Startups raise $11.1 billion in 2019 amid economic slowdown (and other top stories of the day)

VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFYCUABF&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0& Weekly Wrap | 26th January 2020 Hello Hello The first thing that pops in our head when we think about a startup is the city of Bengaluru. The Silicon Valley of India has remained at the forefront of tech-driven innovation, with the city possessing all the ingredients in terms of people, infrastructure, and know-how to keep this a pulsating, as well as a vibrant destination for the startup ecosystem today. The Bengaluru Innovation Report 2019, a study done by leading institutional investors – Accel, 3one4 Capital, Ideaspring Capital, and the Government of Karnataka on the state of startups in Karnataka, [amplifies the importance of the city as the destination for those who would like to start their tech venture.]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQQASQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) When speaking about startups, we cannot miss out on the funding details. 2019 was clouded with an economic slowdown, regulatory challenges, unfavourable taxation system, and global uncertainty arising from the US-China trade war, However, the Indian startup ecosystem weathered the storm and managed to raise funding through the year, working behind the scenes to strike deals with investors. According to YourStory Research, the research arm of YourStory Media, startup funding trends in 2019 showed healthy investor interest in Indian startups. [Homegrown Indian startups raised $11.1 billion in 2019, a fall of just 2.4 percent]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQcKSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) when compared to the corresponding period in 2018 (data used is as of December 27, 2019). Now, despite the economic challenges faced in 2019, the Indian startups are eagerly waiting for Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget on February 1 with the hope that it would bring measures to facilitate the ease of doing business in the country and solve some knotty tax issues around ESOPs, LTCG, and GST. [Read more on what the cohort is expecting from the finance ministry in this year’s Budget.]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQkLSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) Cheers, Team YourStory Stories you shouldn’t miss [How Pune became a global startup hub]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQUJSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) The growth of Pune's startup ecosystem has been led by its wide tech talent pool, Maharashtra’s innovation-friendly policies, and other factors. The Centre for American Entrepreneurship recently identified it as an ‘emerging global startup hub’. [Hosting the likes of Zomato, ABL Workspaces earns Rs 18 Cr annually]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQkASQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQkASQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0& [Microsoft for Startups sets the stage for unicorns from Tier-II cities]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQUKSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) The Microsoft for Startups programme’s Highway to a Hundred Unicorns initiative is keen to tap into startups from Tier-II locations in India, and having them closely integrated with the company’s cloud platform, Azure [This Pune startup is enabling people to reduce their carbon footprint]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQkPSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQkPSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0& [Here’s where Jeff Bezos inherited his entrepreneurial spirit]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFVQcPSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos often speaks about the influence his grandfather has had on him. He credits him for instilling certain values in him that he still uses in his work life every day. [This organisation aims to help girls achieve their full potential]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFUgQKSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFUgQKSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0& [This ‘Zoho for hospitality and travel’ startup is gunning for unicorn status]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFUgEJSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) Entrepreneur and angel investor Bhanu Chopra launched RateGain before the word ‘startup’ entered Indian consciousness. Here’s how he grew it into a leading SaaS platform for hotels, airlines, and travel operators around the world. VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFUgYBSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0& [NetApp Excellerator’s demo day]( VAEOBUoESBBGD0NNR1ZfVQdYBURYDV1TIQUMBQpYGwZfD0UVF1BAQxZQDldXXlwVC1pbDiYCXQJRCBpbWlVN&ml=UAcND0oFSFUFUgYBSQ==&sl=I0h6S2NmSDd5MkxVW1wAGQhXT0peFhcWFQ0THU1XWghMUg==&pp=0&) of cohort five graduates put the spotlight on the five startups innovating in the space of AI, ML-powered log analytics, conversational AI, intelligent automation and digital risk management. And, the Cohort five graduates take the program tally to 29 B2B tech startups, three successful exits and ten technology alliance partners in less than three years. 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