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Rajesh <keyword id="6918" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sawhney">Sawhney</keyword> has been an expert at building up businesses since the time he helped build Times Internet in 1999.<br />The famous angel investor is currently at the helm of <keyword id="797243" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="GSF">GSF</keyword> accelerator who he has been running while starting up on his own with a food start-up called <keyword id="2797965" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Innerchef">Innerchef</keyword>.<br />

    

    

    

    

    

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<strong>Quitting the man<br /></strong><br />Passionate about the internet space, Sawhney started GSF accelerator in 2012 after exiting from <keyword id="96306" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Entertainment">Reliance Entertainment</keyword> as President.<br />“It started with a forum where angel investors were invited to discuss the rise of the internet companies. The forum was christened as Global Super angels Forum and I started curating that while I was still at <keyword id="10926" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance">Reliance</keyword> and investing in my own capacity,” Sawhney told Business Insider.<br /><br />In the past five years, Sawhney has learnt that Internet space is the fastest-growing and that’s where he wants to be, “In 2012, I knew that Internet will change the face of the country and improve infrastructure; technology changes, broadband growth and smartphones have fueled the growth of the economy and this trend will only accelerate further.”

    

    

    

    

    

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Sawhney believes that a well-established company doesn’t have the face-value of disruptive technology companies which are rapidly changing the world, in all sectors. “I knew I had to get out of the corporate life and get into this space which is exciting. Five years back, there were no unicorns, e-commerce was associated with swindling and funding for disruptive companies was scarce. A lot of people now claim to be an angel investor which is a sign of the ecosystem maturing,” says Sawhney who thinks that VCs are open to more risky ventures now.<br /><br />Rajesh says that there was never a better time to be an entrepreneur as the infrastructure can support these companies, there is massive customer adoption and ability to pay online through smartphones has made the world into a well-connected market which only spells good news.<br />

    

    

    

    

    

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<strong>Innerchef at heart<br /></strong><br />Sawhney, who says that he couldn't wait to do something of his own as an entrepreneur has forayed into the food tech sector which is deemed risky by analysts. “In the world’s youngest democracy, food is difficult to execute but not impossible. With Innerchef, we want to target the people who are looking to eat better, eat different kinds of cuisines and want their food fast and at a reasonable cost. If we manage to stir the pot with people depending on us for their palette, we’d think we’ve succeeded,”says Rajesh, who’s food company is surviving despite many companies shutting shop in the recent years. In the past 24 months, Innerchef has pivoted into many models, but the food sector is tried and tested arena, just like entrepreneurship.<br />

Exclusive: Global Superangel Forum’s (GSF) founder Rajesh Sawhney is an Innerchef at heart

<br /> It seems <keyword id="6355103" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="social">social</keyword> networking giants cannot keep their eyes off Indian innovators. Professional networking site <keyword id="28120" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Linkedin">LinkedIn</keyword> has been acquiring Indian-origin companies for a couple of years now. And now <keyword id="2006517" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="social-media-leader">social media leader</keyword> <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> has scooped up Bangalore-based tech start-up <keyword id="1959708" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Little-Eye-Labs">Little Eye Labs</keyword> for an undisclosed amount. It is the first Indian company acquired by Facebook. But the takeover has not come as a surprise as media reports were rife about the proposed acquisition for over a month now. Although the financials have not been disclosed, a <em>TechCrunch</em> report earlier pegged it at $10-15 million.<br />
<br /> So what does this Indian company do in the first place? Founded in 2012 by five tech professionals – <keyword id="2006528" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Giridhar-Murthy">Giridhar Murthy</keyword>, <keyword id="1960854" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kumar-Rangarajan">Kumar Rangarajan</keyword> (also the CEO of the company), <keyword id="2006529" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Satyam-Kandula">Satyam Kandula</keyword>, <keyword id="2006530" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lakshman-Kakkirala">Lakshman Kakkirala</keyword> and <keyword id="1182160" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aditya-Kulkarni">Aditya Kulkarni</keyword> – Little Eye Labs develops performance analysis and monitoring tools for <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="android">Android</keyword> apps (2.3 or later versions). The company had released the first official version of the tool in April 2013. The tool not only provides critical insight into an <keyword id="2006532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Apps-key-performance">app’s key performance</keyword> (such as power usage, data usage, memory consumption, etc.), but also helps developers <keyword id="70866" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="analyse">analyse</keyword> those issues contextually – so that quick-fix and hassle-free solutions could be worked out.<br />
<br /> Prior to starting up Little Eye Labs, Murthy worked with Apple; Rangarajan was at <keyword id="10875" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="IBM">IBM</keyword> and <keyword id="6367983" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="HP">HP</keyword> while Kakkirala worked with IBM and <keyword id="6363100" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Yahoo">Yahoo</keyword>.<br />
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The seven-member-strong Indian tech firm has confirmed the acquisition in a <a href="http://www.littleeye.co/transition.php">statement</a> posted on the site and says that the entire team will now move to Facebook’s headquarters in <keyword id="266145" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="MENLO-PARK">Menlo Park</keyword>, <keyword id="2379" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="California">California</keyword> from where they can “leverage Facebook’s world-class infrastructure and help improve performance of their already awesome apps. For us, this is an opportunity to make an impact on the more than 1 billion people who use Facebook.”<br />
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The company has, however, assured its current customers that they won’t be left in the lurch and there will be further information on plans to offer a free version of Little Eye until June 30, 2014.<br />
<br /> The start-up has already secured seed capital from <keyword id="1642294" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GSF-Superangels">GSF Superangels</keyword> and also from <keyword id="1910025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ventureeast-Tenet-Fund">VentureEast Tenet Fund</keyword>. According to an earlier report by <em>Business Standard</em>, the firm raised an investment between $100,000 and $200,000 from GSF.<br />
<br /> Interestingly, professional networking site LinkedIn is also getting aggressive about Indian-origin companies and acquired <keyword id="1037643" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="SlideShare">SlideShare</keyword> in 2012 for $119 million. SlideShare is a presentation-sharing site founded by India-born <keyword id="791652" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rashmi-Sinha">Rashmi Sinha</keyword>. Last year, too, LinkedIn acquired <keyword id="72069" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="pulse">Pulse</keyword>, the popular newsreader for Web and <keyword id="6354485" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="mobile">mobile</keyword>. The transaction was valued at $90 million in stock and cash. Interestingly, Pulse was founded in 2010 by <keyword id="323918" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Akshay-Kothari">Akshay Kothari</keyword> and <keyword id="276931" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ankit-Gupta">Ankit Gupta</keyword> while they were still students at <keyword id="101399" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stanford-University">Stanford University</keyword>. The service started out as an <keyword id="600351" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="iPad-app">iPad app</keyword>, but quickly expanded to other platforms, including the Web. Just before the acquisition, it also started to dip its toes into social by adding a number of social features to its apps.<br />
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Although Facebook has acquired a purely tech company, let’s not forget that it is all about evaluating the performance of Android apps. So it may not be wrong to assume that FB is eyeing a more enhanced mobile experience at every level – a similar thing LinkedIn is trying to achieve through its Pulse app. This time, the writing is definitely on the wall – the future is going to be social and mobile.

Facebook Acquires
An Indian Start-Up For The First Time

<ul><li>Ixigo’s parent Le Travenues is expected to file its preliminary papers for IPO by mid August.</li><li>The company recently appointed six independent board members.</li><li>It recently raised $53 million in a pre-IPO round from Singapore-based GIC.</li></ul>Gurugram-based online ticketing startup Le Travenues Technology ⁠— which operates the <keyword id="11782910" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-portal-ixigo">travel portal ixigo</keyword> ⁠— has converted itself to a public limited company, before launchings its initial public offering (IPO) this year. <br /><br />The company ⁠— whose last reported valuation was $104 million, as per <a href="https://tracxn.com/d/companies/ixigo.com">Tracxn</a> ⁠— is expected to file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the market regulator <keyword id="63783" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Securities-and-Exchange-Board">Securities and Exchange Board</keyword> of India (<keyword id="35210" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sebi">SEBI</keyword>) by mid August.<br /><br />The conversion from a private limited company to a public limited company is the first step towards an IPO. A public limited structure allows companies to raise capital from the stock market. Indian laws do not allow a private company to invite the public to subscribe to its shares. <br /><br />The development comes a day after the 14-year old online travel agency (<keyword id="6607315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTA">OTA</keyword>) appointed six independent board members, including former IRCTC chairperson and managing director Pratap Mall, former Nasscom foundation chairperson Arun Seth and GSF Accelerator founder Rajesh Sawhney.<br /><br />Banking and insurance sector veteran Shubha Rao Mayya, Hopper founder Frederic Lalonde, and Hamstede Living MD and chief executive officer (CEO) Rahul Pandit will also be joining the board as independent directors, ixigo’s CEO and cofounder Aloke Bajpai announced on <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>. <br /><br />Ixigo raised $53 million in a pre-IPO round from Singapore-based GIC. White Oak, InfoEdge Ventures, Bay Capital, Orios Venture Partners, <keyword id="2694863" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trifecta-Capital">Trifecta Capital</keyword> and Malabar Investment also participated in the round, according to regulatory filings.<br /><br />SEE ALSO<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/nykaa-will-spend-its-ipo-money-on-setting-up-retail-stores-and-repaying-loans/articleshow/84996894.cms">Nykaa will spend its IPO money on setting up retail stores and repaying loans</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/britannia-marico-hindustan-unilever-nestle-india-products-can-be-costlier-as-inflation-is-eating-into-their-profits/articleshow/84977161.cms">From cookies king Britannia to soaps titan HUL, inflation is eating profits away ⁠— so, you may have to pay even more for daily essentials</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/skill-lync-raises-17-5-million-to-offer-more-upskilling-courses-for-engineers/articleshow/84995007.cms">Three-year-old Skill-Lync gets $17.5 million funding from Flipkart founder Binny Bansal and others</a><br />

Travel portal Ixigo moves a step closer to IPO

<ul><li><keyword id="7413619" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="mall91">Mall91</keyword>, Dealshare, CityMall, Bulbul, WMall along with the Facebook-backed <keyword id="3480589" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meesho">Meesho</keyword>, have raised funds in the past few months. </li><li>Each of these startup is targeting the next 200 million consumers from smaller cities.</li><li>It all started with social media giant <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> investing an undisclosed amount in Meesho in June.</li></ul>The Indian <keyword id="623994" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-commerce">social commerce</keyword> sector seems to be the latest ‘hot sector’ for investors. Many Indian startups – Mall91, Dealshare, CityMall, Bulbul, WMall along with the Facebook-backed Meesho, have raised funds in the last few months. <br /><br />Each of these startup is targeting the next 400 million consumers from smaller cities by leveraging on the expanding reach of social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. With growing data penetration in India, social commerce is only set to grow. <br /><br />"Social commerce is basically a direct correlation to data penetration in the country. Today, everybody in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities also has an availability of the internet. A long-time back shopping online was restricted to a certain population, today there is an exponential possibility due to the availability of the internet, everybody has access to it from every sector of the society,” said Roma Priya, Founder of Burgeon Law, a boutique law firm. <br /><br />Priya added that given that social commerce has a more one-on-one, viral nature is a great way for a trust deficient demographic to buy again. <br /><br /><strong>Funding galore<br /></strong><br />Today, Mall91 has raised $7.5 million through its Series A funding round led by Go-Ventures and participation by Beenext, Kalaari Capital, AngelList India. <br /><br />With the latest funds, Mall91 aims to drive growth and plans to expand to other top 8 local languages of India. The company is also planning to grow its supply chain capabilities domestically and internationally. <br /><br />It all started with social media giant Facebook investing an undisclosed amount in Meesho in June. Meesho is a marketplace for resellers, and connects them with customers via social media channels like WhatsApp and Facebook. <br /><br />“With this investment in Meesho, we want to fuel a business model that can result in rapid job creation and the rise of a female entrepreneurial class in India," Facebook India head Ajit Mohan had then said in an <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/facebook-invests-in-bengaluru-based-meesho-1560427873327.html">interview.</a><br /><br />This was followed by Dealshare which raised $11 million from Matrix Partners, Falcon Edge Capital and others. <br /><br />Meanwhile, barely one year old social e-commerce platform CityMall which operates in local languages-- raised an undisclosed amount from Jitendra Gupta of Citrus Pay, Alvin Tse of Xiaomi, Manish Vij and Harish Bahl from Smile Group, Rishab Malik ex-co-founder of Droom, Rajesh Sawhney of GSF and M&amp;S Partners.<br /><br />In May 2019. Bulbul, which is a live social commerce app, raised $5 million in a round that was led by Sequoia. It is also a part of Sequoia’s accelerator programme.<br /><br /><strong>See also: </strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/facebook-invests-in-indian-startup-meesho/articleshow/69782285.cms">Facebook invests in Meesho showing that it will enter online e-commerce sooner than later</a><br />

Social commerce is the latest investor favourite as they target India’s next 400 million users

Online payments space has fueled the internet <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> and has blurred the borders within India like never before. “Over the last five years, the focus has been around eCommerce which has sucked in most of the capital, that’s changing now with sectors like health, media, and education taking the limelight. There’s a lot of opportunity in different sectors especially in futuristic technologies like AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning and the likes” says <keyword id="262068" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajesh-Sawhney">Rajesh Sawhney</keyword> who says that the most important thing about a startup is its product market fit.<br /><div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="59070016" title="Exclusive: Anand Lunia, Founding Partner, India Quotient reminisces how he moved on to investing from entrepreneurship" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Jun 09, 2017, 4:39 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div> At <keyword id="2797965" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Innerchef">Innerchef</keyword>, a food company start-up Sawhney has founded, things have already changed in the past two years. “With the influx of technology, the way we consume food, the supply chain and the demand are all rapidly changing. Necessities like food become great opportunities for starting a business at this time in India,” says Sawhney who identified the sector basis his passion for consumption.<br /><br /> Agriculture, which is India’s largest employer, might be impacted by start-ups soon, specifically food –tech start-ups which can sway the demand for what we’re eating and how we are eating.<div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="59070754" title="Exclusive: Anand Lunia, Partner, India Quotient wants to be entrepreneurs’ first coach instead of handholding them through the end" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Jun 09, 2017, 7:00 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div>
<br /> Sawhney also thinks that <keyword id="22917" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Companies">companies</keyword> are growing faster,”Earlier, the start-ups took years to fail or succeed which isn’t the case now. The market has become really brutal and companies know in the first few months whether it’s time to pivot or not.”<br /><br /><strong>The Indian Consumption Story<br /></strong><br /> Rajesh has made over 20 <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> as an active angel investor, which include <keyword id="1680590" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ViKi">Viki</keyword> which was acquired by Rakutan, Little Eye Labs which was acquired by Facebook, Mobstac, Pokkt, Silverpush, Hackerearth, Browntape, Overcart, Flinto and Timesaverz.<br /><br /> GSF accelerator focuses on early stage <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword>, and has currently taken in its fifth batch, which helps start-ups to turn into notable companies that they can bank on.<br /><div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="59181595" title="Exclusive: Global Superangel Forum’s (GSF) founder Rajesh Sawhney is an Innerchef at heart" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Jun 16, 2017, 8:17 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div>
 India’s biggest problem is that of resource management and technology can help aid that, “The key is to think of technology in a non-traditional way, and that’s where the start-ups can become truly successful,” says Sawhney who says that the quality and quantity of start-ups has improved.<br /><br /> Whether you’re a brand, you can’t ignore the Indian consumption story, “In the next decade, we will see the per capita income increasing and with disposable income increasing, we are bound to see a boom happen which is what all start-ups and investors are banking on,” says Rajesh, with a smug.<br /><br />

Exclusive: Rajesh Sawhney banks on the people who make up companies with the right product market fit

<p>The Masters is perhaps the most prestigious sporting event in the world and getting there comes at a high price. The cheapest tickets for Sunday's final round are going for $874 on Stub Hub.</p>
<p>Despite the sophisticated grandeur surrounding the tournament, <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/453173771180834816/photo/1">the food and drinks are really cheap</a> according to Darren Rovell.</p>
<p>A Pimento Cheese sandwich is only $1.50 and a grilled chicken wrap is only $3.00.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">As for beer, the cheapest is $3.00 and if you want something imported, it's only $4.00.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>Masters concession prices remain cheapest in sports, no changes in price vs last year (H/T <a href="https://twitter.com/zach_conrad">@zach_conrad</a>) <a href="http://t.co/gsf6YU1IFJ">pic.twitter.com/gsf6YU1IFJ</a></p>
- darren rovell (@darrenrovell) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/statuses/453173771180834816">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote>

Concession Prices At The Masters Are Ridiculously Cheap

<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-from-a-masters-practice-round-2015-4">Masters is unlike any other gof tournament</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> and despite the exclusivity and prestige of the event, food prices at the concession stands remain ridiculously cheap.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/masters-2015-how-make-augusta-nationals-pimento-cheese-sandwich">Augusta National's famous pimento sandwich</a> is the star of the show and costs just $1.50.</p><p>The most expensive food items on the menu are the grilled chicken wrap and the classic chicken sandwich at $3.00 each. A domestic beer will set you back $3.00 and it will be $4.00 for an import.</p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer">BI's Jay Yarow <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-from-a-masters-practice-round-2015-4">went to Augusta last year and got the famous $1.50 pimento cheese sandwich</a>. He reports that it's really good:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Prices have not changed over the last two years. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">However, it wasn't that long ago that prices were even cheaper.</span></p><p>The price of a domestic beer has actually risen 50% in just eight years since 2007 when they were priced at just $2.00. An import was just $3.00 at the time. Eight years ago, the sign looked like this:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>&#xa0;</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/8th-grade-semi-final-basketball-game-kansas-mid-west-2015-2">8th-grade basketball team loses after game-winning shot gets stuck on rim in freakish fashion</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="UyMGdoczpOYlasXDwRiOVsVBn8i00M41" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Food and beer at the Masters is ridiculously cheap

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Lexus" title_caption="Lexus LC 500h." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56c74cb66e97c623008b8533-960/lexus_lc_500h_039_3f3467dfcd9464cfc1039d4c9a7ab672aa8fbb8d.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Lexus</span></p><p class="caption">Lexus LC 500h.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Lexus introduced the stunning LC 500 coupe in January at the Detroit Auto Show to rave reviews.</p><p>Now, the company has unleashed the sexy V8 coupe's environmentally friendly hybrid twin - the LC 500h.</p><p>Although both versions of the car share the same sweeping body lines and athletic stance, the powertrain lurking beneath the 500h's skin is truly something special.</p><p>According to Lexus, the 500h's "Multi Stage Hybrid System" will enable the car to maximize its ability to achieve great fuel economy while producing an engaging driving experience. </p><p>So what makes this newfangled hybrid system so special? </p><p>The answer: a 4-speed automatic gearbox. </p><p>Yes. I'm sure Lexus knows this is transmission technology perfected in an '89 Corolla. But what makes the LC 500h interesting is the way Lexus applies the 4-speed.</p><p>The Multi Stage Hybrid system marries a 3.5-liter, 220-horsepower V6 engine, an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery pack and the 4-speed auto box to the customary continuously variable transmission (CVT). </p><p>The presence of what is essentially two transmissions is supposed to give drivers a closer correlation between throttle input and engine RPM. </p><p>Furthermore, the Mutli Stage Hybrid System features an "M" mode manual gear shifting function- making this the first time the driver of a Lexus hybrid has been able to change his own gears. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Lexus" title_caption="Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid System." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56c75e302e526558008b85d7-960/lexus_lc_500h_051_4f3ebd8685ee6831aedd6b9707a203c2b9267ed9.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Lexus</span></p><p class="caption">Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid System.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Think of this as an admission from Toyota that its highly efficient and effective hybrid drive system with a CVT is truly dreary to drive (although BI's Matt DeBord, a Prius owner who likes to kick his hybrid into "Power Mode" and sling it around corners might disagree). </p><p>According to Lexus, the 500h's multi stage system generates a total of 354 horsepower, resulting in a 0-62 mph time of less than 5-seconds. </p><p>These figures fall in the same neighborhood as BMW's 357 horsepower i8 hybrid sports car. OK, so it's <em>quite a lot faster</em> than a Prius.</p><p>In addition to its innovative hybrid system, the LC 500h is the first car to be equipped with Lexus' new premium rear-wheel-drive platform that will serve as the basic underpinnings for all of the company's upcoming front-engine-rear-wheel-drive cars. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lexus</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>For those with more conventional driving tastes, the standard LC 500 is available with the old school, 5.0-liter, 467-horsepower V8 engine found shared with the RC-F coupe and the GS-F sedan. Lexus claims the V8-powered LC will be able to hit 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds. </p><p>The LC 500h will make its official world debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in March.  </p><p>Lexus hasn't released pricing or fuel economy information for the LC 500h, which is expected to hit showrooms some time in 2017. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lexus</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bmw-i8-hybrid-review-test-drive-specs-2015-6">BMW made the first hybrid you won't be embarrassed to be seen driving</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="AxaWtndTpcVX4wDTKSWkDYOO7uFhNrt3" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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