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Mumbai, D'chica's, a brand that curates puberty-essential products tailored specifically to the needs and preferences of teen girls, has bagged a deal of Rs 80 lakhs with <keyword id="20292047" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="namita-thapar" source="keywords">Namita Thapar</keyword> and Vineeta Singh on the new episode of '<keyword id="19913228" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="keywords">Shark Tank India</keyword> 3'. In a bid to propel D'chica to new heights of success, its co-founders, Richa Kapila and <keyword id="20348209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vani" source="keywords">Vani</keyword> Chugh from Delhi made a debut on the business reality show. From stylish bras and period panties to fashionable athleisure and footwear, the brand strives to empower young girls during their crucial teenage years with its meticulously crafted collection. Bound by both family ties as sisters-in-law and a shared passion for business, Richa and Vani, the founders of D'chica, embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey after facing setbacks with their previous venture focused on infants and toddlers. Despite the challenges that led to the closure of their initial business, the sisters-in-law remained undeterred. Instead, they embraced failure as a powerful teacher, drawing invaluable lessons from the experience. In 2019, they founded D'chica, a brand committed to celebrating the transition from adolescence to womanhood. They launched their first inner wear collection in 2020. Through their determination and hard work, Richa and Vani transformed D'chica into a brand that resonates with the Alpha and Gen Z generations. On the show, they asked for Rs 80 lakhs in exchange for one per cent equity. Amit Jain, CEO and co-founder of CarDekho Group, asked: "Do you do the manufacturing yourself or have you given a contract to someone for it?" Richa replied saying, "We currently have five manufacturing units which we operate out of." After seeing the products, <keyword id="20380308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="namita" source="keywords">Namita</keyword> Thapar, executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said: "Dr. Garima is a new angel (pointing to the packaging)." To which the founders replied: "Dr. Garima is a consulting gynaecologist with us. We have onboarded a gynaecologist whom customers can reach out to for guidance. We do it for community building." Finally, they sealed the deal with Namita and Vineeta (Co-Founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics), at Rs 80 lakhs for two per cent equity plus one per cent royalty until the sum is recouped. Sharing her excitement on being a part of the 'Shark Tank India', Vani Chugh, co-founder D'chica Fashion Lifestyle Private Ltd, said: "Shark Tank India helped our teen and young women inner-wear brand D'chica reach millions of Indian homes and create mainstream conversations about subjects as taboo as periods to common youth issues like body image and confidence." "With our body adapting bras, reusable period panties and chafing-free underwear D'chica is laser focused on the fast growing market of 12 crore plus girls," she added. 'Shark Tank India 3' streams on Sony LIV.

Body-adapting bras, reusable period panties & more help this startup bag ₹80 lakh from 'sharks'

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (<keyword id="6354859" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iit" source="Orion">IIT</keyword>) Madras have developed an online open-source database of coronaviruses' neutralising antibodies. The database called 'Ab-CoV' contains detailed information about all Covid-related antibodies identified so far, including the source of each antibody, and the viral protein(s) and virus strains they recognise, the institute said in a statement on Monday. 'Ab-CoV' can also aid in the development of drugs against new variants of SARS-CoV-2. The Ab-CoV database includes 1,780 coronavirus-related antibodies, including 211 nanobodies, and contains more than 3,200 data points on half maximal inhibitory concentration, half maximal effective concentration and binding affinity. The information compiled in this database, published in the peer-reviewed journal Bioinformatics, can assist researchers in antibody engineering; analysing immune escape for known and future variants of SARS-CoV-2; computational studies on neutralising antibodies; and relating structural features with binding affinity. "Some of the data in the Ab-CoV database has already been used to understand the relationship between structural features and binding affinities of spike protein-antibody complexes as well as antibody repurposing," said M. Michael <keyword id="16850346" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gromiha" source="Orion">Gromiha</keyword>, Faculty, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, in the statement. "Ab-CoV also has a wide range of search and display options through which users can directly search and download the processed data, based on the antibody's name, viral protein epitope, neutralised viral strain, antibody and nanobody. It also has the option to view structures of antibodies or viral proteins in a 3D model," Gromiha added. Although large amounts of experimental and computational data have been stored online to understand the virus, the emergence of new variants prompted researchers to gather new and comprehensive information. Such efforts will help to develop newer drugs and deal better with disasters that affect human health and economies, globally. "AbCoV is an exhaustive repository of antibodies, not just specific to SARS CoV-2 but also to other members of the coronavirus family such as <keyword id="1394053" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome" source="Orion">Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome</keyword> (SARS) and <keyword id="1682499" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="middle-east-respiratory-syndrome" source="Orion">Middle East Respiratory Syndrome</keyword> (MERS) viruses," said <keyword id="15103493" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vani-janakiraman" source="Orion">Vani Janakiraman</keyword>, Faculty, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras. "This repository would aid in comparative studies among different neutralising antibodies across coronaviruses and to assess their properties, interaction patterns with epitopes on the native and mutant viral proteins. Such an effort eventually would help to gauge the efficacy of these antibodies towards existing and emerging viral variants," she added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/new-ceo-of-tcs-krithivasan-gets-a-thumbs-up-from-analysts-who-are-betting-on-his-experience-leadership-skills/articleshow/98805926.cms">New CEO of TCS Krithivasan gets a thumbs up from analysts who are betting on his experience &amp; leadership skills</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/indian-metal-stocks-become-attractive-after-massive-underperformance-and-signs-of-recovery-in-china-says-jefferies/articleshow/98805485.cms">Indian metal stocks become attractive after massive underperformance and signs of recovery in China, says Jefferies</a>

IIT Madras team develops novel database on Covid antibodies

<keyword id="6354630" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mark-zuckerberg" source="Orion">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword>'s <keyword id="399907" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="meta" source="Orion">Meta</keyword> (formerly Facebook) on Wednesday announced a partnership with VC fund <keyword id="1397792" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="kalaari-capital" source="Orion">Kalaari Capital</keyword> to upskill and scale young, invested businesses in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> by providing them with timely business skilling support. The partnership is a part of Meta's 'VC Brand Incubator Initiative' for the growth of micro, small and medium businesses in the country. "As part of this initiative, Meta has partnered with India's largest VC funds. We are thrilled to now partner with Kalaari Capital that has been instrumental in the growth journey of many startups," said <keyword id="3056724" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ajit-mohan" source="Orion">Ajit Mohan</keyword>, VP and MD at Meta in India. Kalaari Capital is an early-stage, technology-focused venture capital firm based in Bengaluru. "As startups scale, they need to leverage several tools and platforms like Meta to support their growth," said <keyword id="1397790" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vani-kola" source="Orion">Vani Kola</keyword>, Founder and Managing Director, Kalaari Capital. In the last three years, Meta has tied up with 16 VC funds, including Kalaari Capital, and has successfully skilled and mentored more than 500 small businesses at various stages of their growth journey. In April, Meta onboarded <keyword id="122716" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sequoia-capital" source="Orion">Sequoia Capital</keyword>. Other VC firms are Fireside Ventures, Elevation Capital [SAIF Partners], DSG Consumer Partners, Matrix Partners, Anthill Ventures and <keyword id="6306883" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="stellaris-ventures" source="Orion">Stellaris Ventures</keyword>, to name a few. With Kalaari Capital, Meta said it is going to have several young, invested businesses from emerging sectors such as ed-tech, social commerce, gaming, and fin-tech, among others participate in the initiative. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/if-you-place-an-order-youre-accepting-the-service-charge-restaurant-body-says/articleshow/91779455.cms">If you place an order, you’re accepting the service charge, restaurant body says</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-avinya-renders-reveal-the-expected-design-of-the-concept-electric-car/articleshow/91765348.cms">Tata Avinya renders reveal the expected design of the concept electric car</a>

Zuckerberg's Meta partners with Kalaari Capital to upskill young startups in India

<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trendsfestival" data-type="tilCustomLink">Global Trends Festival</a> is one of the world's most prestigious events which will be live from Oct 19-23.</li><li>While nobel laureates, some of the biggest political and corporate icons will provide thought leadership, it's a great platform to network with CXOs from around the world.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trendsfestival" data-type="tilCustomLink">Global Trends Festival 2020</a> is presented by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trendsfestival" data-type="tilCustomLink"></a><a href="https://aws.amazon.com/" data-type="tilCustomLink">AWS</a>.</li><li>Get your tickets now from <a href="https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/business-insider-global-trends-festival/ET00137578" data-type="tilCustomLink">BookMyShow</a>.</li></ul> Scaling new heights comes easily for serial entrepreneur Vani Kola. After all, she had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a decade back. However, she is better known for her penchant to start, grow and sell companies in the Silicon Valley. What got this middle-class engineering graduate from Hyderabad to make a mark in Silicon Valley is pure grit and determination. As the founder of RightWorks, a web enterprise computing company in the 90s, she sent her pitches to Fortune 500 CEOs on a <a href="https://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jan/22us1.htm">large sized cardboard</a>. It’s too big to throw away and impossible to crumble! She later sold the company for a whopping $657 million in 2000, and repeated the same success story with yet another company she founded, Certus Software. In 2006, Kola made a life-changing decision to come back to India. It was tough since she has been living there for 22 years with her husband Srinivas Kola with whom she travelled to the US for masters degree, and two daughters. But Kola who is now based out of Bangalore, during a visit to India and saw ‘how much’ it had changed since she left it. A cab ride that brought her back home The epiphany came when she was taking a cab ride. Her cabbie told her that he is planning to take his family to Bangkok for a holiday, which shocked her. “I have never heard my own father (who is an accountant) say that he has been working hard and needs a vacation,” she said in an <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/meet-venture-capital-pioneer-vani-kola-115030500583_1.html">interview to Business Standard</a>. After looking at how consumer behaviour was changing and that India was ripe for innovation, she set up Indo-US Venture Partners in 2006 with yet another serial entrepreneur Vinod Dham and former head of Intel India Kumar Shiralgi. The venture went through management changes to be rebranded in 2011 as Kalaari Capital, named after Kerala-based ancient martial art form Kalaripayat. Breaking the boy’s club Since inception, Kalaari Capital has invested in many e-commerce firms like Snapdeal, Myntra and Urban Ladder. Among her top investments are YourStory, Dream11 and Curefit. Among her top investments and exits is one of India’s first online lingerie stores, Zivame. In the founder of the startup, Richa <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/meet-venture-capital-pioneer-vani-kola-115030500583_1.html">Kar’s own words</a>, Kola had grasped the concept in half an hour. With others, it would have taken two weeks across many meetings. It also helped that Kola was one of those rare women in the boy’s club of venture capitalists, and she was the first that Kar came across. Even now, the number of women who seek investments from Kalaari are a mere two percent of the total number. Yet, Kola believes things will change. In the 1980s, she was part of another boys club, called engineering. She was amongst one of the six girls in a batch of 400! Now the ratios are much well balanced and these women, she hopes will become CEOs, investment bankers and also venture capitalists and the so-called boys club will not remain so anymore. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/india-has-its-eyes-and-hopes-pinned-on-adar-poonawalla-the-worlds-biggest-vaccine-maker-who-will-be-at-gtf-2020/articleshow/77977949.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India has its eyes and hopes pinned on Adar Poonawalla⁠⁠— the world’s biggest vaccine maker who will be speaking at the Global Trends Festival 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/the-leadership-from-asia-and-india-in-particular-will-be-at-the-heart-of-global-trends-festival-2020/articleshow/77971081.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">The leadership from Asia, and India in particular, will be at the heart of Global Trends Festival 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/largest-global-event-in-2020-trends-festival/articleshow/77461047.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Business Insider's Global Trends Festival is coming to India — and it's gonna be huge!</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/reed-hastings-to-speak-at-the-business-insider-global-trends-festival/articleshow/77550576.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Reed Hastings to speak at the Business Insider Global Trends Festival</a>

Meet Vani Kola, the unicorn hunter, at Global Trends Festival 2020

The <keyword id="6381441" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="akshay">Akshay</keyword> Kumar-starrer spy thriller "Bell Bottom" will now have a theatrical release on August 19. The film's release was pushed from April 2021 to July 27 due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. Akshay shared the news on <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>, along with a motion poster of the film featuring the entire cast of the film. "Mission: To Entertain you on the BIG SCREEN Date: August 19, 2021 Announcing the arrival of #BellBottom! #BellBottomInCinemasAug19 @vashubhagnani @humasqureshi @LaraDutta @ranjit_tiwari @jackkybhagnani @honeybhagnani @monishaadvani @madhubhojwani @nikkhiladvani @EmmayEntertain," Akshay tweeted. "Bell Bottom" is an espionage thriller set in the 1980s. The film was largely shot in Glasgow, Scotland, amid lockdown. Ranjit M. Tewari's directorial also stars Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta Bhupathi and Huma Qureshi. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/windlas-biotech-to-raise-395-402-crore-through-public-listing-price-band-fixed-at-448-460/articleshow/84854594.cms">Windlas Biotech to raise ₹395-402 crore through public listing, price band fixed at ₹448-460</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/googles-sundar-pichai-has-teased-the-whitechapel-chipset/articleshow/84853916.cms">Google teases Whitechapel chipset that may power Google Pixel 6 devices</a>

Akshay Kumar, Vani Kapoor and Huma Qureshi starrer 'Bell Bottom' to release on August 19

<ul><li>In recent years, mainstream investors have been incorporating a gender lens while making investment decisions and have started recognizing the strength of women as a market force. </li><li>However, a Global Gender Gap Report 2020 by the World Economic Forum said gender parity would not be attained for nearly a century, globally. </li><li>Speaking at the Global Trends Festival 2020, leading women business leaders have raised the need to break barriers and bring about faster, sustainable change to empower more women. </li></ul><keyword id="8816177" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gender-Lens-Investing">Gender lens investing</keyword> is gaining ground across emerging economies over the past few years, but it still has a long way to go when it comes to India. A relatively new concept introduced around a decade ago, gender lens investing is based on <a href="https://www.bsr.org/en/our-insights/blog-view/how-gender-lens-investing-can-transform-your-impact-strategy">investing </a>in a women-founded business or a gender-diverse company that promotes equality and women's empowerment and provides improved financial returns. In 2018, a McKinsey report suggested that India — then the world's fastest-growing economy — could add over $770 billion to its GDP by 2025 by ensuring equal opportunities for women. And that's the need of the hour — the imperative need for faster change in the workforce landscape. Speaking at Business Insider'sInsider's Global Trends Festival 2020 — Biocon's <keyword id="55796" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kiran-Mazumdar-Shaw">Kiran Mazumdar Shaw</keyword>, Apollo Hospital's Dr <keyword id="189907" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sangita-Reddy">Sangita Reddy</keyword>, Piramal Enterprises' <keyword id="192486" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nandini-Piramal">Nandini Piramal</keyword>, and Kalaari Capital's <keyword id="1397790" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword> — shared how women entrepreneurs can break the barriers and how investors can shape the market for better. <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="1" status="#LIVEnow | @drsangitareddy on women in India, their representation in the workforce and more.@awscloud presents t… https://t.co/Wvv7PCVE6A" createdat="1603196161000" id="1318526381551013889"></div> "Nearly half of India's potential workforce is underutilized and while the pandemic has truly brought to the fore the word ‘unprecedented,’ one thing is very clear: the change is inevitable," Sangita Reddy, FICCI President and joint MD of Apollo Hospitals said. Unlocking India’s suppressed potential <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2" retweetcount="1" status="#Watch | &quot;In most of the startups the senior leadership, very small number are women&quot;: @VaniKola at the… https://t.co/XpqaRX6C8B" createdat="1603197228000" id="1318530856781193216"></div><a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality">A Global Gender Gap Report 2020 </a> by the World Economic Forum said gender parity would not be attained for nearly a century, globally. When it comes to India, the gender gap has been deeply rooted for decades. And since 2006, the gap has only widened. Until 2018, three in <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/3-in-4-indian-women-dont-work-can-skilling-and-guaranteed-jobs-change-that-38932/">every four women in India did not work</a> — indicating one of the lowest participation rates in the world. While India’s GDP grew from 2000 to 2019, women’s participation in the workforce has <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/how-indias-workforce-participation-rate-of-women-has-sharply-declined-over-the-years/articleshow/74531505.cms">declined </a>sharply. They <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/speech/2018/03/17/women-indias-economic-growth#:~:text=At%2017%25%20of%20GDP%2C%20the,could%20join%20the%20work%20force.">account </a>for only 17% of the total GDP output. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></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;">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;">Women’s participation in workforce </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;">2000 </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;">30.4% </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;">2005 </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;">32% </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;">2010 </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;">23% </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;">2015 </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;">23.5% </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;">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;">23.4% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/how-indias-workforce-participation-rate-of-women-has-sharply-declined-over-the-years/articleshow/74531505.cms">World Bank</a> Moreover, women in India earn only a fifth of men’s income. There are <a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/03/03/on-board-with-more-women-in-leadership/">merely 13%</a> of women in leadership positions. Furthermore, women are <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/why-women-entrepreneurs-are-missing-from-india-s-startup-story-11582267821850.html">missing </a>from India’s buzzing startup world too. <div type="image" title="WORLD BANK 2020 Data" msid="78783296" hostid="261"></div> “I think what we have missed as women or as perceiving women in the workplace is the equitable recognition in terms of the roles they play. We always undervalue them because we think a woman can be paid lower. In an organisation like ours (Biocon), we pay for the role and not gender and that has made a huge difference to us as a company” Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Founder and CEO, Biocon, said at the Global Trends Festival 2020. The need to bring about equal responsibilities at home The other deterrent is the lack of work-life balance. Thousands of women who are a part of the formal workforce also run a household — making it difficult for them to concentrate and excel at work. Nandini Piramal believes that there’s a need to change the expectations and share responsibilities at home. And this COVID-19 pandemic has brought this issue to the forefront as well. <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2" retweetcount="2" status="@kiranshaw @awscloud @HospitalsApollo @Bioconlimited @Kalaari @VaniKola @BIPolska @BIJapan @BIDeutschland @BIEspana… https://t.co/X4JepuqTO7" createdat="1603197084000" id="1318530255259201537"></div>“For the first time a lot of people did not have any help at home. For the first time, I know, my male colleagues were told to run the household together — to pitch in and make sure kids go to school, the washing is done and the food made. If as a woman you are dealing with home, children and work and you want to succeed in all of them then there are not many hours in the day. So we have to change how we bring up our men,” Piramal said. The lens of gender investing In recent years, mainstream investors have been incorporating a gender lens while making investment decisions and have started recognizing the strength of women as a market force. In India, there are some investors like <a href="https://yourstory.com/2019/01/gray-matters-capital-india-investment">Gray Matters Capital </a>and Innoven Capital hold similar strategies while investing in startups. However, Innoven Capital says the number o<a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/why-women-entrepreneurs-are-missing-from-india-s-startup-story-11582267821850.html">f funded</a> startups with at least one female co-founder declined from 17% in 2018 to 12% in 2019. “We have to create systematic programmes. In the US, Melinda Gates has a fund for women entrepreneurs. Early indication is that it has actually been successful. We also have to work on increasing the base, which allows women to think about leadership roles,” Vani Kola, Kalaari Capital said. Kola added there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure ground-level entrepreneurship. Moreover, there’s also a need to raise awareness about investing in women leaders. While the situation has been challenging for first-time women entrepreneurs, what also can make the difference is the way women present their ideas to a venture capitalist. <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="10" retweetcount="4" status="#WATCH | &quot;Do not have self-doubt&quot;: @kiranshaw's message to women entrepreneurs.@awscloud presents the Business In… https://t.co/md4e0KMd5x" createdat="1603197432000" id="1318531714059128832"></div> “The difference between men and women when they present to a venture capitalist is that a man makes a small idea seem very big and a woman, unfortunately, dwarfs her big idea. I say why are you like that? This is a great idea but you are making it sound as if it's trivial,” said Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. She believes that women should rid themselves of this self-doubt and present their ideas with more confidence. Gender lens investing — what needs to be done “I really believe if there can be a small carve-out to focus on women development and women empowerment -- I mean that in terms of financial inclusion -- a lot of miracles can happen. I think everyone needs a helping hand, not a handout. If we can create it that way a lot can happen,” Kola said. Vani Kola suggests dedicating a platform specifically for women entrepreneurs, like the one established by the Telangana government, which can help them get through the beginning stages and provide them confidence. “If we can find something to incubate and support that early start and the capacity to have confidence, we can create an effect,” she added. With steps like ensuring more leadership roles for women and investments with a gender lens focus, India can push for more women empowerment to help transform the economy, build an equal society and a better world. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/luxury-icons-sabyasachi-and-oberoi-open-up-about-their-perfectionist-quirks-like-checking-the-color-of-egg-yolks-and-slashing-clothes-so-they-cant-hit-the-edit-table/articleshow/78771113.cms">Luxury icons Sabyasachi and Oberoi open up about their 'perfectionist quirks' like checking the color of egg yolks and slashing clothes so they can’t hit the edit table</a>

What is gender lens investing? Sangita Reddy, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Nandini Piramal, and Vani Kola share their thoughts

<keyword id="1397790" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword>, MD, <keyword id="1397792" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword> got the investment for her start-ups like any typical entrepreneur by the trial and error method. Newly interested in business, she went step-by-step and decoded how to get funding by first making a business plan, then asking for help. “If you have the passion and the perseverance and problem-solving ability, these three Ps can get you anywhere,’’ she told Business Insider in a candid chat in Kalaari Capital's modern office and Incubator in Bengaluru. Genuinely been helped by a lot of people, when Kola successfully sold her company, she didn’t want to stop working. Kola left India in 1985 and felt that the country has completely transformed by the time she left so she decided to see if her home still gave her inspiration. It did. 

 

 

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 Homecoming and How She came back home to India for a month in 2006 to try and reconnect back to her roots and also figure out her next move. After traveling across the country, she decided that she wanted to help the entrepreneurs that never got the kind of exposure that she had been lucky to receive. Kola started <keyword id="4542933" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indo-us-ventures">Indo-US Ventures</keyword>, which was started with the intent of bridging the two countries by enabling more transactions. She raised a maiden fund of $210 million in 2006 with <keyword id="175777" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vinod-Dham">Vinod Dham</keyword>, who is known for developing Intel’s Pentium chip. Post parting with Dham, she raised another $440 million, making her the second-largest firm in India by assets which is now called Kalaari Capital- the name inspired by Kerala’s highly trained martial arts. One of the first movers in E-commerce space, the Venture fund has invested in companies such as Via, Myntra, Holachef, Zivame, and even Snapdeal. 

 

 

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 First Mover's Outsider Perspective Crediting her outsider’s perspective for betting on start-ups that have blown up, Kola says that her investments are based on calculated futuristic trends that will be mainstream ten years from now. Armed with more than $65 million, she has invested in 60 plus start-ups and growing. Commenting on the volatile e-commerce sector and the recent markdowns and firings, Kola thinks that while the companies might get consolidated, e-commerce is here to stay - “What will win the market is great customer service, the brand name is unimportant. Some companies will fail but the sector will keep growing,” Kola comments on the highly volatile e-commerce sector. 

 

 

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According to reports, Kalaari has already made $100 million from Snapdeal through secondary sales and it is bound to make more. Explaining how Consumer products and solutions create a lot of support structure that encourage more B2B companies, Kalaari remains positive about this sector while also showing interest in <keyword id="6358577" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital-Payments">Digital Payments</keyword> and the financial and educational inclusion that technology can bring. “Investors are like parents that have to let the entrepreneurs be, just like my parents did. You have to let the companies discover,” says Kola, who is the most successful woman Venture Capitalist this country has seen.

Exclusive: Vani Kola, MD, Kalaari Capital talks about Her Big Bets and Consolidation in the E-commerce Sector

<keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> has found support from its early investors such as <keyword id="175881" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nexus-Venture-Partners">Nexus Venture Partners</keyword>, <keyword id="163404" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Softbank">SoftBank</keyword>, etc, backing its decision to go solo. Snapdeal terminated its merger plans with <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and put its foot down to function as an independent entity. Following the decision, Snapdeal’s early investor Nexus Venture Partners said it would "continue to partner with the company, to help achieve its goals". "Nexus, as a long-term Snapdeal shareholder, fully supports the Snapdeal 2.0 journey," said the firm. Nexus holds nearly 10-11% stake in Snapdeal. SoftBank, which was pushing Snapdeal to merge with Flipkart, too, backed Snapdeal's decision to go solo. However, some of the investors were upset over Snapdeal’s decisions, such as <keyword id="1397792" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword>. “I maintain my stand that the decision to terminate the deal was not supported by Kalaari and also reiterate that the deal was called off without prior notice to us," <keyword id="1397790" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword>, managing director at Kalaari Capital, said in an email response to ET.

Early investors support Snapdeal’s decision, back it to go independent

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=snapdeal&amp;sortorder=effectivedate" data-type="tilCustomLink">Snapdeal’s</a> three major investors- <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=softbank&amp;sortorder=effectivedate" data-type="tilCustomLink">SoftBank</a>, Nexus Venture Partners and Kalaari Capital- have already agreed for e-commerce’s sale out to<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate" data-type="tilCustomLink"> Flipkart</a>. But, apart from these, a nod from <keyword id="6419840" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Azim-Premji">Azim Premji</keyword> and <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> is also required as they too have stakes in <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword>. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-16/flipkart-pact-for-snapdeal-said-to-need-premji-tata-approvals">Bloomberg</a> reported, as per the contract, Snapdeal needs backing from the two of India's most powerful businessmen. Nod from Premji, Tata and other several important investors is still awaited. “If due diligence goes smoothly, a term sheet specifying cash and stock for each shareholder will follow and a final agreement could be signed by mid- to late June,” Bloomberg quoted sources as saying. When the sale happens, Snapdeal's Kunal Bahl and <keyword id="396598" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rohit-Bansal">Rohit Bansal</keyword> will together receive about $30 million with a similar sum to be set aside for Snapdeal's nearly 2,000 employees. <keyword id="1397792" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword>, one of the two early investors in the startup, is to get $30 million, while Nexus will receive twice that amount for its larger stake, they said. Kalaari's managing director <keyword id="1397790" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword>, an early investor in Snapdeal, told Bloomberg that she has resigned from the startup's board. "I was done with what I needed to do,” Kola said, adding that she saw no conflict of interest. Meanwhile, this merger will give a boost to <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>’s battle against <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>, which is pumping in money in its Indian arm to grab a significant share in the market. Flipkart raised $1.4 billion from Tencent Holdings Ltd., Microsoft Corp. and EBay Inc, taking its valuation at $11.6 billion. "This is a landmark deal for Flipkart and for India,” the company's co-founders <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> said in a statement. "This deal reaffirms our resolve to hasten the transformation of commerce in India through technology.

Azim Premji, Ratan Tata’s nod also important for Flipkart-Snapdeal merger

<keyword id="1397790" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword>, Founder, and MD, <keyword id="1397792" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword> has always been drawn to something new, creative, and challenging, something that engages her intellectual curiosity. She reflects back on her days in the <keyword id="6357722" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</keyword> where the exposure to new ideas was tremendous and the energy to create the impact. "Entrepreneurship is a personal journey which requires tremendous self-discipline. Seeing people navigate through difficult situations to grow and rise to their destiny is what drives me to do what I do,” says the effervescent globe-trotter with a smile. As an investor, she finds it exhilarating and fulfilling to help entrepreneurs. Her career is testimony to the fact that she is always up for a challenge - whether it was being an engineer when women were not engineers, working with <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword> or working with individual founders to help them succeed. “The fundamental question is why can’t it be me who solves the problem?,” Kola asks of herself and budding entrepreneurs. To push the frontier, to go with the flow has always been her mantra. For Kola, life has been about building blocks and not scripting her entire life.<div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="58061818" title="Exclusive: Ace Angel Investor Sanjay Mehta’s true-life experiences that make his investments in startups fool-proof" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Apr 07, 2017, 12:00 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div>
Embracing Conventional Rules Born in Hyderabad, Kola said that she is glad that she was conditioned into vernacular learning by her parents and teachers and still credits that as the foundation of her success. Starting out in a conventional school, she believes that her values were set right by her parents. “Like any other middle-class child, I traveled the world in my mind with my books. The first time I got on a plane was when I went to the US to do my Masters with my spouse by my side,” recalls Kola who moved to the US in 1985 and only looked back twenty years later.<div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="58627612" title="Exclusive: Vani Kola, MD, Kalaari Capital talks about her big bets and consolidation in the e-commerce sector" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="May 12, 2017, 6:00 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div>
Silicon Valley and its Exposure When she went to Silicon Valley to work, she started understanding new businesses like never before, something that she had never been exposed to back in India. “The cliché is true; Silicon Valley is a vibrant place full of ideas and possibilities. When I started my own company, I was willing to accept failure,” says Kola who founded Right Works Corp., a business that helped businesses set up software systems. She went on to sign customers like General Electric and Pepsi and sold the control of the business for $657 million in cash and stock in 2005. <div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="58182579" title="Exclusive: Mahesh Murthy thinks that the future of investing in India isn’t the current Venture Capital Model" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Apr 14, 2017, 7:14 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div>
 After a decade of running her own company, her homecoming happened in 2006 and she sees it as a fulfilling journey where it is the land of possibilities full of aspirations instead of it being a country of predictability that she had left behind. Calling her parents hands-off, she always got support for her actions. Even after getting married, she never felt her wings were getting clipped by her partner or the family with two girls that she has created. Kola feels that she has been blessed with a family that is proud of her and encourages her to fulfill her dreams and she does the same for them, and as an extension even with the entrepreneurs, she supports.

Exclusive: Know Vani Kola, one of India's best known investors, like never before

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Top-20-LinkedIn-Profiles-of-2016/articleshow/53669188.cms">Influencers are power figures who masses follow</a>. Their take on various subjects mould opinions, or spark debates, or let’s say gets widely read. 
 
While there are many such remarkable voices making a noise on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/An-inside-look-at-the-perks-of-being-a-LinkedIn-employee/articleshow/53942570.cms">LinkedIn</a>, from general members to influencers, the company has released the <keyword id="28120" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Linkedin">LinkedIn</keyword>'s Top Voices List of 2016 to unleash the names of 15 must-follow members who have emerged terrific writers to 7 influencers who are among the most followed on its portal. 
 
The outcome has been decided on the basis of reader engagement (shares and comments) and follower growth. 
 
While you can check out <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/15-top-indian-voices-on-linkedin-in-2016/articleshow/55938622.cms">the top member list here</a>, meet the top 7 influencers who have made the biggest impact in 2016:

The Top 7 Influencers of LinkedIn in India this year you should start following today

Today, <keyword id="278010" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="LinkedIn-India">LinkedIn India</keyword> announced the newest entrant in the <keyword id="3824443" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="linkedin-influencers">LinkedIn Influencers</keyword> program, <keyword id="1655" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Priyanka-Chopra">Priyanka Chopra</keyword>. 
 <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword> caught up with <keyword id="323918" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akshay-Kothari">Akshay Kothari</keyword>, Country Manager- India and VP-product, <keyword id="28120" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Linkedin">LinkedIn</keyword> to find out why <keyword id="6358582" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Priyanka">Priyanka</keyword> was chosen to be a part of this program. ‘Priyanka is an inspiring Indian to a lot of people who look up to her as someone who has created her own career path, not just in India but also abroad.’ 
 
In her maiden video interview with the LinkedIn India editor, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/follow-your-instincts-believe-uniqueness-never-afraid-priyanka-chopra?trk=prof-post">Priyanka Chopra</a> talked about her struggle as a struggling actor, entrepreneur, and breaking stereotypes. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/LinkedIn-launches-three-new-features-/articleshow/54293727.cms">ALSO READ: LinkedIn wants you to get your dream job, no matter what your circumstances are</a> 
 LinkedIn Influencer program currently has 16 Indian residents including PM Modi, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Mahesh Murthy, Vani Kola and <keyword id="957710" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Naveen-Tiwari">Naveen Tiwari</keyword> from InMobi. LinkedIn Influencers are encouraged to post as often as possible or at least once a month through either a blog post, video, status update or pictures. 
 This includes the likes of <keyword id="68907" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indira-Nooyi">Indira Nooyi</keyword> or <keyword id="57060" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deepak-Chopra">Deepak Chopra</keyword> who are not living in India. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Jeff-Weiner-alongside-Indian-Linkedin-team-announces-three-new-offerings-for-India/articleshow/54289587.cms">Jeff Weiner had reportedly said a few months back</a> that LinkedIn will never be a media company and Mr. <keyword id="5893" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kothari">Kothari</keyword> mimics the same thought, ‘We want to share stories that really affect people. We work with various media houses to spread out content on our network and through different social media channels. We are a professional network first, stories and engagement come in to inspire people on the platform. They get relevant content here which they might not, elsewhere, as it comes from the people they look up to. We get such people as LinkedIn Influencers and give them this badge because people want to know what’s happening with them.’ 
 
There are around 500 LinkedIn Influencers globally and LinkedIn tries to maintain that number by adding or delisting the people, as deemed necessary.

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