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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has backed at least three spatial intelligence startups this year.</li><li>Spatial intelligence uses AI-powered robots to navigate freely within their environment.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a> is joining a slew of top-tier investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures, by backing companies that are building <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vcs-like-khosla-and-a16z-backing-robotics-that-use-ai-2024-7">robots capable of advanced reasoning</a> and processing visual data.Bezos joined ChatGPT creator OpenAI in backing AI robotics startup Physical Intelligence in its $400 million funding round which was announced in early November, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/dealbook/physical-intelligence-robot-ai.html">The New York Times reported</a>. The startup <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-invests-ai-robots-startup-physical-intelligence-2024-11">develops large-scale AI models</a> with the goal of bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world.An offshoot of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">booming AI sector</a>, these so-called "spatial intelligence" startups are developing tech that allows robots to navigate and interact with their environment more freely. These robots could take over dangerous or labor-intensive tasks in industries including logistics, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-bring-ai-robots-to-hospital-2024-10">healthcare,</a> manufacturing, or construction.VCs see AI robotics as a way to automate fields impacted by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">labor shortages</a> and rising costs, and startups in the space are building robots that can engage in decision-making and adapt on the fly — a big update from past machines.Traditional robotics, for example, would require multiple, individually programmed machines to complete various aspects of a task, and they would have trouble if something went wrong along the way.A spatially intelligent robot, however, could be programmed in plain language rather than in code to complete a task. The machine would then interpret the request, teach itself to complete the task and troubleshoot any issues.Physical Intelligence is at least the third spatial intelligence startup Bezos has backed this year, according to PitchBook. BI has compiled a list of each startup in the space that Bezos and his family office, Bezos Expeditions, have invested in.<h2 id="2c9b38e8-b5fa-4a05-8443-6629bc110757">Physical Intelligence</h2>Physical Intelligence is developing large-scale AI models to power robots and make them more common in everyday life. Bezos participated in the startup's $400 million funding round in November 2024, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/dealbook/physical-intelligence-robot-ai.html">according to the New York Times</a>. The round values the company at $2.4 billion.<h2 id="2ba78ce7-aa8f-4717-8356-e9914923221e">Swiss-Mile</h2>Swiss-Mile is building wheeled robots that use AI to collect data and complete security, monitoring, construction, and logistics tasks. Bezos Expeditions co-led the startup's $22 million seed funding round in August 2024.<h2 id="fe799ff5-9d88-49b8-b385-e93238bec577">Figure AI</h2>Figure AI <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-bets-big-on-humanoid-robots-with-figure-ai-2024-2">builds AI robots</a> that can take over unsafe jobs from humans. Bezos Expeditions participated in the startup's $675 million Series B funding round in February 2024.<h2 id="fb6f4c9c-800e-4ed7-b0a4-269e017b8b3d">Deep Sentinel</h2>Deep Sentinel builds home security cameras that use AI to live-analyze videos and detect threats in real time. Bezos invested in an undisclosed funding round in 2021, while Bezos Expeditions invested in its $24 million Series A funding round in 2020.<h2 id="38b4a7c3-1836-4c3c-a117-1d7c464260b1">Fathom Radiant</h2>Fathom Radiant builds computer hardware that is used in AI development. Bezos invested in a $2.27 million funding round in 2020.<h2 id="024291ea-37ec-4a63-a289-9c6cae65bac9">Rethink Robotics</h2>Rethink Robotics builds robots that use AI to take on boring, dirty, and dangerous manufacturing jobs. The startup was acquired by HAHN Group in 2020. Bezos Expeditions invested in the startup's $30 million Series E in 2017, $40 million Series D in 2015, $30 million Series C in 2012, $20 million Series B in 2010, $7 million Series A1 in 2009, and $5 million Series A in 2008.

Jeff Bezos just made his latest bet in the AI robotics space. Here are the 6 startups he's backed so far.

<ul><li>India's export of goods and services is estimated to reach approximately USD 760-770 billion for the ongoing financial year.</li><li>Small and medium businesses from India are already exporting large numbers, but tech giants like <keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> have unlocked the potential to reach untapped markets.</li><li>Business Insider India spoke to Bhupen Wakankar, Director of Global Trade at Amazon India.</li></ul>Not too long ago, Indian consumers looked forward to buying foreign articles – games or trinkets and more from the US and other countries. Now, Indian companies are selling to the world. Thanks to large global platforms like Amazon, even small Indian businesses are exporting their direct-to-consumer products to newer geographies and exploring untapped markets. Amazon has been running an export program called Amazon Global Selling since 2015. It started with 100 sellers on the platform, and today, it has over one lakh sellers shipping products to more than 200 countries. The number of Indian sellers on Global Selling has grown nearly 30% year-on-year (YoY) since January 2020. All thanks to technology that has democratised the opportunity by offering a cost-effective way to reach a large customer base with the aid of critical data. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Here's what India is selling to the world on Amazon" comment="subhead" text="Here's what India is selling to the world on Amazon">Here's what India is selling to the world on Amazon</cmsannotation> Bhupen Wakankar, director of global trade at Amazon India, told Business Insider India that the top categories of products India sells to the world are toys, kitchen and office categories. These top 6-7 categories are registering $100 million in yearly exports. "In the last 18 months, there has been diversification in the categories in which Indian entrepreneurs are playing. Initially, we were prominent in the home and apparel section but now, (we) have moved into consumer goods. Teas, coffee, Ayurvedic products, STEM toys, and handicrafts have been the trend," he said. STEM stands for Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. <div type="image" title="Info" msid="98630219" hostid="261" sizebytes="134770" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Top exporting cities and popular categories across India.&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> He added, "Home and apparel are the leaders, and we are seeing growth. In fact, there was a lot of conversation around recession in the US, and the retail numbers came out, and there was a 3% increase in growth." Amazon is also seeing an increase in the number of cities from where the new exporters are joining. Their platform now has exporters from over 200 cities, and the trend continues. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The spike months" comment="subhead" text="The spike months">The spike months</cmsannotation> The months when sales spike are the usual suspects, like <a href="https://press.aboutamazon.in/news-releases/news-release-details/indian-exporters-amazon-global-selling-see-over-100-business">Black Friday and Cyber Monday</a> (BCFM) sale events. In 2022, during these two sales events, Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling saw over 100% business growth compared to business as usual – selling lakhs of Made in India products to customers across the world. During BFCM 2022, categories such as toys, kitchen, and home experienced significant growth, with a surge of over 60%, 40%, and 25%, respectively. Additionally, the jewellery and grocery categories grew by approximately 20%. Several renowned Indian brands, including Vahdam, Skillmatics, California Design Den, VirVentures, and Kart It, were highly sought-after. The 2022 global Prime Day event witnessed a remarkable surge of approximately 50% in business growth for Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling. The highest growth was seen in categories like kitchen products, STEM toys, apparel and footwear, office products, beauty, and healthcare. "Customers across Amazon global marketplaces like North America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa shopped the highest from Indian exporters with Australia, Japan, and Singapore also reporting high growth for sellers," Wakankar said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The moolah from emerging markets" comment="subhead" text="The moolah from emerging markets">The moolah from emerging markets</cmsannotation> Indian companies on Amazon Global Selling surpassed $5 billion in cumulative exports between 2015-2022. Over 1,000 exporters crossed ₹1 crore in sales in 2021. This number is expected to grow further in the coming years. Wakankar said, "Exports in India have been relegated to top markets like the US, UK, and EU for the longest time. However, we are also noticing a lot of demand coming in from emerging markets like the Middle East, Japan, Singapore, and Australia." The Government has taken steps to encourage cross-border trade, such as free-trade agreements between countries such as the UAE, the UK, Australia, and others – another reason for the rise in exports. While it is good to have a wide canvas, businesses keen on entering and expanding into new global markets must adapt to meet the unique market requirements. For instance, while printed bedsheets with lower thread counts are preferred in India, consumers in the US and UK prefer higher thread counts and block colours. Similarly, board game preferences too differ across geographies, with Snakes &amp; Ladders and Ludo being popular in India, while Scrabble and Scotland Yard are preferred in the US and UK, respectively. Businesses must remain agile and innovative to cater to customers' evolving preferences, which are influenced by cultural, social, and environmental factors. A platform like Amazon aids this with its product reviews and ratings – which help businesses stay connected with customers and their changing needs. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Does E-commerce make exporting easy?" comment="subhead" text="Does E-commerce make exporting easy?">Does E-commerce make exporting easy?</cmsannotation> Exporting is a new and exciting opportunity for sellers and has been traditionally considered challenging and cumbersome, especially for small businesses –due to the many complexities involved. But e-commerce has simplified the process, claims Wakankar. "Earlier, the only way for entrepreneurs to try out new markets was to go there, mostly to top trade fairs physically, meet suppliers, send samples, get orders, manufacture, figure out shipping, storage, and then send their products,” he said. E-commerce has made it possible for them to connect with customers via a few clicks directly. “They can leverage available resources like industry reports and market insights from e-commerce players, start small, and give themselves a chance to get it right the first time," Wakankar says. This is a blessing for small businesses, which can benefit from the fact that e-commerce enables businesses to incur low start-up and operational costs, supports them with market intelligence through data insights and customer reviews, and offers them support with distribution, payments, and logistics. “This massively increases the ability of businesses to reach large audiences quickly and build a global brand that owns and runs its IP (Intellectual Property) - while still being based in India," Wakankar adds. In a nutshell, established brands will require technology-based resources, insights into consumer behaviour, and financial assistance to expand their reach to more customers and unexplored markets. Meanwhile, emerging brands will need significant assistance refining their brand or product offerings, gaining insights into their target audience, and accessing funding and mentorship to enter the global market. According to Union Minister for State for Commerce and Industry, <a href="https://www.ibef.org/news/exports-in-fy23-to-reach-about-us-770-billion-commerce-and-industry-ministry">Anupriya Patel</a>, India's export of goods and services is estimated to reach approximately $760-770 billion for the ongoing financial year, compared to the previous fiscal year's export value of $672 billion. While growth comes from large quarters, small businesses which offer unique value propositions to a wider set of customers are also key to taking the brand ‘Made In India’ abroad in a big way.

Indian D2C brands are already making their presence felt across the world, thanks to Amazon

<ul><li><keyword id="13153678" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="zillionaire" source="Orion">Zillionaire</keyword> is a Jaipur-based startup creating bling jewellery. </li><li>The startup’s clientele includes celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Raftaar, Karan Johar, and others. </li><li>The 19-year-old founders of Zillionaire walked away with an investment of ₹1 crore from shark Anupam Mittal - double their original ask of ₹50 lakh. </li></ul><keyword id="11924074" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="Orion">Shark Tank India</keyword> S2 has made it clear - India has no dearth of talented entrepreneurs. Like the 19-year-old founders of <keyword id="16077786" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="zillionaire-india" source="Orion">Zillionaire India</keyword> - a lifestyle jewellery brand offering ‘bling jewellery’ primarily made of silver and/or cubic zirconia. The Jaipur-based startup makes ‘bling jewellery’ popularised by rappers, which is only available for sale on the company website. Zillionaire offers a regular range of earrings, pendants, bracelets, cuffs, etc., along with customised items. The average order value is ₹14,000, while the minimum value for a <a href="https://zillionaireindia.com/pages/custom-work">custom piece is ₹15,000</a>. Founded by Aaditya Fatehpuriya and Raghav Goyal in 2020, the direct-to-customer (D2C) brand has a verified Instagram handle with over <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zillionaireindia/?hl=en">56k followers</a>. The startup made revenue of ₹11 lakh in the first year of its operations. Since then, it has enjoyed a growth rate of 554%, raking in sales to the tune of ₹72 lakh in FY22. In the 7 months of FY23, the company’s year-to-date sales hit ₹1 crore, with a profit of ₹15 lakh. The founders projected total sales worth ₹2 crore in FY23. The startup’s clientele includes celebrities like actors Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, singers Raftaar and B Praak, and director Karan Johar, among others. “We don’t just want to be a jewellery brand. We want to be a lifestyle brand, so that in the future if your chair has the logo of Zillionaire, its value rises. The sky’s the limit for us,” stated Goyal introducing Zillionaire on the show. The founders asked for an investment of ₹50 lakh for 3.3% equity, but went home with an investment of ₹1 crore for 10% equity from shark Anupam Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="“We’re living what we’re selling”" comment="subhead2" text="“We’re living what we’re selling”">“We’re living what we’re selling”</cmsannotation> During the pandemic, the two founders, who were 16 at the time and in Grade 11, got to discussing rap music. That’s when they came up with the idea of producing bling jewellery for themselves. They uploaded their designs on Instagram as well, and that’s how Zillionaire was born. At present, both founders look after the design, production, and marketing of the products. Goyal is currently studying at the Parsons School of Design in New York - where Zillionaire India helped him earn a 40% scholarship. On the other hand, Fatehpuriya is involved with Zillionaire full-time. His father has been running a jewellery business for over 30 years, manufacturing and exporting fine jewellery, primarily for women. And now, his father’s company is responsible for Zillionaire India’s production as well. The products are designed by the founders and they pay the cost of production (including the cost of material and labour), per piece to Fatehpuriya’s father’s company. Currently, 30 to 40 pieces are produced daily for Zillionaire. The founders have the vision to generate monthly sales worth ₹2 crore by 2026 and expand into global markets, in Dubai, Australia, and the UK. They’re already available in the US. “We’re living what we’re selling. The knowledge we have of hip-hop and this culture, usually others (jewellery designers) don’t have. We make sure to hit our customers psychologically. We already get opportunities to collaborate with Marvel, FIFA, etc., and create products for them - but they ask for MG (minimum guarantee). We’re a bootstrapped brand currently, and can’t afford that MG. In the future, if brand awareness and consequently sales increase, we can even lower the price, if required,” said Goyal, when asked about what sets Zillionaire India apart. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Finding the “king of bling”" comment="subhead2" text="Finding the “king of bling”">Finding the “king of bling”</cmsannotation> Shark Namita Thapar, executive director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, backed out at the start stating that the business would not yield 100% return due to existing competition, and high average ticket price. However, the duo impressed the other sharks with their product and vision so much that they had two competing offers. Mittal made the first offer - ₹1 crore for 10% equity, valuing the company at ₹10 crore. This was followed by a joint offer by sharks Aman Gupta (co-founder, boAt), Vineeta Singh (co-founder, Sugar Cosmetics) and Peyush Bansal, (co-founder, Lenskart) – ₹50 lakh for 10% equity, which valued the company at ₹5 crore. Mittal responded to the offer by telling the founders that, “by having just 2-3% equity, no shark will be dedicated to your business. You need someone who has skin in the game. Don’t make a mistake!” The founders ultimately went with a single shark, Mittal, while naming him “the king of bling.” Singh, who wanted to match Mittal’s offer but didn’t because of Gupta, appeared visibly shocked at the decision, while Bansal remarked that “he got it wrong”. Even Gupta admitted that they lost the deal because of him, while Singh reiterated that she really wanted this deal. SEE ALSO:

Bling and ka-ching! – This startup’s founders walk away with an investment double the original ask on Shark Tank India

<ul><li>Aditya Birla Fashion &amp; Retail (ABFRL) recently bought Reebok’s India operations and brands like the House of Masaba.</li><li>Now, the company says that it will set up a new subsidiary that will directly sell to the consumer (D2C) the way Thrasio, Mensa and 10Club do.</li><li>Shares of ABFRL have surged 76% in the last one year.</li><li>The story has been corrected to reflect that the new D2C unit will not be a marketplace like Ajio or Tata Cliq, as mentioned earlier.</li></ul>After a series of partnerships with some of India’s top designers of ethnic fashion like Shantanu &amp; Nikhil, Tarun Tahiliani, <keyword id="667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritu-kumar" source="Orion">Ritu Kumar</keyword> and <keyword id="8264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sabyasachi" source="Orion">Sabyasachi</keyword>, <keyword id="3378227" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aditya-birla-fashion-and-retail" source="Orion">Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail</keyword> (ABFRL) is preparing to go directly to the consumer. The company has said that the new entity will build “a portfolio of distinct, new-age, digital brands across categories in fashion, beauty and other allied lifestyle segments” Kumar Mangalam Birla, one of India’s top billionaires with a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aayushipratap/2022/02/03/indian-billionaire-gautam-adani-becomes-asias-richest-person/?sh=7e7df8744d92">net worth of $90 billion</a>, is ready to take the next big stride into online retail. The board of ABFRL has approved the setting up of a new D2C subsidiary. The retailer has had a bunch of brands for a while but in the last two years, it’s been busy stacking up outfits from some of the top designers of wedding attire. Birla’s recent pacts with designers of ethnic wear <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Acquisition year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">% stake in acquired firm </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">June 2019 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jaypore &amp; TG Apparel &amp; Décor </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">100% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">July 2019 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Shantanu &amp; Nikhil (S&amp;N) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">51% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">July 2019 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Finesse Designs </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">51% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">January 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sabyasachi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">51% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">February 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tarun Tahiliani </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">33.5% </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> <keyword id="13104055" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="what-is-d2c" source="Orion">What is D2C</keyword>? Direct to consumer is when a brand sells their products directly to consumers without selling through any third party retailers, wholesalers etc. Some of the popular D2C brands in the market are MyGlamm, Mamaearth, Wow Skin Science, BoAT, and Go Noise and the number of these brands in India has more than doubled in the last two years, according to consulting firm Bain and Company. Platforms selling D2C brands include Meesho, Tata Cliq, Myntra, Nykaa and Ajio. However, ABFRL’s business model will be similar to the New York-based e-commerce player Thrasio, which acquires small merchants and brands listed on Amazon marketplace. Thrasio has acquired more than 100 third party sellers or fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) businesses and is valued at $6 billion. Indian players like 10Club, Mensa Brands (founded by Myntra's former CEO Ananth Narayanan) and GlobalBees (founded by FirstCry founder Supam Maheshwari and Edelweiss' former executive Nitin Agarwal) have garnered the interest of investors. Notably, Mensa Brands is the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/former-myntra-ceo-started-mensa-brand-in-may-and-its-already-worth-a-billion-dollars-with/amp_articleshow/87735832.cms">youngest Indian startup</a> to be valued over a billion dollars and 10Club raised the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/bhavna-suresh-has-closed-indias-largest-seed-round-for-her-nine-month-old-startup-10club/amp_articleshow/83978841.cms">largest seed round</a> in Asia, last year. Even Thrasio is not willing to let go off this opportunity. The company will be looking to invest <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-aggregator-thrasio-will-invest-half-a-billion-dollars-in-buying-indian-brands/amp_articleshow/88894791.cms">half a billion dollars</a> in the Indian market over the next few years. The combined revenue of all D2C retailers in India was $3 billion in 2020, and is likely to be $35 billion by 2025, according to a recent report by O3 Capital. However, ABFRL’s statement pegged the D2C opportunity at a whopping $100 billion by 2025. <div type="image" title="aditya birla fashion stocks" height="900" width="1200" msid="89347682" hostid="261"></div>Now, ABFRL has been selling fashion brands like Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Peter England and many others through over 3,000 stores, for a while now. More recently ⁠— aside from the a series of pacts with makers of top dollar designer outfits ⁠— the company has also bought a <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/aditya-birla-fashion-to-buy-51-stake-in-masaba/articleshow/88892651.cms">51% stake in House of Masaba</a> (a clothing and cosmetics brand), and sportswear brand Reebok’s India operations. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Categories </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Brands sold by Aditya Birla Fashions </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Luxury </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">The Collective, Ralph Lauren, Shantanu &amp; Nikhil, Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Super Premium </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Simon Carter, Hackett, Ted Baker, Jaypore, Polo </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Premium </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, VanHeusen, American Eagle </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sub-premium </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Peter England, Forever 21 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Value </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pantaloons, People </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mass </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Style Up </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>With this business proposition, Aditya Birla is looking to mint money out of the extensive ecommerce offerings created by Jeff Bezos through Amazon, Walmart through Flipkart, Mukesh Ambani and the Tata Group. Birla will use brands like these to sell the D2C brands it acquires to sell online. Ambani’s Reliance Retail has also been making big investments in e-tail including Ajio, a six-year old online marketplace that makes a bulk of its revenue from sale of fashion clothing. Tata’s product is called Tata Cliq, which sells products from Westside, Shoppersstop and other brands. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/textile-cigarette-metal-and-electric-batteries-sectors-stocks-up-budget-day/articleshow/89346157.cms">Textile, cigarette makers and others sector stocks that rallied since budget speech</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-and-mukesh-ambani-are-now-richer-than-facebooks-mark-zuckerberg/slidelist/89338118.cms">Forbes shows Adani and Ambani are now richer than Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg</a>

Birla has the best wedding suits stacked up and he wants them displayed on your phone

<ul><li><keyword id="12042233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gokwik" source="Orion">GoKwik</keyword> offers tools and solutions to direct-to-consumer (<keyword id="4055555" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="D2C" source="Orion">D2C</keyword>) that offer better experience to users.</li><li>Matrix Partners India led the company’s pre-Series A round, with participation from RTP Global.</li><li>In its first year of operations, the company has set plans for international expansion.</li></ul>The Indian <keyword id="436047" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ecommerce" source="Orion">ecommerce</keyword> industry was growing exponentially last year as customers and several brands were embarking on the digital journey amidst the pandemic. But the show was largely run by giants like Amazon and Flipkart. That’s when <keyword id="4075194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chirag-Taneja" source="Orion">Chirag Taneja</keyword> came up with the solution to help Indian brands to set up their own identity in the world of digital retail. GoKwik, launched in January 2021, offers tools and solutions to direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands — that sell directly to customers through their own website — to offer better experience to users. “If you look at D2C websites and compare it to the giants, you’ll realise that many things are broken. If e-commerce has to boom then someone will need to fix these experiences. That is what we do as a company,” Chirag Taneja, chief executive (CEO) and co-founder of GoKwik, told Business Insider. Fundraise to international expansion — all planned out GoKwik on Tuesday, September 7, announced a $5.5 million fundraise in order to expand its presence further. The pre-Series A round was led by Matrix Partners India, with participation of global investors like RTP Global. Several marquee angel investors and serial entrepreneurs also participated in the round. This includes Jupiter’s Jitendra Gupta, Uni’s Nitin Gupta, AngelList India’s Utsav Somani, CarDekho’s Umang Kumar, Shaadi.com’s Anupam Mittal, Livspace’s Ramakant Sharma, OfBusiness’ Asish Mohapatra and more. Over 12 angels invested in the pre-Series A round. GoKwik plans to use this funding to double its current workforce of 75 employees by 2022 and expand to other Southeast Asian countries that face the same ecommerce related challenges as India. The company has zeroed down on Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia for now. The Gurugram-based company notes that they will have an early mover advantage if they start international expansion now. For its international play, the company will focus on building local and central teams in the specific region and partner with local players. The technology and the product would largely remain the same for these markets, where cash-on-delivery would be a more common mode of payment. The Gurgaon-based startup helps retailers overcome challenges of setting up online stores and provide better experience to their customers. The company claims to have processed over a million transactions since its launch. Helping boAt, MamaEarth, LimeRoad and more The e-commerce enabler has also added 75 customers to its bucket list, ranging from marketplaces to publicly listed companies and renowned D2C brands. This includes boAt, Mamaearth, The Man Company, Heads Up For Tails, LimeRoad, ManMatters, The Whole Truth, The Souled Store, and TCNS Clothing Co, which owns brands like W, Aurelia and Wishful. Taneja noted that there are four legs of e-commerce — discovery, search/selection, conversion, retention. GoKwik is solving all these problems with its solution, as per Taneja. Ecommerce is expanding and one would need to use ecommerce enablers to bring the cost down, he added. The company was founded by Taneja and Vivek Bajpai. Taneja has previously worked as the chief revenue officer of Bombay Shaving Company, assistant vice president at Yes Bank and founded a food tech company Ketchupp in 2015. Bajpai, chief technology officer (CTO) and co-founder of GoKwik, was the head of technology at an adtech company SilverPush. Ankush Talwar, chief data scientist at GoKwik, is also part of the founding team. He previously was associated with Kognoz Research &amp; Consulting, Quantiphi and Publicis. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/logistics-company-delhivery-raises-76-million-ahead-of-its-ipo/articleshow/85997440.cms">Former Tiger Global exec Lee Fixel picks Delhivery as his second bet in India, after Inshorts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/el-salvador-just-bought-400-bitcoin-and-plans-to-buy-a-lot-more-a-day-before-making-it-an-official-currency/articleshow/85995497.cms">El Salvador just bought 400 bitcoin and plans to buy 'a lot more,' a day before making it an official currency</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/chipotles-digital-sales-hit-a-record-2-billion-so-far-this-year-heres-how-its-loyalty-program-led-the-company-to-success/articleshow/85995495.cms">Chipotle's digital sales hit a record $2 billion so far this year - here's how its loyalty program led the company to success</a>

A former Bombay Shaving Company exec is helping brands like boAt, MamaEarth go big on ecommerce ⁠— and he now wants to take it abroad

<ul><li>Ganesh <keyword id="79029" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="balakrishnan" source="Orion">Balakrishnan</keyword>, the co-founder of <keyword id="16008024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flatheads-shoes" source="Orion">Flatheads Shoes</keyword> received an offer that valued his company at ₹2.25 crore from two sharks on <keyword id="11924074" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="Orion">Shark Tank India</keyword> S2. </li><li>Balakrishnan, who had earlier invested personal money to keep the venture afloat, rejected the offer. </li><li>The shoe business that started right before the pandemic ran into trouble as lockdowns forced people to stay indoors. </li><li>After the episode aired last Friday, the startup managed to sell off its entire inventory over the weekend, Balakrishnan said on social media. </li></ul>Last Friday, Shark Tank India S2 aired the season’s most emotional episode when Ganesh Balakrishnan made a pitch for his venture, Flatheads Shoes. The startup <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ganeshbalakrishnan/">creates </a>‘all-day casual shoes for the urban workforce’ priced between ₹1,000-₹5,000 a pair. It also <a href="https://www.flatheads.in/">offers </a>India’s first linen sneakers, and the world’s first banana fibre sneakers. At the time Balakrishnan’s episode was shot, his company was on the verge of a shutdown. He said <a href="https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/shark-tank-india-1700000741/investing-in-the-future-of-india-1000203475?watch=true">on the show </a>that he personally invested ₹35 lakh to keep the business afloat, in the last two months. His co-founder Utkarsh Biradar, who helped design the shoes, too invested the same amount. Biradar exited the startup in 2022 but still holds 30% equity. In spite of his mounting troubles, Balakrishnan rejected the only deal he received on the show. Sharks Peyush Bansal (co-founder, Lenskart) and <keyword id="246967" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vineeta-singh" source="Orion">Vineeta Singh</keyword> (co-founder, Sugar Cosmetics), offered ₹75 lakh for 33.3% equity in the company. The offer values the company at ₹2.25 crore. Balakrishnan had asked for a valuation of ₹25 crore as its company generated sales to the tune of ₹3.4 crore in FY22. The company had raised ₹5.2 crore in April 2021, at a pre-money valuation of ₹28 crore, from angel investors. Pre-money valuation refers to the value of a startup that does not include external funding – basically a startup’s value before it raises funds. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Once in a generation troubles" comment="subhead2" text="Once in a generation troubles">Once in a generation troubles</cmsannotation> Balakrishnan started Flatheads Shoes in 2019, right before the pandemic struck. In less than a year, the company had no customers - as India stayed indoors, people barely needed shoes, much less urban workwear. “It’s not that I can’t run a company. I am capable of it. Thing is, when you step into the market and for 4 months nobody is wearing shoes, because nobody is stepping out only - such situations arise once in generations. And it happened to us,” said Balakrishnan on the show. He also said that angel investors were not willing to invest further in the business. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘Need to evaluate my priorities in life’" comment="subhead2" text="‘Need to evaluate my priorities in life’">‘Need to evaluate my priorities in life’</cmsannotation> Even as he rejected the offer, Balakrishnan admitted that he needed to change his perspective, re-evaluate his priorities, and gain more experience before entering the D2C market. “I need to evaluate my priorities in life right now. I will go out there and work with a D2C brand and understand how to do this before I come back and try again. I need a couple of years. But that perspective needs to be built. And the best way to build it is to work with somebody who’s done this before,” said Balakrishnan on the show. Balakrishnan’s emotional admission left all the judges teary-eyed, with Shaadi.com’s founder Anupam Mittal remarking, “Shark Tank is not just about getting funding, but also perspective.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Every tear has a silver lining" comment="subhead2" text="Every tear has a silver lining">Every tear has a silver lining</cmsannotation> When Balakrishnan pitched on the show, most of the Sharks asked him to shut down the business and instead, look to make a living through a regular job, leveraging his educational qualifications and work experience. While boAt’s founder Gupta shared his personal experience of going down the same road, Mittal even offered him a job. Shortly after the episode aired though, Flatheads Shoes trended on social media and consequently received enough orders that it almost sold out its inventory in India. “We've almost sold out our inventory in India, so pardon us if you aren't able to find your size on www.flatheads.in,” shared <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7017678455685226496?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_feedUpdate%3A%28V2%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7017678455685226496%29">Balakrishnan on his LinkedIn account</a>. The product is featured on the Shark Tank India website. The brand also has international ambitions. It launched its products in the US in October 2021 and plans to expand its international market in the US and UAE. As Balakrishnan admitted on the show, Flatheads enjoys a ‘price advantage’ in the US because people are willing to pay a premium price for a sustainable product. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The serial entrepreneur" comment="subhead2" text="The serial entrepreneur">The serial entrepreneur</cmsannotation> After graduating as a mechanical engineer from IIT Bombay in 1999, Balakrishnan worked with an industrial technologies MNC Ingersoll-Rand International (India) for five years, before pursuing an MBA degree from IIM, Bangalore. He worked with Bain &amp; Company and Honeywell, before starting his entrepreneurial journey in 2013 with Windsleeve, a retail technology product company, and Momoe, a mobile payments product company. While Windsleeve shut down in a year, Momoe ran for three years, before being acquired by Shopclues in 2016, in a cash and stock deal. In 2019, Balakrishnan entered the startup space again with Flathead Shoes, inspired by his personal experience of dealing with reeking and ill-fitting shoes. Balakrishnan is married and has a 10-year-old daughter. Currently, his household income is managed by his wife, who’s working with a German company. His daughter is an artist who also wants to be an entrepreneur and is already taking orders for calendars created with her paintings. “Did I mention that my 10-year-old daughter wants to be an entrepreneur? She says she is a fan of Peyush's no-nonsense mindset, and I know that she admires Vineeta for her cheerfulness and positivity. She is super proud that I managed to get an offer from both of them,” stated Balakrishnan <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7017678455685226496?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_feedUpdate%3A%28V2%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7017678455685226496%29">on his LinkedIn post</a>. His perseverance and honesty on the show left the Shark Tank India panel and the audience so impressed, that the admiration translated into sales. <div type="twitter" handle="AbstractAkarsh" handlename="Akarsh hp" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1608027655529730050/ZdAybBsg_normal.jpg" favoritecount="75" retweetcount="4" status="The #Flatheads pitch in #SharkTankIndia was one of the best I've seen across two seasons. Emotional. Real. Uplifting." createdat="1673025864000" id="1611413387547938816"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="dssagar93" handlename="Sagar Khatri 🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1508142401172385794/MMugvnlw_normal.jpg" favoritecount="20" retweetcount="0" status="This #Flatheads guy is so genuine and transparent with his story and failures. Saying that you couldn't make it wit… https://t.co/rjcGdmhUCo" createdat="1673026813000" id="1611417367736877056"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="banerjee_bapi" handlename="Bapi Banerjee" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/975719104953962496/N_213Fro_normal.jpg" favoritecount="7" retweetcount="0" status="Nothing but respect for you. To be honest on the national television, it takes courage. And I am sure you will boun… https://t.co/3KSiXtM62Q" createdat="1673078555000" id="1611634388642729984"></div> SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/india-vs-sri-lanka-odis-2023-match-date-and-time-head-to-head-stats-and-more/slidelist/96849348.cms">India vs Sri Lanka ODIs 2023 – match date and time, head-to-head stats and more</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/health-edtech-platform-virohan-raises-7-million-in-funding-led-by-blume-ventures/articleshow/96849208.cms">Health edtech platform Virohan raises $7 million in funding led by Blume Ventures</a>

This IIT-IIM startup founder denies Shark Tank offer, sells his entire inventory over the weekend

<ul><li><keyword id="570619" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cadbury-dairy-milk" source="Orion">Cadbury Dairy Milk</keyword> manufacturer <keyword id="2200852" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mondelez-india" source="Orion">Mondelez India</keyword> has unveiled a new experience center called ‘<keyword id="12394027" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-purple-room" source="Orion">The Purple Room</keyword>’ in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai.</li><li>It allows consumers to experience the joy of watching their favourite Cadbury chocolates taking shape live in a 3D printer.</li><li><keyword id="1473906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anil-vishwanathan" source="Orion">Anil Vishwanathan</keyword>, Senior Director, Marketing, Mondelez India walks us through the research and execution process of bringing the whole experiential center together, his goal behind this new milestone and larger vision for the portfolio.</li></ul>Remember the old jingle, "<a href="https://youtu.be/z92njBwG62Y" data-type="tilCustomLink">Kitna mazza aaye re, duniya Dairy Milk bann jaye</a>?" The brand behind this ad, Mondelez India's <keyword id="136808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cadbury-india" source="Orion">Cadbury India</keyword> is converting this fictional world of being surrounded by chocolates, which was every child's dream, into a reality. It has opened its first-ever experiential center in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Called ‘The Purple Room,’ this experiential center takes consumers inside a chocolaty world, allowing them to experience the joy of watching their favourite Cadbury chocolates taking shape live in a 3D printer. <div type="image" title="Cadbury 3d printer" msid="87283017" hostid="261"></div> Throughout Cadbury’s journey, the brand has tried to offer a different experience to consumers. This time, it aims to take it a notch higher. Telling us why the brand chose to launch an experiential center, Anil Vishwanathan, Senior Director, Marketing, Mondelez India, said, “It's been a constant journey of bringing in new concepts and experiences from a premium standpoint, because that's what the consumer is looking for. Over a period of time, it has also translated into the way we are offering personalised and customised experiences on e-commerce and D2C side. Now, The Purple Room is yet another such initiative in the same context, where we are bringing in new experiences to the country and some of these experiences cannot just be done in the regular retail way. We want to offer novel experiences and we're starting with the whole 3D Chocolate but this is one of many interesting new things to market experiences that we want to bring to consumers.” The pandemic has proven how the value of personal attention may be far greater than we gave it credit. So, Cadbury’s The Purple Room is designed to consistently give customers more reasons to return by offering a personalised experience. It houses the whole Mondelez India range, a few exclusive products that are not available in India and also prints customised chocolates as requested by consumers in front of their eyes. When consumers walk out of The Purple Room, Vishwanathan is optimistic that they will be wowed. Talking about what he thinks consumers will feel once they visit, he said, “Definitely a wow. We don't want to create experiences that they've seen before. So that's what we're aiming for. It's not something that they would have seen, even if they've traveled outside India. It's not so much about exclusive merchandise that's not available in India, but available elsewhere, which I've imported. It's not an imported range. It's also not something that's available in the regular stores. Now, of course, you have consumers who also would want the regular merchandise, so we have the merchandise as well. But really the priority is set of experiences that are not available anywhere and maybe new to the country -- not been commercialized ever, and hence, getting consumers to feel a little bit of a wow and leaving the Experience Center saying `oh, this is what I would expect a Cadbury to be doing.’” Cadbury is relying on word-of-mouth to do its magic and bring in organic footfall. It has also planned a few local activations to spread the word about the new center. The idea of launching this experiential center was born earlier this year in January and it took Cadbury 10 months to bring it all together. The brand also wanted to wait for the market to open up. “We actually wanted to do it even faster and more possibly we could have had the second wave not come out. We were ready to launch faster. The launch date was reflective of when it is a safe situation, firstly, allowed by the authorities to open and then of course, the right time for the consumer also starting to feel okay to step out. Now, they're kind of coming back. The likelihood is that they'll come back with a bang because there's a lot of pent up feeling, ‘oh, I'm cooped up at home and I really want to step out, I really want to go somewhere and watch a movie.’ So as that feeling comes back, we see this as a great time to leverage as the momentum is gonna come back,” said Vishwanathan. But why ‘The Purple Room?’ “In partnership with <keyword id="531122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ogilvy-india" source="Orion">Ogilvy India</keyword>, we wanted to bring in a very recognizable element of our brand. And then also give a little bit of the premium feel to it. So pick up something which people can recognize, but it still evokes a little bit of a premium feel,” Vishwanathan told Ad and Media Insider. On a larger scale, Cadbury will be focusing on increasing its investments as the markets open up and launch new marketing campaigns around generosity. Sharing his optimism about the future, Vishwanathan said, “I think we have had good growth momentum. As we speak, we seem to have come out of the challenges of the first two waves, and we're positive about the future. In the long term, we do believe that we want to continue to grow the category. So we'll stay invested behind our core brands. We also believe the timing is right for us to bring back some of our innovation that we had pulled back for the last couple of years. So as we enter the new year, you will see some interesting innovations come, you'll see a lot of investment and you will continue to see the kinds of campaigns that we've been putting out around our overall purpose of generosity. And it's not just going to be linked only to chocolate, it's also around biscuits and beverages. You'll see a lot of purpose-driven interesting consumer engagement. You'll see a lot of thrust on ecommerce, you'll see a lot of work happening on digital. Most importantly, you will see us staying invested because we are optimistic about the growth opportunity."

Mondelez India opens its first-ever experience center in India; from custom-made milkshakes to 3D printed chocolates, here’s how it is wooing consumers

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="9982341" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="modern-fertility">Modern Fertility</keyword>, a direct-to-consumer hormone, pregnancy, and ovulation test company will now sell its pregnancy and ovulation tests at 1,600 <keyword id="80487" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="walmart">walmart</keyword>s across the US and on Walmart.com.</li><li>Modern <keyword id="6414006" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fertility">Fertility</keyword> founder Afton Vechery said that partnering with Walmart will enable the startup to move forward its mission of true accessibility for all women.</li><li>Modern Fertility aims to enable women to learn about their fertility as a part of their overall health and wellness, not just as a part of trying to conceive.</li><li>The startup was attracted to Walmart's commitment to healthcare. In the last year, Walmart has opened healthcare clinics called Walmart Health and announced it would offer its own health insurance.</li></ul>Take a walk down the "family planning" aisle at your local pharmacy and you'll see a lot of products that either prevent pregnancy (condoms, Plan B), or tell a woman if she's pregnant (pregnancy tests). But what about women wondering if they can get pregnant, or when during their cycle they should try to conceive?Traditionally, those types of inquiries require a trip to a physician's office, and can come with hefty out-of-pocket charges. But direct-to-consumer startup Modern Fertility aims to make the process of learning about ovulation as easy as it is to pick up your weekly toiletries, and as affordable, too. Today, Modern Fertility announced that its at-home pregnancy test and ovulation test are now available at nearly 1,600 Walmart locations across the US. "Walmart has an unparalleled commitment to accessibility and so do we," co-founder of Modern Fertility, Afton Vechery, told Business Insider of the company's decision to partner with the major retailer. "We want to meet women where we are."Modern Fertility launched in 2018 with a $159 at-home hormone test. The test is designed to bring affordable fertility information to women without being prescribed a test through a physician. It can be self-administered through a finger prick and mailed back to the company, or through a Quest Diagnostics. The belief behind the company is that women should have the option to be proactive about their fertility, not reactive — meaning, learning about one's fertility shouldn't be a result of failing to conceive, it should be a part of mainstream wellness.Vechery came up with the concept for Modern Fertility after her own experience paying $1,500 out of pocket to learn about her fertility.When Vechery realized she was going to wait until later in life to start a family, she wanted to learn more about her fertility and what would be possible for her. But her OB-GYN told her "no, you're not actively trying and failing to conceive, I'm not going to prescribe them for you." Vechery still wanted the tests, so she opted to pay out of pocket, and had to go to an infertility clinic to get them done. $1,500 later she was happy to have learned more about her body, but frustrated by the price tag and the process. She told others about her experience and realized she wasn't alone."Women wanted more information about their bodies, and to use that to make decisions that were right for them," she said.Modern Fertility expanded its product lineup in July, with the ovulation and pregnancy tests that are available in Walmart, as well as launching a free app that enables period and ovulation tracking. The ovulation tracking app is designed to work with the ovulation tests — women can take a photo of the results of their ovulation test, and the app deciphers the results and predicts a customer's 2 most fertile days. Both products are up to 50% cheaper than leading pregnancy and ovulation test brands.Vechery said the company also found Walmart an attractive <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> partner because of "the amount of resources they were dedicating to healthcare."In recent years, Walmart has been working hard to become a healthcare company. In 2019, Walmart opened its first <a href="https://corporate.walmart.com/walmarthealth/welcome">Walmart Health</a>, a stand-alone healthcare clinic that offers low-cost health services, regardless of insurance, including "primary and urgent care, labs, x-ray and diagnostics, counseling, dental, optical and hearing services." There are now six Walmart Health facilities open, five of which are in Georgia, and Walmart <a href="https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/09/17/one-year-in-walmart-health-is-delivering-affordable-healthcare-and-expanding">announced</a> on September 17 that the company would be opening nine more facilities before the end of 2020, and is exploring new markets. Walmart is also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-breaks-into-health-insurance-2020-7">launching a health insurance arm</a>.Both Walmart and Modern Fertility are retail companies that aim to simplify and supplement the US healthcare system for customers. Kirsten Green, the founder of venture capital firm Forerunner Ventures, thusfar the biggest investor in Modern Fertility at $15 million, thinks startups will continue to step in and fill the healthcare system's gaps."In an age where consumers increasingly demand: value, convenience, transparency, the healthcare category broadly speaking falls short," Green, who also has a seat on Modern Fertility's board, told Business Insider. "By and large business follows the consumer, meeting opportunities where demand exists. In this vein, the healthcare system is ripe for invention and intervention."Because Walmart stores are prevalent in more rural areas, Modern Fertility can now reach customers who might not have nearby access to a doctor's office or hospital, and who might not have discovered the company's products otherwise. Modern Fertility's products will also be available on Walmart.com, and Vechery noted that Walmart's dedication to offering next-day shipping made her feel the retailer would be a good partner, because of the time-sensitivity associated with pregnancy and ovulation testing.Modern Fertility has successfully shifted the conversations and products surrounding fertility "upstream," so that talking about fertility isn't just for women who might be infertile or have a difficult time conceiving: About 75% of Modern Fertility hormone test customers are not actually trying to conceive, according to Vechery. She also noted that the tests are meant to be a conversation starter between a woman and her physician, not a replacement for a doctor.Green said that the two are complementary and that Modern Fertility "helps create more informed, savvy patients who have more productive conversations with their OB-GYNs, which enables better care within the doctor's office."Perhaps in the future, women will be able to get their Modern Fertility tests and discuss the results with their doctor — all at the same Walmart.

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