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Success mantras of 5 start-ups
The soldiers of small enterprise are now making waves in their own little way. Today, we bring you the 5 exciting start-ups under Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million)!
Part 1: 5 big business opportunities for budding entrepreneurs
Watch this space for more on the hottest start-ups...
1. AdRunINDIA
Entrepreneurs: Achin Kansal, Mahendra Chourey
Seed capital: Rs 100,000 (self and family)
Business: Launched on August 2009, it is an out-of-home advertisement company using the concept of advertising on vehicles.
How it makes money: Takes orders from clients and charges for services delivered.
Required skills: Creativity and innovation to deliver advertising solutions to the client.
The WOW factor : Business model base don the radio cab companies to give maximum exposure.
How it is marketed: Targeted SMS, ads on web-based classifieds, promo e-mails and word of mouth
Performance: Has worked with two big clients till date
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Success mantras of 5 start-ups
2. Apartmentadda.com
Entrepreneurs: Venkat Kandaswamy, Sangeetha Banerjee
Seed capital: Rs 725,000 (self)
Business: Launched in November 2008, this online portal offers software and accounting tools for home owners' associations to run their residential complexes.
How it makes money: Selling customised digital signage platforms for specific communication needs.
Required skills: Agile project development, ERP expertise, database design, and programming
The WOW factor: Focused on multi-dwelling unit management; features built and evolved with the best practices from veteran associations.
How it is marketed: Word of mouth, online product demo.
Performance: Break even reached within 1.5 years of operation.
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Success mantras of 5 start-ups
3. Breakthru Digital India
Entrepreneurs: Venuraj Janakarajan, Venkatesha Munivenkatachari
Seed capital: Rs 450,000 (self)
Business: Launched in December 2009, a specialised e-signage company focused on providing simplified communication solutions.
How it makes money: Selling customised digital signage platforms for specific communication needs.
Required skills: Technology prowess (hardware, software, electronics and networking), content aesthetics (relevance, creativity).
The WOW factor: Helps clients engage and influence the audience in a wise range of controlled environments.
How it is marketed: Direct sales, online marketing, social media, word-of-mouth influence and strategic partnerships.
Performance: Currently, it has 15 clients.
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Success mantras of 5 start-ups
4. Capillary Technologies
Entrepreneurs: Aneesh Reddy Boddu, Krishna Kumar Mehra, Ajay Modani
Seed capital: Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million)
Business: Launched in November 2008, it provides mobile-based customer engagement solutions and loyalty/referral solutions, which along with instant gratification and cross selling, increase the retailer's wallet share.
How it makes money: Charges a retainer fee per month and a small variable success fee.
Required skills: Technology skills to build a system to handle purchase transactions in real time. Analytical skills to identity customer purchase behaviour.
The WOW factor: Mobile-based, so customer does not need to carry loyalty cards or fill forms. Provides real-time customer specific, cross-sell campaigns when he/she is till in the store.
How it is marketed: Cold calling retailers, references from networks, current clients, generating leads though channel partners and retail conferences.
Performance: Over 15 large retailers across 1000 stores and about 100 cities and towns.
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Success mantras of 5 start-ups
5.Catalyst Labs
Entrepreneurs: Preetham Venkky
Seed capital: Rs 700,000
Business: Preaching new concepts and technologies using social media.
How it makes money: Conducting workshops and training sessions.
Required skills: Web savvy, basic HTML/XML knowledge, all round social media knowledge.
The WOW factor: Enables and executes social media conversations. Pioneer in videopedia.
How it is marketed: Social media, world of mouth
Performance: Currently, it has 10 clients.
