{Weekly Digest} Meet the Mavericks: Rajiv Srivatsa, Founder, Urban Ladder (and this week's other top stories)

Weekly Digest | 9th June Hello In 2008, people would have baulked at the idea of buying mobile phones and clothes online, but not anymore. By 2012, though habits had begun to change, people still had reservations about buying furniture online. Nonetheless, Rajiv Srivatsa decided to take the plunge and start Urban Ladder - one of the first and now largest online furniture companies in India. “If you’ve never failed in life, you’ll be a bad entrepreneur.” - Rajiv Srivatsa, Founder, Urban Ladder, learnt this with time and keeps this life lesson very close to his heart. He has an incredible vision, and is someone who challenges norms and forces people to think beyond the ordinary. Through the highs and lows of his life, Rajiv realised the value of making mistakes, the importance of landing on both feet, and making use of every second. [Watch the second episode of Mavericks featuring Rajiv Srivatsa.]( [Meet the Mavericks: Rajiv Srivatsa, Co-founder of Urban Ladder.]( Cheers, Team YourStory Here's what you need to know to stay caught up on Indian startups, innovations and more. [How Chennai-based Maatram Foundation is helping underprivileged students realise their dreams]( Chennai-based Maatram Foundation has helped 677 underprivileged students access free higher education. In a conversation with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma, Maatram Co-founders Sujith Kumar and Punitha Anthony share the joy of bringing positive impact in the lives of young students. [From actor and entrepreneur: Shilpa Shetty wants to put India on the global yoga map]( Actor, investor, and health and fitness expert Shilpa Shetty believes there is no age to find your calling. And, she is now on a mission to change how India stays fit. Her new app is about workouts, nutrition, and different programmes that will help you stay healthy and fit. [YourStory to celebrate India's best home-grown brands during MSME week]( For over a year now, SMBStory has travelled through cities, towns, villages, and all corners of India to uncover hundreds of inspiring small business stories. And after extremely positive feedback from lakhs of readers, we are proud to present MSME Week (from June 20 to 27, 2019), powered by Dell Small Business, an initiative by YourStory's SMBStory to celebrate the best home-grown brands across India. [[WATCH] How Simplilearn went from a 75pc fall in revenue in 2015 to closing FY18 with Rs 150 Cr]( Simplilearn targets professionals who are now investing in upskilling to keep up with the evolving job scenario. In this video interview with YourStory, CEO Krishna Kumar tells us how Simplilearn did a 180 after a low, and of the startup’s immediate plans. [How Simplilearn went from a 75pc fall in revenue in 2015 to closing FY18 with Rs 150 Cr]( [A year into Flipkart buy, Walmart International head spells out ‘specific’ areas of focus for India market]( Flipkart-Walmart deal was a big win not only for the Flipkart Founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal but also for all the other startup founders keen to witnesses a successful exit. A year into the Flipkart buy, Walmart International head spells out ‘specific’ areas of focus for India market. President and CEO of Walmart International Judith McKenna said Walmart will focus on ensuring compliance best practices and building a strong supply chain for Flipkart across India. [How healthcare startups in Tier II and III cities are solving the problem of access in their hometowns]( It is no secret that access to affordable quality healthcare in India is a challenge. According to the National Health Profile data of 2018, there is one allopathic government doctor available for 11,082 people in India, while the recommended ratio is one for a thousand people. Looking at this problem, several startups have come up with unique solutions. [[WATCH] How Bigbasket raised $150M to turn a unicorn]( In March 2019, online grocery platform Bigbasket joined the coveted unicorn club. In an exclusive interview with YourStory, CEO Hari Menon reveals how the startup hiked up its valuation by building profitable growth, why it diversified into new businesses, and what the future looks like. [Here’s how Bigbasket raised $150M to turn a unicorn]( [Zomato announces 26-week paid parental leave]( Foodtech unicorn Zomato has announced that it is extending 26 weeks of paid parental leave for men along with women working in Zomato across the world, Founder Deepinder Goyal said in a blogpost. And it is not just that: along with this, Zomato will also give an endowment of $1000 per child, to the new parents. Only a week left to apply for Facebook's India Innovation Hub Accelerator program 2019, focused on 'AI for Social Good'. Startups building products and services solving complex social problems using AI, in the domains of Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Opportunity, Innovation Infrastructure, Climate Change, and Peace and Justice, can apply. You will receive support to improve products/services and scale internationally. Facebook will also provide technical support, mentorship, access to training sessions and experts, and more. The last date to apply is June 15, 2019. [Click here to apply.]( Follow us on social media for more frequent updates [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( -- [Click Here]( to unsubscribe from this newsletter.