizing their major spends. As an entrepreneur, it would be easy to believe that cyberattacks would be something faced by larger companies who have more to lose. Unfortunately, a cybercriminal only looks for opportunities and vulnerabilities, exploiting either one to move in for a kill. Case in point, in September 2020, New York based, cyber threat detection startup Cygilant was hit by a Ransomware attack and their data appeared on the dark web which was later removed but by then the damage was already done. 

A cyberattack can derail businesses easily and not every company has what it takes to recover from one. Fortunately, there is much that one can do to create an organisation that is resilient and secure from cyberattacks and especially as a startup, it can be something that makes you stand out from the crowd, making you more investment-friendly. Learn more about how this can be done by joining our Masterclass on Making Cybersecurity Your Competitive Advantage conducted by Ajay Singh, Corporate Advisor, Former CEO and Author of Cyberstrong: A Primer on Cyber Risk Management for Business Managers, on 17th March, between 5.30-7.00 pm! 

Register Now at: http://bit.ly/MAAcademyMar2102

For more information about this session or Mumbai Angels Network, please feel free to reach out to: chandni@mumbaiangels.in / miloni@mumbaiangels.in 

We’re looking forward to having you join us for this super-relevant session! 

Cryptocurrency - A Tangled Web

Love it or don’t understand it, cryptocurrency has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, first with bitcoin values against the dollar constantly fluctuating and then the Indian government and others, considering or driving at an absolute ban. The future of cryptocurrency in India might be uncertain at this point in time, however, the world over, this new-age currency is starting to gain more traction and acceptance. Just recently, Goldman Sachs restarted its cryptocurrency desk, with plans to look into the possibility of a bitcoin exchange traded fund. Earlier this year, Tesla announced its plans to accept bitcoin as  payment and has also purchased USD 1.5 billion worth of the currency.

 

So what is driving this interest in bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and other types of cryptocurrency? Many expect the hype to wear off in time, but some expect that these currencies will take over the world some day, leading to a kind of parallel economy.

 

There is no question that cryptocurrency is complex, exciting, and to most governments it means decentralization and therefore, an instrument of anarchy. To cut a long story short, cryptocurrency is hugely misunderstood, while coming with far too many variables, and to set the record straight, Sidharth Sogani, Founder and CEO of CREBACO, will be taking us through its various aspects in our Masterclass on Demystifying Cryptocurrencies & Bitcoin.

 

CREBACO is a global leader in research intelligence and due diligence focused on the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. By fostering an in-depth understanding of the cryptocurrency landscape, they aim to regulate, and promote a safer approach to considering investments in this space.

 

In this Masterclass, Sidharth will tackle the governance and regulatory aspects, explain to us why we need to give Cryptocurrency a fair hearing, discuss its emergence as a Global Asset Class, and lots more that you’ll have to tune in to find out!

 

Join us for this free and open to all session on 10th March, between 5.30 - 7.00 pm! To register, simply RSVP here: http://bit.ly/MAAcademyCrypto_01 

 

For more information about this session or Mumbai Angels Network, please feel free to reach out to: chandni@mumbaiangels.in / miloni@mumbaiangels.in 

 

We’re looking forward to seeing you and will be thrilled to have you join us! 

One point six technologies raises $1mn in Pre-Series A round

 

One point six technologies raises $1mn in Pre-Series A round

Mumbai Angels (MA) Network portfolio company One Point Six Technologies has raised $1mn in Pre-Series A round from US Based SOSV, Australian fund Artesian and IPV along with some existing investors. One Point Six Technologies, formerly known as Leadstart, has an integrated platform that allows authors to self-publish globally in multiple languages. The Company, founded in 2010 by Swarup Nanda, had recently launched the app Pencil - a reading and writing platform for multiple formats of content from shorts to books that enables writers to create multiple types of content in 60 languages, continuously enhancing their work powered by meaningful reading insights, as they engage with the readers and monetise their content. The company’s portfolio covers a wide range of genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Children, Business, Management, Finance, World Affairs, Politics, History, Self-Help & Empowerment, Health & Fitness, Spirituality & Religion, Philosophy, Cookery, Reference, Biography, Travel, Poetry, Activities, Hobbies, Crafts & Sports.

"In the creator economy ecosystem, while a lot of solutions are being built for content creators in the audio-visual space, little is being built for writers and authors to be able to monetize their content. Our effort at Pencil is to help writers to become authors, improve their content, build audiences and monetize their creative pursuits in various ways.”, Swarup Nanda, founder, and chief executive officer, Pencil commented..

Vijay Hede, MA Investor said “I was drawn to Leadstart Publishing Pvt. Ltd. for their unique innovation of launching the world's first publishing platform to empower each person to express their creativity by writing and distributing a book in e-book and paperback format.  The immense size of this opportunity has drawn me to invest in this start-up added of course is the drive, the focus, the team at Leadstart Publishing Pvt. Ltd. (AKA) One Point Six Technologies Pvt. Ltd.”

Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Promoter and CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented “Their tech-driven approach in integrating publishers, platforms, and communities is a key differentiator; now with this new innovation - Pencil, it will help content writers to reach wider audience as it will help them to transform content into multiple languages and we see tremendous growth in this segment both in India and internationally".

Flavors 2021

After last year’s on-ground flagship event, Flavors 2021 made a comeback in a crisper, virtual, format featuring big names in the food and beverage industry, including Rahul Akerkar, Amruda Nair, Raghav Joshi, Rajat Mahajan, Navin Honagudi and Sahil Jatana. Our associate partner for the evening was EagleOwl, who provide restaurant management and analytics software.

Rahul Akerkar, Founder and Managing Partner at Qualia Hospitality LLP and India’s original restaurant entrepreneur, kicked off the evening with a keynote address. He shared his views on how the pandemic has presented new challenges to restaurant owners apart from dealing with existing burdens like massive overheads and crippling GST rates. Overnight, the lockdown forced restaurant owners to shut shop and develop new strategies to keep their patrons engaged, including having themed weekend meals. Rahul graciously took on questions from the audience and the MA team. He reflected on his incredible journey in the food industry, his passion reflecting in the fresh perspective he manages to maintain when it comes to the assortment of meals that he serves up at his new restaurant - Qualia.

The keynote address was followed up with a riveting panel discussion featuring Amruda Nair - Director, Araiya Hotels & Resorts, Raghav Joshi - Co-founder & CEO- India BU, Rebel Foods, Sahil Jatana - Co-founder, SVAMI, and Navin Honagudi- Managing Director, Kae Capital, while Rajat Mahajan, Partner at Deloitte India, took on the mantle of moderator. The topic for discussion was about creating a parity of experience across various platforms. The food and beverage sector has been forced to adapt to a constantly evolving pandemic which is yet to come to a close, and in this time, several pre-existing business models have had to undergo drastic changes. Before the pandemic, restaurateurs relied on patrons queuing up at their doors, but have now been forced to deliver their gourmet meals instead, and are being challenged to create memorable dining experiences. Beverage companies were forced to shift focus from Ho/Re/Ca to purely retail and online sales to stay afloat, unable to depend on the otherwise burgeoning party circuit . Restaurants whose clientele generally included travellers, had to change strategy and reach out to locals. Additionally, the food and beverage industry were hit with rising costs owing to the safety and hygiene protocols they have been forced to implement because of the pandemic. At the end of the day, the changes have been complex and many and with no end in sight just yet for the pandemic, entrepreneurs have had to rise to the occasion. Amidst all of this change, they have had to adapt, innovate and most importantly, and learn to survive and thrive in this new normal.


The panellists shared their views, drawing upon their own varied set of experiences in the past year. Bringing in the investment angle were Rajat and Navin who spoke about evaluating and tracking various metrics to understand the new dynamics of success and failure. From the entrepreneurs’ perspective, Sahil and Raghav, shared how they were pushed to transform their business approaches to pull through this difficult period as Amruda Nair, who is both an investor and entrepreneur, shared her unique insight, marrying these two different schools of thought. With a shared passion for food, beverages and hospitality, our speakers and lively audience, made Flavors 2021, a truly vibrant, virtual celebration of food.

ixamBee an online learning platform raises funds through Mumbai Angels Network

ixamBee an online learning platform raises funds through Mumbai Angels Network

ixamBee , a complete online learning platform for government jobs, has raised funding led by Mumbai Angles. ixamBee provides learning courses for competitive exams for jobs in central government, state government, banks and other public sector organisations. About 50 million applicants appear for various government job exams every year and most of them come from tier 2-3 towns and villages. After Covid-19, job losses and uncertainty in the private sector has led to an increased level of interest in the already attractive government job space. ixamBee is the only platform that provides online mock tests free for more than 50 such exams and provides complete online learning experience starting from career guidance to interview preparation. More than 5 million students have been benefited by ixamBee. Thousands of selections and student testimonials have contributed to the fast organic growth of the platform. The current funding is led by Mumbai Angles Network and also received funding from external investors. Existing investors including Keyur Joshi, co-founder MakeMyTrip, also participated in the current round, reaffirming their belief in ixamBee. ixamBee will utilise the funds to enhance its offerings by investing in technology for richer customer experience and in developing content for courses for various government jobs. The funds will also be utilised to increase the reach of ixamBee through various marketing channels and also spread exam awareness amongst prospective applicants, many of whom miss opportunities, due to lack of knowledge/information on such government job exams. Considering the recruitment season has re-started after a pause during the Covid-19 lockdown, with this funding, ixamBee is well placed to accelerate growth to the next level.

Chandraprakash Joshi, Co-founder & CEO at ixamBee says “At the beginning of the lockdown, we were worried. However, we tweaked the strategy and during the last two quarters we observed more than 100% revenue growth. This has made the team more resilient and the business stronger. Mumbai Angels led investment at this stage is going to help us to make ixamBee's learning experience (iLX) superior while accelerating our growth multiple times.”

Nandini Mansinghka, Co-promoter & CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented, "We are happy to welcome ixamBee to our Portfolio. The platform is created by an experience and super talented team who have incorporated online courses for government jobs plus mock tests which provides a 360 degree training to the aspirant leading to accelerated the growth."