Startups

The global SaaS market is estimated to reach $381.21 billion at a CAGR of 17.3% by 2030 as per a report by Market Research Future (MRFR) in October 2022. The Indian SaaS market is expected to account for 7-10% of the global SaaS market, from 2-4% at present, according to a recent EY-CII Research Report.

I had not met Ashray before this interview. I was expecting a typical IIT-ian startup founder – smart, ambitious, and determined. Ashray is all this, and comes with a bonus trait; he is more down to earth than you would expect a 27-year-old, who is already at his second entrepreneurial venture, to be. He has been part of multiple startup accelerator programs and Rephrase.ai has raised about $10.6 million in Series A funding.

Edtech unicorn BYJU’s has been in the news for a lot of unpleasant developments lately. Despite its reported fundraise at a flat valuation of $22 billion, the 12-year-old company had suffered a loss of Rs.4564.38 crore in their last reported numbers. But let’s not assume this as a blow to the edtech sector at large.

For growth-stage investors, there could be a similar dilemma. While making the next investment, many must have struggled over deciding whether to invest in an existing market leader or a growing brand that is looking to disrupt the existing market with its innovative solutions.

Remember the smile, the Amul girl brought on our faces while opening a new block of butter? Or the reassuring sense of safety when pouring milk from a secure tetra pack? Packaging doesn’t just showcase a product but also reflects care and quality. It shows the brand’s commitment to preserving products and ensuring they reach us intact.

India has the world’s third-highest online shopping population and D2C (or digital-first) players are delivering on the market promise by leveraging the strong internet infrastructure to directly reach customers, without traditional intermediaries.