The Dual Role of Boutique Investment Banks: Advising and Investing in Startups In today’s dynamic economic landscape, boutique investment banks are paving new pathways by blending advisory services with venture capital investments. Based in innovation hubs such as Bengaluru, these financial institutions are evolving to leverage both sectors. By establishing micro-venture capital (VC) funds, they aim to diversify their revenue streams and capitalize on diverse opportunities across various startup funding stages. This initiative counters the […]

Quick Deliveries – Top Agenda for Indian Energy Hunters State-run energy companies in India are strategically focusing on acquiring projects that are already producing oil and gas or nearing production phases. This shift comes in response to prolonged waits for supplies from foreign energy investments made in earlier years. Despite the cost advantages of investing in early-stage exploration and production (E&P) projects, the pressing energy demands of India necessitate more immediate results. Strategic Shift to […]

The Eclectic Innovator: Sam Pitroda’s Unconventional Roadmap to Success As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), it’s an opportune moment to reflect on its dynamic founder, Sam Pitroda. This visionary continues to influence the technological landscape, albeit in unexpected ways. Pioneering Indian Telecom: A Legacy of Innovation Satyanarayan (Sam) Gangaram Pitroda’s contributions to India’s telecom revolution are unparalleled, yet often underappreciated. His efforts since the 1980s have escalated […]

From Growth at All Costs to Sustainable Growth: The Maturing of Indian Startups In the pre-pandemic era, Indian startups were predominantly driven by Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)—a metric celebrating overall sales without accounting for discounts, delivery charges, or returns. Fueled by an endless influx of investor capital, the mantra was growth at any cost. However, the pandemic reshaped this landscape, bringing to the forefront the importance of unit economics and prompting a shift toward sustainable […]

How SaaS Startups are Shaping Industry Standards In recent years, a select few software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups have redefined success benchmarks within the industry, making it increasingly challenging for others to achieve lucrative exits. The success of high-performing startups has shifted the goalposts, raising the bar for what constitutes viable growth and profitability. Rising Benchmarks in SaaS Growth A few years ago, achieving $100 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) was seen as a significant milestone […]