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<ul><li>Former <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> Group CEO <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> has closed the first round of $32 million for his VC fund called 021 Capital. </li><li>Binny Bansal has raised the round from Premji foundation and others. </li><li>Co-founder <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword> is also said to be raising his own $1 billion fund.</li></ul>It appears that India’s iconic startup <keyword id="53533" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="entrepreneurs">entrepreneurs</keyword> -- Flipkart co-founders Sachin and Binny Bansal -- are back in business, albeit separately. Sachin Bansal was said to have begun the process for his own<a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/JSwzsV76Mlyam1lKyg5aoL/Sachin-Bansal-plans-up-to-1-billion-VC-fund-in-life-after-F.html"> fund for $1 billion</a> to invest in startups. Reports suggested that Sachin was going to pour in 40% of his earnings from the Flipkart exit into the fund while looking at raising <keyword id="6355120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment">investment</keyword> to close the fund. Now, Binny Bansal has closed the first round of <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/premji-foundation-and-flipsters-back-binny-bansals-vc/articleshow/67413413.cms">$32 million</a> for his VC fund called ‘021 Capital’ which he had formed with Sailesh Tulshan, his financial adviser. The former Flipkart Group CEO has raised the round from Premji Foundation also with a backing from former Flipkart employees. The Bansal Hood The global retail giant Walmart took up a 77% stake in the Indian e-commerce company for a whopping $16 billion. The deal went on to become one of the world’s largest e-commerce deals with the founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal opening the door for VC-backed startup exits in India. However, the deal also saw the exit of the Flipkart visionary Sachin Bansal with a cash-out of over $1 billion. Recently, Binny Bansal too stepped down from his position as CEO of the company following an internal review after an allegation of<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/binny-bansal-resigns-from-flipkart-on-allegations-of-personal-misconduct-walmart/videoshow/66606895.cms"> personal misconduct</a>. Although the allegation was taken down, it was Binny Bansal’s lack of transparency in the matter that cost him his job. Both the co-founders have a high regard in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem for having scaled up the startup from a two-bedroom apartment in Bengaluru to an e-commerce giant that one could say redefined the way Indians shop by introducing options like cash on delivery and return of goods. And they are not new to investments, both of them in their personal capacity have long been investing in Indian startups. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/flipkart-group-ceo-binny-bansal-steps-down-following-allegations-of-serious-personal-misconduct/articleshow/66608441.cms">Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal steps down following allegations of ‘serious personal misconduct’</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-unicorn-flipkarts-board-approves-15-billion-deal-with-walmart/articleshow/64027810.cms">Indian unicorn Flipkart's board approves $15 billion deal with Walmart</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-flipkart-went-from-being-an-online-bookseller-to-indias-biggest-e-commerce-story/articleshow/64100266.cms">How Flipkart went from being an online bookseller to India’s biggest e-commerce story</a>

India’s two startup icons switch to the other side — as venture capitalists

<ul><li><keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>’s <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> has led a $1 million funding in <keyword id="121020" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Masaba-Gupta">Masaba Gupta</keyword>’s designer brand. </li><li>Masaba has been in business for 10 years but has raised her first round of investment now. </li><li>In June 2019, Bansal had sold a part of his shares in Flipkart for $76.4 million.</li></ul>Flipkart founder Binny Bansal invested in popular designer Masaba Gupta’s fashion label. Masaba – as the apparel brand is called – has raised $1 million in its first round of funding led by Bansal. “After being in the fashion business for 10 years, it was the right time to bring institutional investors on board,” said Masaba Gupta <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/masabas-label-raises-1m-in-round-led-by-binny-bansal/articleshow/70136565.cms">in a statement. </a> She started her own fashion label in 2009, but is now eyeing expansion. She wants to grow the number of her stores from 11 to <a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/masaba-celebrates-10-years-in-fashion-1555061308393.html">50 in India and abroad. </a> She recently unveiled an official Game of Thrones collection. “Masaba has been able to create a great brand backed by her unique designs. She is one of the youngest designers to do so and I believe she is just getting started on building a great business,” said Bansal. Ever since he exited the company he founded, Bansal has been busy investing into startups and turned into a full-time investor. In June, Bansal had sold a part of his shares in Flipkart for $76.4 million, according to filings sourced by paper.vc. Now, Bansal has a residual share of 3.52% in the company. In January 2019, Bansal closed the first round of $32 million for his VC fund called ‘021 Capital’ which he had formed with Sailesh Tulshan, his financial adviser. The former Flipkart Group CEO had raised a round from Premji Foundation also from a few former colleagues from Flipkart. He had made personal investments too, like in insurtech startup Acko and legal startup Spotdraft amongst others. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/flipkart-ipo-in-us-binny-bansal-sells-stake-to-walmart/articleshow/69924275.cms">Flipkart’s IPO in the US could see Walmart exit, Binny Bansal has already begun cashing himself out</a>

Binny Bansal leads an investment in fashion designer Masaba Gupta’s label

<ul><li>Premji Foundation, <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> along with SIDBI have led an investment of ₹960 crore in venture debt fund <keyword id="4844054" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alteria-Capital">Alteria Capital</keyword>. </li><li>This makes Alteria Capital the largest venture debt fund in India. </li><li>Alteria invested in <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> like Dunzo, Vogo, Stanza Living, toppr among others.</li></ul>Former Wipro Chairman <keyword id="6419840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Azim-Premji">Azim Premji</keyword>’s Premji Foundation, Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal along with SIDBI,invested ₹960 crore in the venture debt fund, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/premjis-ngo-bansal-put-rs-960cr-in-venture-debt-co/articleshow/70424468.cms">Alteria Capital</a>. This investment has made Alteria Capital the biggest venture debt fund in the country. According to reports, it is also SIDBI’s single largest investment, as the government nodal agency pumped in as much as ₹160 crore. Alteria Capital was founded by Ajay Hattangdi and Vinod Murali who had earlier led Innoven Capital. The firm has so far invested in hyperlocal delivery startup Dunzo, electric bike startup Vogo, student accommodation startup Stanza Living among others. The firm also placed its bets on cricketer Virat Kohli’s apparel brand Wrogn. Meanwhile, ace entrepreneur and investor Binny Bansal has been on an investment spree. In July, he invested in fashion designer Masaba Gupta’s brand. In June, Bansal sold some of his shares in Flipkart for $76.4 million, according to filings sourced by paper.vc. That leaves him with a residual share of 3.52% in the company he co-founded. He made personal investments too, like in insurtech startup Acko and legal startup Spotdraft amongst others. Interestingly, earlier Bansal for his own fund had raised money from his co-investor in the round for Alteria Capital – Premji Foundation. Bansal formed 021 Capital with his financial adviser Sailesh Tulshan for which he had raised $32 million from Premji Foundation and a few former Flipkart colleagues.

Azim Premji, Binny Bansal join government’s startup fund to invest in Alteria Capital

<ul><li><keyword id="7321744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart-co-founder-Binny-Bansal">Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal</keyword> cashed out a part of his shares by selling them to investment firm Tiger Global. </li><li>With this, Tiger Global increases its stake in <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>.</li><li>Meanwhile, Bansal has been actively investing in Indian startups.</li></ul>Flipkart’s co-founder <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> sold another tranche of his shares in Flipkart to Tiger Global for over $14 million, according to filings sourced by paper.vc. However, the report also says that given Flipkart’s subsidiary company Phonepe’s growth, the company’s valuation could have risen. It means Bansal’s buyout could be worth $25 million. His stake in the company will be as a little as 3%, after the deal. Flipkart was also in the news recently as its board gave approval for its employees to cash out stock options for over $100 million. Employees could liquidate 10% of their stock options in the company. In June 2019, rumours were rife that <keyword id="80487" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="walmart">Walmart</keyword> is looking to exit from Flipkart as the latter heads for an IPO in the US. It was then that Bansal had sold some of his shares. Bansal, who had exited from all operational roles in the company over allegations of personal misconduct, sold a part of his shares for $76.4 million, according to filings sourced by paper.vc. During the sale of Flipkart to Walmart in 2018, Bansal made as much as $159 million by selling over 1.1 million shares. Cashing out for investments Since his Flipkart exit, Bansal turned into a full-time investor. In January this year, Binny Bansal had closed the first round of $32 million for his VC fund called ‘021 Capital’ which he formed with Sailesh Tulshan, his financial adviser. The former Flipkart Group CEO also raised a round from Premji Foundation and is also backed by former Flipkart employees. Since then, he has made personal bets like in Masaba Gupta’s fashion label, insurtech startup Acko and legal startup Spotdraft amongst others.

Binny Bansal sells his shares in Flipkart for the third time since Walmart’s entry

Early stage start up companies struggling to raise funds in health care sector is the next bait for <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword> and <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Binny-Bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword>. The <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> co founders have recently invested <keyword id="3181379" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pandorum-Technologies">Pandorum Technologies</keyword>, which deals in -print experimental-stage human liver tissues in a laboratory. <keyword id="6442005" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bansal">Bansal</keyword> duo are finalising another investment in a start up that makes implants. 
 
Bansals taking the risk of investing in disruptive innovation make them a rare breed of investors, courageous enough to take risky bets. 
 
"In India, core sectors like healthcare, education and supply chain will be disrupted (by emerging) technology... Those (startups) don't funding easily while consumer internet companies do," Binny Bansal told the ET. 
 
His observation bears out in the numbers. Of the 30 early-stage capital-raising deals struck by healthcare startups since 2014, half were in the form of government grants, according to startup data tracker Tracxn. On the other hand, in the same period, 1,166 consumer internet startups managed to raise seed and angel funding. 
 Industry experts concede it's tough for such deep technology ventures to secure funding. "It is not very easy because you need to understand more of technology when you (want to invest in) deeptech healthcare and robotics," said <keyword id="1617764" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shanti-Mohan">Shanti Mohan</keyword>, founder of Let'sVenture, one of India's largest funding platforms for startups. 
 
For potential investors not familiar with such technology, it becomes difficult to grasp the end uses of the products these startups are developing.

Flipkart founders are taking risky
bets

<ul><li>Insurtech startup <keyword id="4943836" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Acko">Acko</keyword> has raised $65 million in a series C round. </li><li>Founded by Varun Dua in 2016, the startup has marquee investors like Amazon, Accel Partners, SAIF Partners among others. </li><li>This funding round takes Acko’s <keyword id="51393" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="valuation">valuation</keyword> to a reported $300 million. </li></ul>Insurance technology startup Acko has <a href="https://www.vccircle.com/binny-bansal-others-invest-65-mn-in-digital-insurance-startup-acko/">raised</a> $65 million from <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword>, former Flipkart co-founder, and Kabir Misra, former SoftBank Managing Partner. The series C funding round with a <a href="https://www.vccircle.com/binny-bansal-others-invest-65-mn-in-digital-insurance-startup-acko/">reported</a> valuation of $300 million also saw participation from Intact Insurance (Canada’s property and casualty insurer) and existing marquee investors like Amazon, Accel Partners, SAIF Partners and TechPro Ventures. Acko, was founded by Varun Dua in 2016, and has gone on to make its mark in the Indian insurtech industry. In the recent past, Acko has been signing partnerships one after the other venturing into different verticals within insurance. The insurtech startup tied up with <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/acko-partners-goibibo-for-travel-insurance-foray/article26006200.ece">Goibibo</a> to offer travel insurance to the latter’s users. Acko also partnered with <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/acko-general-insurance-partners-with-driveu-to-provide-trip-cover-for-car-owners/articleshow/66118573.cms">DriveU</a> to offer trip cover to car owners who opt to hire drivers from the latter’s platform. Interestingly, the startup also formed a partnership with <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sme-sector/au-small-finance-bank-partners-with-insurtech-firm-acko-general-insurance/articleshow/68269212.cms">AU Small Finance Bank</a> in early March to bring about customised insurance deals for their users. India has seen a slow penetration of the insurance sector but things are changing now. According to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/insure/insurance-industry-to-touch-280-billion-by-fy20-assocham/articleshow/65740339.cms">reports,</a> the Indian insurance industry is set to grow to $280 million by 2019-20. India has also seen a surge in insurtech startups with the likes of Policybazaar also gaining unicorn status. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-two-startup-icons-switch-to-the-other-side-as-venture-capitalists/articleshow/67420444.cms">India’s two startup icons switch to the other side — as venture capitalists</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-binny-bansals-021-capital-placed-its-bets-on-the-two-year-old-legal-tech-startup-spotdraft/articleshow/68198106.cms">Why India’s Unicorn Founders Backed This Barely Two-Year-Old Legal Tech Startup</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/after-minting-1-billion-from-flipkart-sale-sachin-bansal-is-now-betting-big-on-ola/articleshow/67526383.cms">Watch Out Uber. Sachin Bansal Gets Ola Share After Selling Flipkart</a>

This Indian insurance startup may be worth $300 million in just over two years

Once a start-up itself, e-tailer giant Flipkart is now providing sufficient funding to new start-ups to help them realize their entrepreneurial dreams. Founders Sachin and <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Binny-Bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> have extended a funding of $1 million to <keyword id="2622993" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ather-Energy">Ather Energy</keyword>, an electric two-wheeler start-up attempting to gain a foothold in the country. 
 
Commenting on this funding, Tarun Mehta, co-founder of Ather Energy, said, ““We are very excited about this fresh round of funding. Sachin and Binny Bansal are leaders who have put India’s e-commerce industry on the global map through disruptive use of technology. Their focus on technology and reinvention aligns with that of Team Ather. Electric vehicles are still at a very nascent stage in India and our aim is to develop and introduce efficient electric scooters which will benefit the country and help manage its resources more effectively. We are extremely confident about this product and this funding is a reinforcement of our belief.” 
 
Reiterating a similar sentiment, Sachin and Binny Bansal said, “We believe that the world is moving towards a smarter, more energy-efficient and environment-friendly approach in our daily lives. Growing Indian start-ups like Ather are using technology successfully to make a mark in this field. We believe the team has the right vision and approach and will be successful in giving India the next generation of impactful, technology-enabled products that will change the way we live. We wish team Ather all the best for this project.” 
 
This is the second round of funding raised by Ather, which will be primarily utilised for the product development cycle. Earlier, the company had raised another round of capital from Aerospike and Technology Development Board, a government organisation, in February. 
 
The company (Ather) has also received investments from serial entrepreneur and CEO of Medall, Raju Venkatraman. The company was launched in January 2013 by Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain.

Electric Vehicle Start-up Ather Energy
Raises $1 Million From Flipkart

<ul><li><keyword id="80487" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="walmart">Walmart</keyword> now owns a 77% stake in <keyword id="6354742" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>.</li><li>The company will invest $16 billion for its stake.</li><li>Flipkart founder, <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword>, is exiting the company, as is chief investor <keyword id="163404" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Softbank">Softbank</keyword>.</li></ul> The Walmart-Flipkart deal is finally official, with the US-based retail giant acquiring 77% stake in the Indian unicorn. Flipkart’s chief investor Softbank is selling off its shares, as is its founder Sachin Bansal. The deal has been in the works since September 2016. At the time, Walmart wanted to acquire a minority stake in the company. Today’s announcement marks a landmark in both the Indian startup and e-commerce industry. Flipkart has been one of the biggest success stories in the country, starting from a 2BHK apartment over a decade ago. Here’s how the company’s journey played out. The Journey 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="image" title="flipkart info" msid="64100303" hostid="261"></div>















 <ul><li>Flipkart began in 2007, when the Indian e-commerce market was untapped. Sachin Bansal and <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword>, the founder of Flipkart, began the company as a replica of <keyword id="18635" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> for the Indian market.</li></ul><ul><li>It opened its first office in Bangalore in 2008 followed by expansions in Delhi and Mumbai. It even launched its 24x7 customer service too.</li></ul><ul><li>In 2009, Accel Partners invested $1 million in the company.</li></ul><ul><li>In 2010 they pioneered the Cash-on Delivery payment mode in India. With this, the company launched its logistics department Ekart and announced a 30 day return policy.</li></ul><ul><li>In 2011, Flipkart launched their digital wallet, and acquired Chakpak and Mime360. By now they delivered to over 600 cities.</li></ul><ul><li>In 2012, they launched their mobile app, bringing the marketplace in the hands of the consumer.</li></ul><ul><li>Flipkart also introduced the Next Day Shipping Guarantee in 2013.</li></ul><ul><li>It raised more funding, worth $160 million in 2013.</li></ul><ul><li>Over the years, the company grew exponentially with acquisitions of e-tailers like Myntra and WeRead. Huge investments even came in from investors across the globe. </li></ul><ul><li>In 2016, it was the first indian app to cross 50 million users, while it also crossed the 100 million registered user threshold.</li></ul><ul><li>The biggest investment came in from Japanese SoftBank, which made a $2.5 billion bet on the Indian unicorn and e-commerce giant. .</li></ul><ul><li>Sachin Bansal, founder of Flipkart, stepped down from his post as the CEO in 2016. This was filled in 2017 by <keyword id="6379357" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="kalyan-krishnamurthy">Kalyan Krishnamurthy</keyword>, who took over from Binny Bansal.</li></ul><ul><li>Flipkart acquired Myntra for $300 million in 2014 and <keyword id="6388367" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="jabong">Jabong</keyword> for $70 million in 2016.</li></ul><ul><li>In 2018, the company consolidated all its Bangalore offices into one large campus with an area of .83 million square feet.</li></ul><ul><li>In terms of finances, <keyword id="3515858" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="flipkart-group">Flipkart Group</keyword> incurred losses of ₹87.7 billion attributable to the owners of the company in FY17, which rose from ₹52.16 billion in FY16. Consolidated revenue increased by 29% to ₹19,855 crore in FY17.</li></ul><ul><li>Flipkart had wiped out half of its $6.1 bn investments as <a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/2018/03/21/flipkarts-losses-have-wiped-out-half-of-66-billion-injected-by-investors">of early 2018</a>.</li></ul><ul><li>As of now the company is valued at $20 billion.</li></ul>

How Flipkart went from being an online bookseller to India’s biggest e-commerce story

<ul><li><keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> co-founder <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword> recently invested ₹200 crore in <keyword id="6397591" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="piramal-enterprises">Piramal Enterprises</keyword>’ debt. </li><li>Reports say that these funds will be used by the firm in the financial services sector. </li><li>Meanwhile, <keyword id="6411578" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ajay-piramal">Ajay Piramal</keyword> and <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> are reportedly in talks to start a consumer lending venture, which could also see investment from Softbank.</li></ul>Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal has long been rumoured to make a comeback with a venture in the financial services sector. His recent investments seem to be solidifying those claims. Bansal invested ₹200 crore in Piramal Enterprises’ debt and has subscribed to its non-convertible debentures (NCDs). <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/sachin-bansal-invests-200-cr-in-piramal-enterprises-debt-1563126810412.html">Piramal Enterprises</a> itself will infuse these new funds into its financial services sector. <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/companies/article/exclusive-new-ambani-piramal-marriage-for-consumer-lending-and-with-softbank/453023">Reports </a>also say that Piramal Enterprises’ Ajay Piramal and Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio whose children are married, will be turned business partners as well. They are expected to launch a consumer lending venture, which could be backed by Softbank. Piramal Enterprises is finalising an investment of over ₹9,600 crore by the Japanese investment firm, said the reports. In <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/sachin-bansal-invests-in-altico-indostar-cap-1551115360930.html">February 2019</a>, Bansal invested in two Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) – Altico Capital India and IndoStar Capital Finance. Bansal had made an investment of ₹250 crore each through his company BAC Acquisitions. In the same month, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/sachin-bansal-plans-to-foray-into-fin-services/articleshow/68088962.cms">ET</a> said that Bansal had reportedly made queries at the Reserve Bank of India, to understand the regulations necessary to start a bank. Meanwhile, in May 2019, Bansal <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/flipkarts-sachin-bansal-joins-ujjivan-small-finance-bank-as-director/articleshow/69585188.cms">joined</a> Ujjivan Small Finance Bank as its independent director. Bansal announced his exit from Flipkart after its $16 billion acquisition by Walmart, last year. Sachin Bansal, along with former Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal, are the famous duo who started Flipkart from a two-bedroom apartment. It is now one of India’s biggest e-retail giants. He sold his 5.5% stake for $1 billion in the sale in 2018. Apart from his investments in the financial sector, Bansal had also recently invested in the ride hailing unicorn Ola and electric bike startup Ather Energy.

Sachin Bansal is strengthening his base in financial services with big investments

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=e-Commerce+">e-Commerce</a> companies <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> have invested around Rs 1.8 crore and funded the designer of board games MadRat for children. Sachin Bansal and <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Binny-Bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart+">Flipkart</a> made their investment in November last year while Snapdeal's <keyword id="219793" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kunal-Bahl">Kunal Bahl</keyword> and Rohit Bansal did that recently. 
 
"They (the other investors) started smiling when I told them both <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Snapdeal">Snapdeal</a> and Flipkart are participating. 'How did you manage that?' was their first question," <keyword id="2975978" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MadRat-Games-Pvt-Ltd">MadRat Games Pvt Ltd</keyword> CEO Rajat Dhariwal told the Economic Times. 
 
Kunal Bahl and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rohit+Bansal">Rohit Bansal</a> didn't have any issues over their competitors investing in the firm, said Dhariwal, an alumnus of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+Institute+of+Technology-Bombay+">Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay</a> and <keyword id="6421753" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Carnegie-Mellon-University">Carnegie Mellon University</keyword>. 
 Participants in the funding round of about $1 million (about Rs 6.2 crore) included the founders of IT outsourcing firm <keyword id="23555" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Globallogic">GlobalLogic</keyword> - Rajul Garg, Sanjay Singh, Manoj Agarwala and Tarun Upadhyay. Vikas Choudhury, promoter of <keyword id="2975485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pivot-Ventures">Pivot Ventures</keyword>, investment banker Sandeep Bordia and equity crowd funding site Globevestor have also put money into the company. 
 
"Innovation is at the heart of MadRat Games," said Binny Bansal, the single largest investor in the round. The company has Ravi Vora, CEO of the strategic brands group at Flipkart, on its board. 
 
Snapdeal declined to comment on the personal investments of the founders. 
 
According to Dhariwal, investors see potential in MadRat. "Everyone is building brands in-house. In the children category, I think the two companies see us as a top brand," he said. 
 
The company, which will launch a crowd funding campaign on Kickstarter in August as part of efforts to go global, is looking to compete with the likes of global giants Hasbro and Mattel. 
 
 Before setting up MadRat in 2010, Dhariwal taught kids for four years at <keyword id="2975487" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rishi-Valley-School-in-Andhra-Pradesh">Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh</keyword> along with co-founder Madhumita Halder. Their experience showed them that children learn best when lessons are not forced down their throats. 
 
For instance, a jigsaw puzzle is usually discarded after being solved a few times. MadRat has sought to build on this, adding card games based on the pictures in the jigsaw or getting players to hunt for tiny characters hidden in the puzzle with a magnifying glass. 
 
Rajul Garg said: "What we found promising in MadRat was the team's sharp focus on becoming 'the' brand known for providing wholesome entertainment for kids." 
 
The games are priced between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and are available in 400 stores in 10 cities — and on Flipkart and Snapdeal. The company said it has sold 60,000 units of the five games it launched in January. 
 
"Learning should be like osmosis. It should happen without them (kids) knowing about it," said Dhariwal. The market is large, with the Indian toy industry expected to expand to Rs 13,000 crore in 2015 from Rs 8,000 crore in 2013, according to a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ASSOCHAM">ASSOCHAM</a>). 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Flipkart & Snapdeal in rat race! Both invest about Rs 1.8 crore in MadRat Games

<ul><li><keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> founder <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword> is reportedly in talks to take over <keyword id="6631050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Essel-Mutual-Fund">Essel Mutual Fund</keyword>. </li><li>Essel Finance was looking out for buyer for its mutual fund business after a deal with Srei Infrastructure Finance did not go through.</li><li>Recently, Bansal invested ₹200 crore in <keyword id="100407" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Piramal">Piramal</keyword> Enterprises’ debt. </li></ul>Flipkart founder Sachin Bansal is in talks to acquire Essel Mutual Fund, according to <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/mutual-funds/ex-flipkart-co-founder-sachin-bansal-in-final-talks-to-acquire-essel-amc-sources-4218201.html">reports</a>. Bansal is reportedly in the final stages of the deal, has long since hinted at a possible venture in finance. Earlier this month, it was <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/essel-looks-for-investors-to-buy-out-mf-biz-as-seri-deal-hits-roadblock-119070401361_1.html">reported</a> that Essel Finance was looking out for buyer for its mutual fund business after a deal with Srei Infrastructure Finance did not come through. Essel Mutual Fund has Assets Under Management <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/mf/mf-news/essel-group-puts-its-mf-business-on-the-block/articleshow/68386985.cms">worth</a> ₹1,428 crore. Bansal has been making big ticket investments in the country’s financial sector. The latest deal where he would take the company, might mark his big entry into the sector. He recently had also invested ₹200 crore in Piramal Enterprises’ debt and has subscribed to its non-convertible debentures (NCDs). <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/sachin-bansal-invests-200-cr-in-piramal-enterprises-debt-1563126810412.html">Piramal Enterprises</a> in turn will infuse these new funds into its financial services sector. In <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/sachin-bansal-invests-in-altico-indostar-cap-1551115360930.html">February 2019</a>, Bansal invested in two Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) – Altico Capital India and IndoStar Capital Finance. He invested ₹250 crore each through his company BAC Acquisitions. In the same month, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/sachin-bansal-plans-to-foray-into-fin-services/articleshow/68088962.cms">ET</a> said that Bansal had reportedly made queries at the Reserve Bank of India, to understand the regulations necessary to start a bank. Meanwhile, in May 2019, Bansal <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/flipkarts-sachin-bansal-joins-ujjivan-small-finance-bank-as-director/articleshow/69585188.cms">joined</a> Ujjivan Small Finance Bank as its independent director. Bansal announced his exit from Flipkart after its $16 billion acquisition by Walmart, last year. Sachin Bansal, along with former Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal, are the famous duo who started Flipkart from a two-bedroom apartment. It is now one of India’s biggest e-retail giants. He sold his 5.5% stake for $1 billion in the sale in 2018.

Sachin Bansal could soon acquire Essel Group’s mutual fund

<keyword id="3749718" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="softbank-vision-fund">SoftBank Vision Fund</keyword> has become one of the largest shareholders in <keyword id="6354742" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> as it just raked in a significant amount of investment in the company. This investment in Flipkart is a mix of primary and secondary capital. The investment comes after <keyword id="541988" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Snapdeal">Snapdeal</keyword> cancelled the acquisition deal with Flipkart. Flipkart has also raised capital from three other companies - Tencent, eBay and Microsoft. Now, Flipkart will have in excess of $4 billion of cash on balance sheet. India has a thriving Internet market with close to 500 million Internet users and as per market research, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR in excess of 30 percent. “This is a monumental deal for Flipkart and India. <keyword id="163404" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="SoftBank">SoftBank</keyword>’s proven track record of partnering with transformative technology leaders has earned it the reputation of being a visionary investor. We’re excited to welcome the Vision Fund as a long-term partner as we continue to build our business with a focus on serving the needs of all Indians, and driving the next phase of technology adoption in India,” said <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> and <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sachin-bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword>, co-founders, Flipkart.

You Searched For "Binny Bansal investments" and got 12 results

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