DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

To advance the growth of the weaker section of the society, Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) recently launched their Mumbai Chapter in a grand event at the hotel Taj Mahal in South Mumbai. We spoke to Milind Kamble, chairman, DICCI, to understand the body’s functioning. Here are the excerpts:

q) How do you plan to help the weaker section of entrepreneurs? Till now how many chapters the body has launched? Which are they?
There are many ways in which DICCI is working toward empowering the Dalit entrepreneurs- by way of garnering government support to pass bills and regulations in this regards, CII is already working with us to network with the Dalit entrepreneurs and we are forming the Skill Development workshops and modules to help the Dalit youth wishing to make a transition from being job seekers to being job givers. Government has also requested the main stream Industry to empower the Dalit entrepreneur and we are getting a lot of support from Industries like the Tatas, Forbes Marshall, Thermax and others. DICCI believes that inclusive growth cannot be possible without including the excluded sections of society.
We have launched the Pune Chapter and in Western Maharashtra - the Sangli Chapter, and now last weekend we have launched the Mumbai Chapter. We are planning to quickly launch in the near future over 50 chapters across India. We also have international region heads in UAE, Australia and Japan and other areas are coming up. We have over 1000 members from across India

q) How has been the response from Indian entrepreneurs?
The response from the main stream industries has been reasonably okay but not as proactive as we would have wished. Apart from companies like the Tatas, Thermax, Forbes Marshall and a few more we have still to receive support from more and more main stream industries in India. For this we have planned several programs in the near future. One of which is the second DEEP EXPO trade fair in Mumbai at the Bandra Kurla Grounds which will expose the expertise and talent of the Dalit entrepreneur and his products and services to the world and give him a better chance to break through the caste-barrier.

q) Don't you think creating and maintaining a separate entity like DICCI will tell apart the weaker section of entrepreneurs from rest of the entrepreneurial community and network?
Every movement can have its off side. Your perspective may be true but we are convinced about the strength of the Dalit people and know for sure that there is hardly anyone out there who does not want to break free. DICCI is one of efficient and effective ways to do so in the modern world. For eons we have cried for our rights and now its time we stop complaining and be our own saviors and our own salvation. DICCI is showing the path to every Dalit member and is already receiving overwhelming appreciation and gratitude for this movement.

Comment (2)

The comfort of commuting in a chartered bus is that you are in the company of your colleagues, a place where you can chat, read newspapers, books, make friends and even take a nap while reaching your destination. And of course, you can look out the window. And that’s where the new bucks are - yes, looking out the window.

Ankur Rastogi

I have always wondered at the magnificent facade advertising on the the Videocon Tower along the Gurgaon Expressway. The affect is breathtaking. I spoke to Ankur Rastogi, CEO, All About Outdoor, the little big startup that pioneered the concept of facade advertising in Gurgaon. Some excerpts:

What is it?
As the name suggests, facade advertising is done on the tiles of the facade of a building. Importantly the building should be placed in a prime location. The objective is if your customer does not come to you, reach to your customer where they hang out or sit for a cup of coffee.

Benefits
It brings maximum visibility to a product or brand. This is larger than life, it gives the brand an astronomical image pull in the minds of their target group and makes a brand aspirational.

Challenges
It requires a huge production cost. Not suitable for a startup. The minimum investment required to take facade advertising is Rs. 2 crore. A brand manager has to make a significant shifts in their marketing activities. Initially, we were not sure whether we will get takers of this facade advertising but to our surprise, major brands followed us and accepted offerings with great interest.

Can entrepreneurs use it?
Yes. Although it requires huge investment but the results facade advertising brings are impressive.

How to do
Facade ads are huge prints done in parts and pasted in a synchronized manner. This means that one big display is made up of at least 200 smaller sections. The dimensions range from  1 sq.ft of the snap poster frame to as big as 10000 sqft of building facades. The branding material/substrate should be of the highest standard and adheres to all the hygiene factors. The design layout and the installation is done by any specialist production and display solutions division. These prints are produced through high capacity large format machines and printing is done in parts and installed in a very well synchronized ,manner.

The whole installation takes 4 days to get complete and has atleast 200 different strips installed next to each other in vertical and horizontal sections as per the actual output.

Comment (5)

We have been reporting stories on US returned Indian entrepreneurs who brilliantly established their startups in their homeland. But the recently updated US Startup Visa Bill may change the script of the stories we do. We may now write about Indian entrepreneurs setting up their first venture in the US, leaving their homeland.

Why So?

The US government has updated US Startup Visa Act to address and encourage few factors. First: to stop exodus of their skilled workers, 2nd: to encourage Americans to build startups in their country and generating employment.

The Visa act has extended benefits to H-1B visa holders as well, who can now start their own venture there in US. The amendment has empowered foreign students studying in US universities too to satisfy their entrepreneurial urge.

The pin pointers are

The US Startup Visa Act will allow an immigrant entrepreneur to receive a two year visa if he or she can show that a qualified U.S. investor is willing to invest in the immigrant's startup venture. In addition, the foreign entrepreneurs need to fulfill a few conditions mentioned below.

The foreign entrepreneur has to get a US investor who agrees to invest minimum $100,000 in hi/her firm. Moreover, the firm should be able to create five American jobs two years later and either have raised over $500,000 in financing or be generating more than $500,000 in yearly revenue.

For the workers on an H-1B Visa or graduates from U.S. universities in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science—they should have an annual income of at least $30,000 or assets of at least $60,000 and have had a U.S. investor commit investment of at least $20,000 in their venture. Moreover, after two years, the startup must have created three new American jobs and either have raised over $100,000 in financing or be generating more than $100,000 in annual income.

Foreign entrepreneurs whose business has generated at least $100,000 in sales from the U.S, two years later, the startup must have created three new American jobs and either have raised over $100,000 in financing or be generating more than $100,000 in yearly revenue.

Impacts on Indian entrepreneurial eco-system

While this Startup Visa Act has created much hope in the US entrepreneurial fraternity, it may cause some bad/good implications in countries like India. Owner of KopyKat restaurant, Akshat Rathee reveals, “The Indian Entrepreneurial eco system would be faced with 2 challenges/ opportunities. The opportunity to touch new share would be immense and so would be the access to the VC/ PE circles there. The brand recognition and acceptance would also be phenomenal if done right.

However, the challenge would be to do sufficient research before launching a product. Most ‘innovations’ in India are really knock off/ deviations from something that has been done before in the west. Only true innovation would be successful. Additionally, the cost of risk in the US is higher. How Indian startups bootstrap might be very different in the US. Everyone pays taxes, underage labor and overtime is frowned upon. Work life balance is respected and an office is where people come to work. Not make friends. These and other socio cultural acclimatization would be essential for Indian startups if they venture to the US.”

Satish Kataria, MD, Springboard Ventures Private Limited shares, "Besides the fact that it might definitely inspire start-ups to reach out further, I do not foresee this immediately having any material impact on the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem : but I hope that this galvanizes the Indian start-up enablers – likes of TiE and others – to hopefully pitch in for better support and progressive fiscal incentives to promote start-up culture in India – to help Indian entrepreneurs as well as attract talent from surrounding economies."

Comment (2)

Dr Vishwanath Gogate is a physician by profession but carries a mission and a zeal to lift the quality of education in schools. Now, all of us want to do something in this direction, don't we? But Dr Gogate is not the one to discuss these matters in the cool environs of a Barista Coffee shop and forget about it till another time. He has put his intent to practice.

It may come as a surprise but Dr Gogate travels in his Tata van 30 days in a month, to 30 schools in Hyderabad carrying with him a science laboratory. He sets up his apparatus in a school on the predesignated day, teaches kids practical science, spends time with them, packs off and drives to the next school. In the evening, he practices to earn his bread and run his service.

Beakers, jars, test-tubes, models of human body, volt-meters, ammeters, slide rules, bunsen burners, abacus, mathematical charts, carpentry tools, you name it and Dr Gogate's mobile lab has it. He lugs all his teaching aids every day, rain or shine and ensures the young students are not deprived of practical science. "Our schools do not have good usable science laboratories for practical education. I am doing my bit to help the students," says a humble Dr Gogate.

He dreams to making adding more like minded people to his mission and having them go to schools. His approach is hands-on. He says alone he can only serve a portion of Hyderabad and will appreciate any assistance to help him expand the services to more schools.

Any enterprising individuals or groups can get in touch with him. Write to us so that we can put you through him.

Comment (0)

Right from the start, Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought with him a fresh whiff of air. It was evident from how he handled the team, including his seniors, and how he managed public perception. I have watched his post-match sound-bytes as often as possible and every time I have come away admiring his clear and down-to-earth communication. This often sent a non-ambiguous message to the public. A handy skill for any leader.

Take for instance what he said to Ravi Shashtri: "If we had not won today's match, I would have been questioned for some of my decisions."

This was a demonstration as to how as a leader, he had taken riskier decisions well knowing they may backfire.

Atleast one of his decision put him squarely in the field of action thus increasing his responsibility. This decision was to promote himself in the batting order. He came third down in the batting order as against fifth or sixth he usually does and ensured that he took the Sri Lankan bowling attack headon.

This also meant that he was pushing down the batting order, in-form batsmen,Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina. Many a times in-form batsmen get out if their batting orders are shuffled. But this was a gamble Dhoni was willing to take. He was confident little will affect his star batsmen.

His very act of putting himself in the scene of action in the most crucial match of the tournament demonstrated his courage. The truth was, till that match he had not scored well.

Everyone was foxed by his other decision. He brought in pace bowler Sreeshant much against popular belief that spinner Ashwin would fill in the space created by injured Ashish Nehra.

I do not want to stretch this blog beyond its utility and start drawing parallels in the world of business. However, I have not stopped mulling Dhoni's decisions and admiring for all the lessons they offer. I hope you will too.

Comment (2)