Should be insightful for anyone interested in the huge Indian consumer market!
See post below for details on Rama.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Meet Rama Bijapurkar on 2 Oct in Sydney
For anyone interested, I am hosting a small get together with Rama Bijapurkar at Paymate's offices in Sydney (Level 25, 31 Market Street) in Sydney on 2 Oct from 5-6:30pm. Pls RSVP so we know numbers: dilip@paymate.com.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Winning in Indian Consumer Markets
For Australian companies and entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the vast but tough Indian consumer market, there is a great opportunity coming up - to meet one of India's leading consumer marketing thought leaders.
Rama Bijapurkar serves on the Boards of Infosys, CRISIL, Axis Bank, Godrej Consumer Products, Give Foundation and Mahindra Holidays & Resorts. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Rama is a Visiting Faculty and on the IIMA Board of Governors.
I have to admit some bias, since Rama was a year my senior at IIMA, but with her career spanning leadership positions with McKinsey, AC Nielsen and Hindustan Lever, her credentials are impeccable. See: http://www.bijapurkar.com/.
Rama's visit to Sydney will be hosted by the Australian School of Business and the Australia India Business Council, with a talk on October 1, 2009, details as below.
Also participating will be Mr Amit Dasgupta, Consul General of India and Dr Julien Cayla, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Australian School of Business.
"Winning in the Indian Market" : Rama Bijapurkar
6 pm Oct 1, 2009 (Drinks from 7-8 pm)
John B Reid Theater, AGSM Building, Gate 11 Botany Street
University of NSW, Kensington 2052
For registration contact: Ehsan Ahmed, e.ahmed@unsw.edu.au.
I would commend this event to all entrepreneurs and corporates interested in India.
Rama Bijapurkar serves on the Boards of Infosys, CRISIL, Axis Bank, Godrej Consumer Products, Give Foundation and Mahindra Holidays & Resorts. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Rama is a Visiting Faculty and on the IIMA Board of Governors.
I have to admit some bias, since Rama was a year my senior at IIMA, but with her career spanning leadership positions with McKinsey, AC Nielsen and Hindustan Lever, her credentials are impeccable. See: http://www.bijapurkar.com/.
Rama's visit to Sydney will be hosted by the Australian School of Business and the Australia India Business Council, with a talk on October 1, 2009, details as below.
Also participating will be Mr Amit Dasgupta, Consul General of India and Dr Julien Cayla, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Australian School of Business.
"Winning in the Indian Market" : Rama Bijapurkar
6 pm Oct 1, 2009 (Drinks from 7-8 pm)
John B Reid Theater, AGSM Building, Gate 11 Botany Street
University of NSW, Kensington 2052
For registration contact: Ehsan Ahmed, e.ahmed@unsw.edu.au.
I would commend this event to all entrepreneurs and corporates interested in India.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
TiE Sydney Biz Plan Contest Winner
Last night was the final of the TiE Sydney Business Planning Contest and I was invited to join the panel of judges. The event was held at the MLC Centre, at the facilities provided by the NSW Department of State & Regional Development, a great supporter of TiE.
Well-attended by TiE members and guests, the evening was challenging for the contestants and stimulating for all. Five finalists had been selected the previous month, via an exciting Pitching Contest (five minutes to sell your dream!) that saw 18 contestants go for broke.
The finalists were:
Ahimsa Systems: This startup's vision is to empower individuals to improve their quality of life by managing their health in a secure and supportive environment. Founder Dr Uma Srinivasan presented the benefits of their RedMynt Personal Health Record to the ecosystem and the push by the Australian Federal Government to support private sector providers of such services.
IPScape: An established company with real clients and real revenue (always a plus!), this company is leading the Saas (software as a service) push into Call/Contact Centres that are burdened by high capital costs yet have an inflexible platform that cannot be rapidly scaled for bursts of demand. Founder Simon Burke pitched their 'cloud' technology and plan for expansion in both Australia and new markets in Asia including India.
Requisite Technologies: A startup aiming to transform the driver training industry with a comprehensive, online Driver Training Dashboard, this company is trialling their solution in Australia and wants to expand into the United Kingdom as well. Co-founder Pratyush Chalasani presented their plans to make life easier and more productive for driving instructors while improving learning outcomes for their clients.
Marziplanner: Already established as the #2 Wedding Planner product worldwide, this little company is already cash positive with a DIY software product used by brides to plan their elaborate nuptial events. Founder Ilka Brookes now wants to take the product into the enormous Indian market, where wedding extravaganzas with 3,000 guests are not uncommon!
Each contestant presented their plan and was quizzed by the panel as well as the audience. When the panel retired to come to a decision the audience also voted on their popular choice. As it happened, the same company was picked by the judges as well as the audience:
Marziplanner!
Ilka Brookes won the day with her knockout presentation, her understanding of the customers' pain (Bridezillas' notwithstanding) and passion for building a business with very little money or resources. We felt she had a good opportunity in India but would benefit from a local business partner and some mentoring from TiE - India can be a tough market for outsiders.
Ilka wins a free ticket to New Delhi, courtesy of TiE and member Arnold D'Souza (http://www.acrtravel.com.au/), and will attend TiECON New Delhi on 18-19 September 2009. This will be a great opportunity for Ilka to make connections and perhaps find an investor for her Indian adventure.
TiE Sydney is the local chapter of the global TiE organisation - the world's largest not-for-profit entrepreneur network. We run monthly events that attract entrepreneurs, wannabes and anyone interested in making the world a better place!
Well-attended by TiE members and guests, the evening was challenging for the contestants and stimulating for all. Five finalists had been selected the previous month, via an exciting Pitching Contest (five minutes to sell your dream!) that saw 18 contestants go for broke.
The finalists were:
Ahimsa Systems: This startup's vision is to empower individuals to improve their quality of life by managing their health in a secure and supportive environment. Founder Dr Uma Srinivasan presented the benefits of their RedMynt Personal Health Record to the ecosystem and the push by the Australian Federal Government to support private sector providers of such services.
IPScape: An established company with real clients and real revenue (always a plus!), this company is leading the Saas (software as a service) push into Call/Contact Centres that are burdened by high capital costs yet have an inflexible platform that cannot be rapidly scaled for bursts of demand. Founder Simon Burke pitched their 'cloud' technology and plan for expansion in both Australia and new markets in Asia including India.
Requisite Technologies: A startup aiming to transform the driver training industry with a comprehensive, online Driver Training Dashboard, this company is trialling their solution in Australia and wants to expand into the United Kingdom as well. Co-founder Pratyush Chalasani presented their plans to make life easier and more productive for driving instructors while improving learning outcomes for their clients.
Marziplanner: Already established as the #2 Wedding Planner product worldwide, this little company is already cash positive with a DIY software product used by brides to plan their elaborate nuptial events. Founder Ilka Brookes now wants to take the product into the enormous Indian market, where wedding extravaganzas with 3,000 guests are not uncommon!
Each contestant presented their plan and was quizzed by the panel as well as the audience. When the panel retired to come to a decision the audience also voted on their popular choice. As it happened, the same company was picked by the judges as well as the audience:
Marziplanner!
Ilka Brookes won the day with her knockout presentation, her understanding of the customers' pain (Bridezillas' notwithstanding) and passion for building a business with very little money or resources. We felt she had a good opportunity in India but would benefit from a local business partner and some mentoring from TiE - India can be a tough market for outsiders.
Ilka wins a free ticket to New Delhi, courtesy of TiE and member Arnold D'Souza (http://www.acrtravel.com.au/), and will attend TiECON New Delhi on 18-19 September 2009. This will be a great opportunity for Ilka to make connections and perhaps find an investor for her Indian adventure.
TiE Sydney is the local chapter of the global TiE organisation - the world's largest not-for-profit entrepreneur network. We run monthly events that attract entrepreneurs, wannabes and anyone interested in making the world a better place!
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