SaaS company Qila will be expanding to the Middle East to cater to the region’s data localisation guidelines and strengthen Web3 adoption among enterprises. Through Qila’s private cloud infrastructure, the region will be able to enhance Web3 adoption with localised cloud solutions and innovative data analytics tools.
The expansion is aimed to provide multiple advantages for enterprises operating in the UAE, which includes enhanced data security, compliance with local regulations, and streamlined integration of blockchain technology. Qila’s new innovative cloud data analytics solution TreePye, is designed to optimise cloud usage from both efficiency and cost perspectives.
Through this strategic expansion, Qila aims to bring about compliance with data localisation regulations, leverage its private cloud infrastructure to provide state-of-the-art security protocols and safeguard enterprise data. Qila is also looking to simplify adoption of blockchain and tokenization technologies across various sectors through easy API integrations.
The UAE presents a robust market for Web3 solutions due to its progressive stance on technology adoption and regulatory support for blockchain initiatives. The UAE’s proactive approach to technology and innovation aligns perfectly with Qila’s offerings, making it an ideal environment for growth.The UAE government’s supportive regulations for blockchain and data localization further facilitate the seamless integration of Qila’s solutions
Sid Ugrankar, CEO & Co-Founder of Qila, said, “Our expansion into the UAE is a significant milestone for Qila. By establishing a private cloud infrastructure, we not only adhere to local data regulations but also provide enterprises with secure and efficient Web3 solutions. The introduction of ARK, ARK+, PrivaSea, and TreePye exemplifies our commitment to innovation and helping businesses optimise their operations.”
The sector-agnostic nature of Qila’s platform also allows it to serve various industries, including healthcare, education, finance, real estate, automobile, and luxury goods.
Vishal Malhotra, CFO & Co-Founder of Qila, said, “We see immense potential in the UAE market, which is at the forefront of embracing new technologies. Our goal is to support enterprises in their Web3 journey by offering sector-agnostic solutions and innovative tools like ARK, ARK+, PrivaSea, and TreePye. This expansion is a testament to our growth strategy and our dedication to serving diverse markets with tailored solutions.”
About Qila
Qila is a pioneering SaaS company offering infrastructure solutions for Web3 adoption, specializing in blockchain and tokenization. With offices in Mumbai, Dubai, and Chicago, Qila empowers enterprises with easy API integration platforms and innovative tools like ARK, ARK+, PrivaSea, and TreePye, driving efficiency and cost savings in cloud usage.
In 2013, Mohit Tyagi, a passionate educator from Kota, Rajasthan, envisioned a platform where quality education was accessible to all, especially those who couldn’t afford expensive coaching.
When he was in school, he did not know about IIT JEE. His first exposure to the world of IIT JEE came when he sought coaching for it. During this time, he observed that many of his equally talented peers were unable to afford the expensive coaching.
This incident stayed with him and grew stronger over the years, eventually leading to the creation of Competishun, a platform aimed at improving online education.
“I wanted to help students like me who came from lower-middle-class backgrounds and struggled with resources,” Mohit recalls during an exclusive conversation with Empowering Indians.
Founding Competishun
Competishun started with Mohit Tyagi alone but soon expanded with the support of three co-founders, each an expert in their respective fields. Neeraj Saini (NS Sir) with 18 years of experience in Organic Chemistry is an M.Sc. and NET-JRF.
Amit Bijarnia (ABJ Sir), a Physics expert, holds a B.Tech from IIT Delhi and 15 years of teaching experience. Alok Sir (ALK Sir), with a background in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry from NIT Allahabad and experience as an ISRO scientist, added another 19 years of expertise.
Together, they built a comprehensive team of 60-70 members, including 25-30 teachers and supporting operational and marketing staff.
The co-founders of Competishun pitched the idea on Shark Tank India for funding.
How It All Started
The journey of Competishun began long before its official registration in 2019. After graduating from IIT Delhi in 2001, Mohit Tyagi started teaching at FIIT JEE, one of India’s leading coaching institutes. He taught in various institutes from 2004 to 2007 and then opened the School of Mathematics, where he taught students for free. This social cause laid the foundation for Competishun.
“I realized that I could only help a limited number of students teaching for free in a traditional classroom. That’s when the idea of using YouTube struck me,” Mohit shares while narrating the story of Competishun to Empowering Indians.
In 2013, Mohit left his high-paying teaching job in Kota and embarked on his social cause journey. From 2013 to 2020, Mohit uploaded all his teaching material on YouTube, which quickly gained traction among serious IIT JEE aspirants.
The uniqueness of Competishun
Competishun is more than just an educational platform; it’s a mission to make quality education accessible to every student, regardless of their financial background through its website and mobile app.
“Our focus is on making students serious about their studies and providing important inputs to them,” Mohit emphasizes during the conversation with Empowering Indians.
Competishun differentiates itself from other ed-tech platforms by prioritizing student needs over business interests. While many online platforms focus on attracting a large audience with flashy, non-serious content, Competishun remains dedicated to serious, result-oriented education.
“Other YouTube channels focus on business by honeycoating stuff to attract the crowd. Our approach is different. We provide proper syllabus and inputs to make our students’ preparation better,” Mohit explains to Empowering Indians.
Competishun’s approach to doubt-clearing is also innovative. “We have telegram groups where students can ask doubts 24/7. We conduct daily live doubt sessions on Zoom, ensuring every student’s doubts are addressed,”Mohit shares with Empowering Indians.
This approach not only provides immediate assistance but also fosters a sense of community and collaboration among students.
Courses by Competishun
Competishun offers a range of courses tailored to the needs of IIT JEE aspirants. The full-year courses for Class 11, Class 12, and 12th pass students are priced between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000, significantly lower than other institutes charging up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs for offline and Rs. 50,000-90,000 for online courses.
Competishun’s comprehensive package includes material, classes, and revision for various exams like IIT JEE, BITSAT, SAT, Board Exams, WBJEE, and UGEE.
“We provide everything needed for the preparation. The student just has to follow our instructions, and it will help them clear any exam of their choice,” Mohit asserts during the conversation with Empowering Indians.
Competishun’s unique selling point is its affordability without compromising the quality of education.
Financial Growth of Competishun
Competishun’s financial journey is impressive. The ed-tech’s revenue grew from Rs. 4 crores in the first year to Rs. 12 crores in the fourth year.
“Our team consists of named faculty from Kota, and our YouTube channel played a significant role in our growth. Despite no major funding, we have seen substantial growth,” Mohit proudly states.
Competishun’s success can be attributed to its innovative business model, which combines free online content with affordable paid courses. This approach has attracted a large number of students, enabling Competishun to sustain and grow without the need for external funding.
The focus on quality education and student results has also helped build a loyal student base, contributing to consistent revenue growth.
Vision and Future Plans
Looking ahead, Competishun aims to expand its reach and impact. “Our vision is to shift a significant percentage of students from offline to online education due to its cost-effectiveness, time availability, and possible customization of the learning portal,” Mohit says.
The team plans to achieve this by maintaining their focus on quality education and producing genuine results.
Competishun’s goal is to have 20-30 students in the top 100 ranks of IIT JEE, believing that financial success will naturally follow.
“We haven’t thought in terms of money but in terms of results. We want to establish our name by producing genuine results,” Mohit asserts.
The journey wasn’t without challenges. Initially, Mohit faced doubts from peers about the feasibility of leaving a high-paying job for a YouTube channel. However, his commitment to the cause kept him going.
“There was no financial stress because I had savings and a supportive network. But convincing others about the potential of online education was tough,” Mohit recalls.
Advice for Students
For students preparing for competitive exams, Mohit offers valuable advice. “The environment plays a crucial role in a student’s preparation. Online education can save travel time and provide a focused learning environment. We ensure our students get the best preparation with a proper schedule and study pattern,” he advises.
Mohit emphasizes the importance of discipline and consistency in preparation. “Students should stick to a study schedule, regularly revise their notes, and practice as much as possible. Competishun provides all the necessary resources, but the students’ dedication is key to their success,” he adds.
“Our success is not measured in numbers but in the impact, we have on our students’ lives,”Mohit concludes in the end of the interview with Empowering Indians.
Mela Ventures has appointed R Kalyan Sundar as the Head of Finance and Legal. Kalyan brings valuable experience in M&A, financial due diligence, and deal negotiation.
At Mela Ventures, Kalyan will lead financial and investment strategies and play a pivotal role in nurturing and scaling innovative startups across diverse sectors.
Kalyan Sundar, Head of Finance & Legal at Mela Ventures, said, “I am thrilled to join Mela Ventures and contribute to its mission of fostering growth and innovation in the startup ecosystem. I look forward to leveraging my experience to optimize financial strategies and support the success of emerging founders and their startups.”
Prior to joining Mela Ventures, Kalyan served as Assistant Vice President of Finance at Stakeboat Capital LLP, where he spearheaded financial evaluations across sectors including SaaS, Automation Solutions, Healthcare, IT/ITeS, and E-Publishing. Earlier, at Ernst and Young LLP, Kalyan led over 40 financial due diligence engagements, advising on strategic transactions and fundraising initiatives for global and domestic clients. Kalyan is a CA and has a diploma in IFRS.
Parthasarathy NS, Managing Partner at Mela Ventures, said, “We are delighted to welcome Kalyan Sundar to our leadership team. His experience in financial due diligence, management, and strategy will be invaluable as we continue to identify and support high-potential startups while upholding sound governance and best practices.”
Mela Ventures remains committed to driving innovation and supporting fearless founders and their ventures through strategic investments and mentorship. The addition of Kalyan Sundar to its leadership underscores their dedication to excellence in financial leadership within the startup community.
About Mela Ventures
Mela Ventures Trust is a SEBI-approved AIF Category-2 fund for the early-stage companies. With a goal to build next-gen entrepreneurs, the fund will focus on building a portfolio in areas, such as AI/ML, AR/VR, IoT, Cloud Migration, and Deep Technologies. Mela Ventures was founded by Industry veterans, Krishnakumar Natarajan and Parthasarathy NS who co-founded Mindtree and taken it from a startup to a multi-billion-dollar market cap enterprise.
POP, a Bengaluru-based startup, has announced that it has closed a $2.4 million seed funding round led by India Quotient and a few prominent angel investors recently.
The Bengaluru-based startup also announced that it had received approval as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to offer UPI payments via its POPclub app.
The company, in partnership with financial firms such as Yes Bank and Juspay, has built its UPI stack. The funding will help expedite the implementation of various initiatives, including the POP UPI service that will enable users to earn POPcoins, a shopping currency already used by 200+ online merchants, with every UPI transaction made through the POPclub app.
These POPcoins can be used to buy a wide range of products from all major direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in categories such as beauty, personal care, electronics, fashion, and home goods- all housed within the POPclub app.
Bhargav Errangi, Founder of POP, said, “POP’s goal is to become the most sought-after go-to platform for payments and shopping for digitally active young Indians. As consumer behaviours evolve, we aim to provide innovative app experiences tailored to their interests in daily consumption.”
Unlike other UPI players, POP emphasises a 2% value back (via POPcoins) for every UPI transaction. “POPcoins-led rewards offer a predictable and consistent reward promise compared to the luck-based and gamified models of other UPI apps. These POPcoins can be effectively used to purchase over 100,000 SKUs our target audience consumes. Our ambition is to position POPcoins as the shopping currency for purchasing the new-age products/services that resonate with evolving new-age Indian consumer’s preferences,” said Errangi, who has a track record of scaling Flipkart Supercoins in his previous role.
POP joins prominent players like Google Pay, PhonePe, WhatsApp, CRED, and Paytm as a third-party app authorised to provide UPI payments. Marketed as ‘Designed to reward,’ the POPclub UPI application is now rolled out with attractive launch offers and is now available to download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Madhukar, General Partner at India Quotient, said, “Acquisition and retention are two most challenging problems for D2C and consumer brands. Very excited to partner with Bhargav and team to solve this very hard problem and enable thousands of consumer brands to acquire and retain customers at a fraction of current costs.”
Since its launch in early May 2023, POP has added over 200 brands to its network, including mCaffeine, HUL-owned Simple Skin Care, Adil Qadri, Anveshan, Two Brothers Organic Farms, and Epigamia. These brands have adopted POP’s rewards currency, POPcoins, replacing their traditional loyalty programs and points systems within the D2C world. POPcoins have engaged over four million customers within the network, and this number is expected to grow to over 500 brands and 10 million customers by the end of the year.
Cygnet.One, a leading technology firm providing compliance solutions to businesses globally, has strengthened its e-invoicing solutions by becoming a Peppol-certified service provider. It aims to disrupt e-invoicing by delivering seamless transactions across boundaries and fostering international business growth.
Peppol, a nonprofit organization registered in Belgium, integrates business processes by standardizing how information is structured and exchanged. Whether you are sending invoices or handling other business transactions, Peppol delivers a shared digital language for organizations worldwide.
With this certification, Cygnet.One will be able to reach out to customers across all Peppol member countries, including the USA, China, Japan, Singapore, Australia and many European countries.
Cygnet.One’s certification as a Peppol-certified service provider underscores its dedication to simplifying business operations worldwide.
“Countries across the globe are moving towards e-invoicing compliance. Adopting the Peppol framework within our solutions is the foundation for building and enabling e-invoicing. Multi-national corporations and exporters will now have the opportunity to leverage us as a Peppol Access Point and trade easily. This move will go hand-in-hand with euVAT, e-Invoicing, & other tech-enabled compliance products for Africa, Europe, GCC, India, Southeast Asia, and other regions,” said Niraj Hutheesing, Founder and Managing Director of Cygnet.One.
By partnering with Cygnet, businesses can sign a single agreement and gain access to the entire Peppol network, eliminating the complexities associated with multiple connections. The open four-corner model employed by Peppol ensures no roaming fees between access points, providing cost-effective solutions for businesses of all sizes.
With a focus on adherence to local regulations and standards, Cygnet. One ensures seamless integration with accounting software and ERPs.
Peppol brings a host of advantages that will transform the way businesses operate. With standardized formats for document exchange and data mapping, we’re ensuring consistency and efficiency across the board. This means smoother processes, fewer errors, and enhanced collaboration with partners worldwide.
Additionally, Peppol, with standardized data fields and formats, streamlines billing and invoicing processing, accelerating the payment cycle and improving cash flow management. Businesses can focus on growth and innovation by reducing delays and administrative burdens, driving success in today’s dynamic marketplace.
Cygnet.One holds a prominent position as a leading provider in India, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya. Cygnet. One has extended its footprint to include Malaysia, UAE, Australia, and all countries soon to mandate e-invoicing compliance. With a strong presence in these regions, Cygnet.One continues to set the standard for e-invoicing solutions.
As Peppol continues to gain traction as the global standard for electronic transactions, Cygnet.One invites businesses to join the revolution and embrace the future of global e-invoicing with its certification as a Peppol-certified service provider, Cygnet.One is committed to empowering businesses to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
Coming from a village in Bihar where IIT is often mistaken for ITI, Kundan Shahi always aspired to be an entrepreneur. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it’s common for people to get into real estate, earn big money, buy a Scorpio or Fortuner, and then venture into politics. Kundan wanted to make good money too, but in a different way.
“I always wanted to create something of my own, but not in a way that would make people whisper about how I made my money,” said Kundan Shahi, who was born to a farmer father and a homemaker mother.
Education and Early Career
He completed his schooling at a government school in his village and then earned a BCA (Bachelor in Computer Applications) from Muzaffarpur district in Bihar. After graduation, he moved to Delhi in search of a job to support himself.
Driven by the desire to do something significant and earn money to become independent and help his family financially, he literally ran away from home. Upon arriving in Delhi, he initially stayed with relatives but soon rented a place of his own to live independently.
He took up a job in a call center and was earning a monthly salary of Rs. 4500.
Introduction to Insurance and Entrepreneurship
“I also worked at EXL, a Noida-based company, in their quality and process experts department. During my time there, I assisted one of the largest US-based insurance companies by identifying potential risks and suggesting improvements for their business. This experience introduced me to risk insurance and writing, which I initially found boring but gradually became very interesting to me.”
This newfound interest led him to the idea of setting up his own insurance company, focusing on the substantial legal insurance segment.
“I wanted to start a legal insurance company in India to support businesses and individuals by helping them offload their financial risk associated with litigation,” said Kundan during the conversation with Empowering Indians.
Launching Advok8 and LegalPay
In 2016, Kundan Shahi launched his first startup, Advok8, an Indian legal tech company aimed at improving access to justice by connecting lawyers and clients and offering innovative funding options for lawsuits. However, it did not resonate with Kundan’s vision of what he wanted to create for the Indian legal ecosystem, so he began exploring other options and landed on LegalPay.
In 2019, Kundan and his brother, Chandan, launched LegalPay with the aim to assist businesses and individuals in offloading their burden of litigation expenses and gaining access to justice.
LegalPay team
LegalPay’s Unique Approach
Being a fintech startup, LegalPay focuses on a specific and substantial market segment that traditional fintech companies do not typically address: the legal sector. Recognizing that one size does not fit all, LegalPay tailors its customer segments, user journeys, and services to meet the unique needs of this market.
LegalPay provides credit services designed to facilitate credit payments and resolve collection issues in legal cases. In India, the legal system is often sluggish, partly because the country is credit-thirsty. For example, if an MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) has a significant case against it, it might prefer to invest money back into the business rather than settling the case, which can generate higher returns.
Addressing Delays in the Legal System
In the Indian judicial system, the defendant often has significant power. If defendants believe a case is not viable, they might delay payments, exacerbating the backlog of cases. LegalPay addresses this issue by bridging the gap between litigants (those pursuing the case) and defendants (those who need to pay).
When a court order triggers a financial transaction, LegalPay steps in to facilitate the payment process. For example, if a party owes Rs. 1 crore, LegalPay might offer the claimant an upfront payment of 80 lakhs in exchange for their claim, then structure a deal with the defendant to repay this amount in installments over a year. This arrangement ensures liquidity for the litigant and manageable payment terms for the defendant.
Additionally, LegalPay provides funding for litigations when parties lack the financial resources to pursue their cases. This dual approach of facilitating payments and providing litigation funding helps streamline the legal process and reduce case backlogs in India. In the first year, the fintech startup had around 10 clients. In the second year, they grew to around 44 clients. Currently, they now have over 400 clients.
Growth and Financial Impact
In the first year, they handled claims worth 10 crores. The following year, they managed claims worth 20 crores due to limited capital. The next year, they funded around 70 crores.
Currently, LegalPay’s assets under management are approximately INR 4000 crores as deferred revenue, expected by March.
“The plan is to manage assets worth USD 1 billion dollars from INR 4,000 crores within the next year,” Kundan told Empowering Indians.
Introducing QuickSettle
QuickSettle offers a solution for B2B payments by providing credit lines to customers (who purchase or transact with other businesses for products/services) only to repay the vendors (who deliver goods and services to other businesses), ensuring 100% advance payments to businesses and eliminating the risk of credit and delays.
With flexible Buy Now, Pay Later options, it enables businesses to manage expenses ranging from working capital, marketing, legal, salaries, etc., boosting financial stability and cash flows. By slashing payment cycles and mitigating credit risk, QuickSettle promotes cash flow, customer loyalty, and revenue growth by up to 20%, making it a transformative tool for B2B operations.
Currently, QuickSettle has disbursed INR 200 crores. However, the goal is to disburse INR 1,000 crores annually over the next three years.
Learn how to start selling on E-Commerce marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and Shopify in India and internationally. Abdul Alim Shaikh who generates Rs. 5 crore annually from his E-Commerce business will teach you step by step process for the same.
Read your trainer’s E-Commerce success journey here.
What You’ll Learn:
Understanding E-Commerce Marketplaces: Gain insights into the diverse landscape of e-commerce marketplaces, including industry trends, major players, and key success factors.
Creating and Optimizing Marketplace Listings: Learn how to create compelling product listings that stand out in crowded marketplaces, optimize for search visibility, and maximize conversion rates.
Navigating Marketplace Policies and Best Practices: Navigate the complexities of marketplace policies, guidelines, and terms of service to ensure compliance and mitigate risks while maximizing opportunities.
Managing Inventory and Fulfillment Across Platforms: Discover strategies for efficiently managing inventory, syncing product data across multiple marketplaces, and streamlining fulfillment processes for seamless operations.
Driving Traffic and Sales: Explore advanced techniques for driving targeted traffic to your marketplace listings, optimizing product visibility, and leveraging promotional tools to boost sales and revenue.
Why Choose Our Workshop:
Expert-Led Instruction: Learn from industry experts with firsthand experience in e-commerce marketplaces and a proven track record of success.
Practical Insights: Gain practical insights and actionable strategies that you can immediately apply to your own marketplace business or venture.
Interactive Workshops: Engage in interactive workshops, case studies, and group discussions to deepen your understanding and enhance your skills.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, e-commerce professionals, and marketplace enthusiasts to expand your network and exchange ideas.
Exclusive Resources: Access to exclusive resources, templates, and tools to support your journey in mastering e-commerce marketplaces.
Who Should Attend:
E-Commerce Entrepreneurs looking to expand their reach and scale their business through online marketplaces
Product Owners and Brand Managers seeking to optimize their presence and performance on e-commerce platforms
Marketing Professionals interested in leveraging e-commerce marketplaces to drive growth and revenue
Anyone passionate about e-commerce and eager to tap into the lucrative opportunities offered by online marketplaces
More than half of the fresh graduates were jobless due to lack of industry skills and knowledge. This was found in 2020 by a job-search platform Firstnaukri. Analyze fresh graduates around you and you will agree with this research. You could be one of them.
Imagine, your parents spent lakhs on your education ever since you were four years old. Now, after 15-17 years when you are supposed to have a better job to sustain yourself financially, you are jobless.
Isn’t it frustrating? Surely it is.
What can we do about it?
We can grab a few soft and hard skills to develop your personality to fit the criteria of corporate employment. There is no other option than this. You have to build your personality.
To help you find a better job, Empowering Indains brings you a personality development course for those who have cleared 12th and graduation.
After the course you will be assisted to find a job as per your interest and skills.
What you will learn
Self awareness
Effective communication skills
Leadership skills
Find out suitable profession and passion
Upskill your profession and passion
Time management skills
Positive attitude towards life
Setting goals
Importance of English language
Basic computer skills
Training workshop: Online course on Google meet
Duration: 1:30 hours on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) + one month access to mentors for Q&A assistance.
Let’s start with good news. The good news is that “93.6% of Indians show a desire to become an entrepreneur. This is way above the average score of 55% amongst 44 countries,” according to a report.
The bad news is that, according to a survey, only 11 % percent of Indians get involved in some sort of business. However, only 5 % percent of them manage to succeed in their businesses.
The conclusion is that from 93% only 5% manage to become successful entrepreneurs.
These surveys are crystal clear that you have the desire and enthusiasm to become a successful entrepreneur. But, what you lack is proper skills and guidance to achieve that success. That is what Empowering Indians is trying to do.
We at Empowering Indians have been interviewing entrepreneurs across India for the last four years. These successful entrepreneurs are making revenue in lakhs and crores and making their businesses hugely profitable. Read a few real stories here.
We have curated a course on how to become a successful entrepreneur. and create an impact not only in your life, but others too. You will learn in and out of various businesses from many successful entrepreneurs we have interviewed.
What you will learn:
Understanding your business idea
Create a detailed road map for your business idea.
Information on gathering resources for your business
Understanding on fundraising for your business
How to level up in your business
Promotion of your business or marketing strategies
Some skills ideas to help you develop for running a successful business
Clear your doubts related to business for three months.
Training workshop schedule: Google meet every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) + 3-month access to the successful entrepreneurs to clear your doubts
Duration: 1:30 hours on every weekend for a month (total- 8 days)
