Video AI Platform - Toch gives a 2.5x Exit to MA Investors in 2 years

 

Mumbai Angels (MA) Network portfolio company Toch, a video meta-tagging platform co-founded by Vinayak Shrivastav, Saket Dandotia and Alok Patil provides 2.5x Exit to MA Investors in less than 2 years  The company helps online video creators, media companies, advertisers and OTT platforms to succeed in digital video across all platforms through its best in-class insights, achieved by using AI based tagging and Deep Learning. Toch is a go-to solution for multiple platforms helping them monetize content and use meta-data for multiple data collection internally.  MA Network invested in the company in May 2019 and the exit opportunity has been created in under 2 years at a multiple of over 2.5x with a 65%+ IRR. Vinayak Shrivatav, Co-Founder Toch “MA Investors has been very supportive throughout our journey and we are happy that we were able to provide a good exit to them. Toch is a video ai platform that automates meta data collection and usage of it in automating media processes. We are very excited about what lies ahead.” Tushar Lunkad MA Investor, Board Member and Advisor “Toch is building the next generation of automated video automation processes to increase media process efficiency. It is backed by an experienced team and a strong vision. We wish them good luck for their journey ahead." Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Promoter and CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented "We are excited at this 65% IRR, 2.5x exit option that Toch has given MA Investors in a short frame of time. We have seen OTT platforms evolving with new age technology where players like Toch have a significant role in helping multiple media platforms monetize their content with the use of AI and Deep Learning. We wish the founders the very best in their journey ahead and at the same time continue to bring revolutionary startups to the MA Platform."

Strides Taken in 20-21

 

Dear Member, What a year this has been! Last March, none of us had imagined how the next few months will roll out, challenging so many of our beliefs on how differently life can be lived and business done! We at Mumbai Angels Network went through a similar journey both as an organization and as a team. I am happy to report that as we doubled down on our efforts and embraced innovation and technology; we delivered one of our best years ever. 1.Exits and Next round investments: The last year has been great for our portfolio. Around 36 of our 160+ strong portfolio, saw exits and next round investments. Some star exits/ next rounds were: Purplle, Exotel, One point Six Technologies, Gegadyne, Unocoin, Mcaffeine, Toch and Unlu. Our focus is simple: we are about exits not just investments. 2.Investments: We funded 35 innovative start-ups across industries and deal sizes. Some of the notable investments included Big Bang Boom Solutions (Defence Tech-INR 7.3 Crores), Chargezone (EV-INR 5.4 Crores), Svami (Consumer-INR 3.8 Crores), Blu Smart Mobility (Mobility / EV-INR 3.6 Crores) Dhruva (Space Tech-INR 2.7 Crores), and several others like Hemp Horizon and Prescinto. 3.Virtual Showcase: Once we switched the investor showcase format to virtual, we could increase the number of new start-ups being showcased from 8 to 12 a month. This enabled members from across the globe to invest in a wide variety of geography and sector agnostic start-ups. 4.Increased Deal flow: We are now evaluating 8,000-10,000 deals a year, shortlisting 100-120 of them for our members. This is a highly curated deal flow of 1-2% of startups that we see. 5.Trending Deals: Of the wide choice of Open Deals, our Trending Deals section enables investors to have more focused conversations on 6-7 trending start-ups and take informed decisions. 6.Sector focused conversations: We have started focusing on some key verticals, through a mix of knowledge sessions, virtual summits and sector focused showcases. We have started with Lifesciences, Flavors, EdTech and Online Gaming with more in the pipeline. 7.Knowledge and Academy sessions: We conducted several learning sessions, masterclasses and engaging conversations across topics including Angel Investing, Lifesciences, Horeca, Gaming and Cryptocurrency. We also launched our Global Start-ups Platform starting with South Korea. 8.Expanding Network: Our membership expanded to over 40 cities across the globe, and we are now a 550+ strong member network. 9.Family office Offering: We started engaging with Family Offices who are looking to deploy 4-5% of their overall portfolio to the early stage venture asset class. Our vision is to make MA the preferred destination for early stage venture investing, hence becoming an integral building block for the $5 trillion Indian economy. What we have achieved this year only reinforces my commitment for FY 2022 and forward. Thank you for being part of MA.

Do Your Thng (DYT) Raises USD 150,000 led by Mumbai Angels Network

 

Do Your Thng (DYT) Raises USD 150,000 led by Mumbai Angels Network

Do Your Thng, a branded content marketplace raises fresh funding of $150,000 led by Mumbai Angels Network.  Headquartered in Gurugram, DYT helps brands get high-quality, personalised branded content at scale with quick turn-around time, backed by data and an ROI-based approach. Leveraging the DYT app, content creators can access brand collaborations.  DYT will fuel the next growth phase in which the Company plans to accelerate the expansion of their influencer marketing tech platform with the funds raised.  Trusted by some of the biggest brands, including MasterCard, Nescafe, Lays, Havells, Marks & Spencer, Logitech, Hershey’s, Royal Sundaram, and Klairs, DYT is on the forefront of the rapidly rising influencer marketing industry. The Company has a 4x jump in revenue compared to the last financial year in the backdrop of the pandemic and are confident of maintaining this pace of growth.

Ankit Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Do Your Thng, said: “Mumbai Angels has a very successful track record of partnering with start-ups. In addition to the investment, it is their network and expertise in scaling companies and improving products that makes them a natural partner for us as we continue to be the technological bridge between brands and creators.”

Hemant Dua, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Do Your Thng, said: “With this latest round of funding, we’ll accelerate the tech side of our platform, making it easier for content creators to pursue what they love and marketers to access unique digital content. The new funding round follows a year that saw a marked rise in demand for digital marketing and advertising. The funds will be injected into pushing a few key tech modules of DYT. It’ll strengthen the platform, reduce the amount of manual intervention required and make the process of getting branded content created as easy as ordering food online.”

Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Promoter and CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented "Digital marketing is growing rapidly and influencer marketing is slowly taking center stage in the success of many brands. DYT platform is focussing on making the whole process of creating branded content easier through their tech platform connecting creators with brands, thereby increasing the digital footprint of brands. We are happy to welcome DYT in our diversified portfolio and look forward to the exciting plans they have on the anvil."

Cryptocurrency - Making an Alternative Investment

The Government is set to table the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 in the Parliament shortly and the clamour surrounding the mining and trading of cryptocurrencies has only grown louder. Politicians, legal experts, and the cryptocurrency industry at large, have been involved in an intense debate, which has seen many experts find loopholes that start with the understanding of this space followed by the trading process in general. 

For many investors, Cryptocurrency is often looked at as an abstract investment, not something that belongs in any particular asset class and with very little clarity about the processes involved, it is often considered to be unviable, because the right information might only be available at a premium. Many are unable to relate to the kind of investments made by Tesla and other big corporations in this space. There may be millions of articles listed on the internet, each explaining the process of making an investment, however one can get lost in too much information and end up more confused than before.

But, what if someone was able to take you through the process step-by-step and make it accessible for you, the investor? With our Masterclass on the How to Trade in Cryptocurrency - A starter’s guide with AVP-Marketing at WazirX, Pareen Lathia, you’ll be able to kick-start your Cryptocurrency investment journey or at the very least develop a basic understanding of how to go about it. By participating, you'll be able to understand the risk profiles of bitcoins and its alternatives, the various cryptocurrencies, the trading interface, how to pick the right cryptocurrency to make an investment and how much money you should divert to its purchase.

Join us for this free and open to all session on 31st March, between 5.30 - 7.00 pm! To register, simply RSVP here: http://bit.ly/MAAcademyCrypto_03 

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! 

Sepal a smart bike canopy startup has raised funds from Mumbai Angels Network

 

Sepal was started in 2018 by IIT-B alumni, with a goal to provide all 2-wheeler riders with the important comforts of a car, which is complete weather protection and all the Infotainment comforts. The first of their innovations is Sepal, which is a smart collapsible canopy that provides the rider and the pillion with complete protection from sun, rain, dust and even cold. That too entirely on-demand, i.e users can install /remove Sepal within 2 minutes whenever required. On top of this, Sepal also comes integrated with an Heads-Up Display (HUD), handle buttons and an IOT platform to provide the bike riders with safe access to infotainment comforts like navigation, music streaming, call notifications etc.

Vidhey Addepally, Co-founder Sepal says, “At the beginning, me and Kashyap were surprised to see that there was not a single feasible solution in the market, despite the  problems being so profound. The only option that people are left with is raincoats which is more of a compromise than a solution. It was only after we started working on our own ideal solution, that we came to realize all the intricacies, complications & consumer preferences which made such a solution elusive. But we kept grinding & experimenting for years. Finally, we have cracked the problem and developed the perfect product that is sure to transform the bike riding experience for the entire India.”

The team aims to use these funds, to set up their production infrastructure and launch Sepal into the market India-wide. In the following months, they will also be expanding their tech team and build a portfolio of innovative products to be launched subsequently. They intend to raise another funding round in 12-18 months to penetrate to all corners of India and also start expansion to other developing countries. So far, they have  received over 500+ pre-order interests & they have also confirmed partnerships with some renowned startups such as BigBasket, Swiggy, Faasos etc.

Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Promoter and CEO, Mumbai Angels Network commented "Two-wheeler technology has grown tremendously in the last few years and Sepal with their  innovation they have been generating huge interests within India and abroad in these segments. We are happy to welcome Sepal to our diverse portfolio“

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.”