👩🏽‍🍼 Selling kidswear to modern women

Start Your Day with YS Buzz: Your 8 AM Snapshot of Today's Top Startup News! 19 January 2024 [View in Browser]( TOGETHER WITH Hello, Meet Bigbasket supersaver. The Tata Digital-backed grocery platform rebranded its slotted delivery service to ['supersaver']( where users can get an additional 5% savings on a larger assortment of products than before and get it delivered within two hours. Its quick commerce division will continue to be called bbnow. Meanwhile, financial services conglomerate DMI Group acquired BNPL platform [ZestMoney]( to widen its engagement with current and potential customers by adding the ZestMoney checkout financing platform to its product suite. In other news, even as local electric vehicle (EV) firms resist, the government is yet to decide on lower taxes for imported EVs under a new policy proposed for carmakers that commit to local manufacturing, which could ease [Tesla's entry]( into the Indian market. Speaking of EVs, Delhi-based [ALT Mobility]( raised $6 million in a funding round co-led by Shell Ventures, Eurazeo, EV2 Ventures, and Twynam, among others. Also, [International Battery Company]( which manufactures large-sized lithium-ion NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) batteries, raised $35 million from investors, including RTP Global, BEENEXT, Veda VC, and other Korean and US investors. [ICYMI:]( Japan counts down to precision 'moon sniper' landing! If all goes according to plan, the country will become the fifth in the world to land on the lunar surface. In today’s newsletter, we will talk about - A kidswear brand that targets mothers - How startup founders view fundraising - Bringing luxury to furniture market Here’s your trivia for today: Which is considered the largest bird of prey in the world? --------------------------------------------------------------- Startup A kidswear brand that targets mothers Started in April 2023, Includ was born out of the need to cater to women or mothers who are the key decision-makers in most Indian households. “There are several sub-categories in the online retail space. While electronics is largely male-dominated, kidswear, womenswear, and home improvement are driven by women,” Ashwin Rastogi, Founder and CEO of Includ, tells YourStory. Ecommerce influence: - Includ has a portfolio of apparel for children aged 2-14 years, and presents over 5,500 styles. With prices starting from Rs 449, Includ hosts a variety of accessories for kids such as hair bands, handbags, and hats. - The company—with the help of its 25-member team—is making sales up to Rs 2 crore each month, and is working actively towards expanding its product line to keep up with the purchase frequency. - Includ intends to go offline over the next few years. The plan is to master the kidswear category and then venture into western womenswear and ultimately home products, the founder notes. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Funding Alert 1) International Battery Company: $35M| Pre-Series A 2) FinAGG Technologies: $11M| Series A 3) Groyyo: $5.4M| Debt --------------------------------------------------------------- Together with WeWork Labs Transform Your Startup at Jumpstart 2024: Connect, Learn, and Grow! WeWork Labs’ Jumpstart 2024, India’s biggest value-driven startup event, is almost here and we are excited to see you there. Enjoy fireside chat and panel discussions with thought leaders from Rainmatter Capital, Waterbridge Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, Antler India and more along with a masterclass by Sahiba Bali. You can also sign up for 600+ 1-on-1 sessions with product mentors and investors, meet 1500+ founders, access over $1M worth of tech credits, enjoy live performances by Zoe & Urgen, Mary Ann Alexander and Fee Fi Fo Funk, along with experiencing our 25+ startup showcases. YourStory is proud to be part of Jumpstart 2024 as their official media partners for the event. Here is a quick glimpse into the scale & scope of Jumpstart 2024: ● Hosted as 2 days of Value Addition ● Attracting over 1500+ Startup Founders in the audience ● 10+ thought leaders including Vaibhav Sisinty, Sahiba Bali, Dinesh Pai, Anjali Sosale and more! ● 360+ 1:1 Investor Sprints and 220+ 1:1 Product Reviews ● 25+ Startup Showcases ● On-spot value worth over $1M in tech credits for cost savings ● Music by Mary Ann Alexander, Zoe & Urgen and Fee Fi Fo Funk Event Details: Date: January 20 - 21 Location: WeWork Symbiosis, Bangalore If you are interested in attending the event, click on the button below and use the code YOURSTORYJS50 and get 50% off on your tickets today! [Buy Now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Report How startup founders view fundraising was termed the most hyped sector among startups in 2023 while manufacturing and business-to-business (B2B) focused sectors were underrated, according to a report by venture debt firm InnoVen Capital titled 'India Startup Outlook Report'. Trends: - Around 23% of respondents believe that AI will have a significant impact on their business models over the next 2-3 years as an increasing number of startups adopt AI in their offerings. - At least 64% of entrepreneurs looked at an initial public offering (IPO) as a preferred mode of exit—up from 63% in 2022. Preference for mergers and acquisitions continued a downward trajectory, falling to 22% from 28% in 2022. - In terms of workforce expansion, 61% of founders expect the pace of hiring to stay at the same levels or go down compared to last year. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- YourStory invites India's most promising D2C brands to apply for '100 Challenger Brands of India'. This initiative offers more than recognition; it's a chance to propel your brand at the Brands of New India Mega Summit. Benefits include elevating your brand's profile, unlocking growth opportunities, connecting with VCs, gaining media exposure, accessing exclusive deals, and receiving expert mentorship. Join this platform to shape the future of India's D2C sector. [List your brand today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Luxury Bringing luxury to furniture market Suresh, Founder and Owner of the luxury sofa and home décor company Stanley Lifestyles Ltd, started his entrepreneurial journey from a humble car garage in Bengaluru, making leather seats for cars. Today, Stanley Lifestyles houses six factories, and 63 stores across India, with 3,000 SKUs. The rise: - Stanley Lifestyles imports leather from Italy, Germany, Europe, Argentina, and locally from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh while timber is imported from Canada and New Zealand. - The price range for sofas and chairs starts from Rs 2.5 lakh and goes up to 25 lakh. Stanley also works as a contract manufacturer for various companies including Swedish multinational IKEA. - In September 2023, it filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus with SEBI. Having received approval, the company is poised to go public later this year, seeking to raise funds through an IPO. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- News & Updates - [Departure:]( Sheryl Sandberg is to step down from the board of Facebook’s parent company, Meta, nearly two years after quitting her executive role at the business. Sandberg was the lead architect of Facebook’s digital advertising-driven business model as Meta’s chief operating officer. - [Not required:]( Sam Altman was “surprised” by The New York Times’ lawsuit against OpenAI, saying its AI models didn’t need to train on the news publisher’s data. Describing the legal action as a “strange thing,” Altman said OpenAI had been in “productive negotiations” with the Times before news of the lawsuit broke. - [A first instance:]( Japan Airlines has named a woman, Mitsuko Tottori, as its next president for the first time, a rare appointment for a major Japanese firm and a global airline. Tottori joined the airline as a flight attendant in 1985 before working her way up. After a massively successful first edition, TechSparks, India’s most influential startup-tech conference, is returning to the country’s financial capital for a spectacular second edition on February 29 and March 1, 2024, at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. The event is expected to bring together more than 3,000 attendees, comprising 60% C-suite attendees; 49% early stage and growth stage founders; 21% decision makers at India’s leading enterprises and 10% reputed investors representing the ecosystem. Keen to come on board as a sponsor or partner? Get in touch with us with your requirements and we'll get back to you with further details. [Get In Touch]( Here's what else we have for you How Qualcomm Design in India Challenge is fuelling early-stage hardware startups in India in association with Qualcomm Tech Pioneers at Work! Meet the trailblazers—AUGRADE, Trebirth, and Zebu Intelligent Systems—fuelling the tech revolution in the Qualcomm Design in India Challenge 2023. Explore how they're reshaping industries, from CAD disruption to precision agriculture and affordable 3D mapping. Find out how innovation is rewriting the tech narrative! [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- From local to global: Skinska's holistic approach focuses on beauty beyond boundaries In association with Skinska Pharmaceutica 🚀 Explore the insightful journey of Skinska Pharmaceutica Limited and its commitment to redefining beauty. Take a look at the full article for more information. [Know More]( Did you know? Which is considered the largest bird of prey in the world? Answer: The Andean Condor. An endangered species, it has an enormous wingspan measuring 3 metres (9.8 feet) and weighs up to 15 kg (33.1 lbs). We would love to hear from you! To let us know what you liked and disliked about our newsletter, please mail nslfeedback@yourstory.com. Want to amplify your brand message in YS newsletter to a community of 1.6Mn+ readers? [Fill this form]( and we will get in touch with you. To know more about our offerings and audience, visit our [website](. 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