Once steeped in history, Rajasthan courts the future with its startup culture

By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, Feb 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rajasthan, once known as the land of warriors, is now buzzing with business stories which are making a mark nationally as well as on global platforms, giving the desert state a recognition of being a major startup centre in India.

The state is becoming the next startup hotspot for Rajasthan-based entrepreneurs.

Many businesses, which originated in the state, are now operating across several states. One amongst them is Fleeca, which was founded in Jaipur in 2016 by Tikam Jain.

Providing India's best Tyre Management & Fleet Care services and logistics businesses, Fleeca Kawach is India's first AI-driven smart truck tyre pressure monitoring system (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System), which measures the wheel's rotational speed as well as other signals outside of the tyres.

Tikam Jain says, "The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS system) offers a real-time update to the driver via a graphic display, a basic low-pressure indicator on the dashboard, or a smartphone app."

"This will emphasise the relevance and advantages of smart tyres, as well as how it offers a breakthrough in exemplifying absolute control, ultimate safety, and exceptional performance," he adds.

Started with only two employees in Jaipur, Fleeca currently operates in 21 states with over 1,300 cCentres and 100 re-treading centres as channel partners, employing over 200 people to provide enroute tyre repair for fleet owners.

The next entity making a mark is DealShare, which as per the company's filings with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, recently joined the coveted unicorn club after raising nearly $130 million (Rs 968.67 crore) in its Series E funding round from Tiger Global Management, Alpha Wave Global (managed by Falcon Edge Capital), and others (MCA).

DealShare is a fast-growing social e-commerce firm situated in Jaipur and owned and run by Merabo Labs Pvt Ltd. The company was started in Jaipur in 2018, with only 10 people, and currently is operating in 5 states and in more than 30 cities. It is a multi-category online shopping site for consumer products such as fruits and vegetables, groceries, beauty and health, baby and pet care, fashion accessories, electronics, and home decor. The concept was born on WhatsApp and was designed to make shopping exceedingly simple for consumers, allowing them to buy in just a few clicks and share discounts with their friends.

The next global entity is GoodDot founded in September 2016 by Abhishek Sinha and Deepak Parihar. Formed with a vision to provide its consumers with an alternative to meat that is ethically and sustainably produced, it positioned itself as the go-to option for millions of consumers from India and across the world, who sought cruelty-free alternatives to animal products.

GoodDot in fact also came up with first of its kind advertising using the company's mascot GoodDo - The Goat. Interestingly, GoodDo was rescued from a slaughterhouse in 2017 and now resides in Udaipur.

The ad campaign features Neeraj Chopra who says, "I love the fact that the simple message of doing the right thing is being told in this manner, and hope people can resonate with this message when they watch the films."

The state capital further accommodates Bhamashah Techno Hub, one of the largest and most advanced startup hubs in the country, which has extended a significant help in speeding the creation of a compelling start-up ecosystem. Spanning over 1 lakh sq ft with a capacity of 700+ seats under one roof, it is believed to be India's largest incubation centre.

So it won't be untrue to say that once the land of warriors, Rajasthan is now becoming the land of entrepreneurs.

Source: IANS