SUMMARY
In its first offline event after the pandemic, eDC IIT Delhi held its flagship Business and Entrepreneurship Conclave (BECON'23) on January 8
Pitch Perfect, the flagship pitching competition of BECON’23, hosted the ‘Demo Day’ where 34 shortlisted startups presented their pitches
The startups pitched in front of a jury of industry stalwarts such as Legacy Growth’s Suraj Malik, Angel Network’s Neiharika Rajiv, LetsVenture’s Gaurav Chauhan, and Indian Angel Network’s Pritish Sehgal, among others
IIT Delhi has released the list of startups that secured the top five spots at the demo day held by the premier institute in January.
On January 8, the entrepreneurship development cell (eDC) at IIT Delhi held its flagship business and entrepreneurship conclave (BECON’23), which kicked off with a pre-event show featuring the cast of TVF Pitchers and a keynote speech from the CEO Of ABP Network and NBDA president, Avinash Pandey.
The three-day conclave attracted over 100 startup applications from across the country to participate in the Shark Tank-style competition, ‘Pitch Perfect’. Of these, 70 startups were shortlisted on the basis of their pitch decks for an online pitching round. Further, 34 teams were invited to the IIT Delhi campus to pitch in front of a panel of investors.
The startups were given the opportunity to lap up on-spot funding of up to $3 Mn from investors such as India Accelerator’s Sanjoy Sarma, Venture Catalysts’ Kushagra Awasthi, Kansaltancy Ventures’ Tushar Kansal, Encubay Angel Network’s Neiharika Rajiv, LetsVenture’s Gaurav Chauhan, Indian Angel Network’s Pritish Sehgal, and Legacy Growth’s Suraj Malik, among others.
While many interesting pitches were heard by investors, only five startups could make the cut at eDC’s Pitch Perfect. Here’s a quick sneak peek into how the winners of the show are disrupting the market with their innovative ideas:
Giggles
- Founded In: 2022
- Founders: Shivam Dwivedi, Shivam Gupta, and Chehak Malhotra
- Headquarters: Delhi
- Sector: Refurbished toys
Giggles, a toy consignment app, provides parents with a platform to purchase and sell pre-owned toys. Its goal is to tackle the dual problem of reducing plastic waste and introducing the concept of financial sustainability to children at an early age. Built on Web3, the app has gone through multiple iterations to reach its current state.
The founders began their journey with the Redbricks Hackathon at Ashoka University, where they secured the first position. After extensive customer research, they created Low-Fi prototypes on paper to understand the app’s basic structure. Later, they developed Hi-Fi prototypes on Figma, with a focus on the design’s look and feel.
Giggles uses the Ethereum blockchain to store user data, ensuring secure and cost-effective storage. At eDC’s Pitch Perfect, the startup received an offer of INR 7.5 Lakh for a 2% equity stake, valuing the company at INR 3.75 Cr.
Malhari Projects
- Founded In: 2021
- Founders: Mihir Dixit
- Headquarters: Ahmedabad
- Sector: Solid Waste Management
A report by the Marico Innovation Foundation revealed that India produces approximately 3.4 Mn tonnes of plastic waste, of which only 30% is recycled, processed or reused. The remaining 70% is either dumped in landfills or water bodies, causing severe damage to the climate.
To address this gap, the Ahmedabad-based startup has developed a solution that enables the at-source disposal of plastic waste. Malhari Projects’ IP, Waste To Air, can convert any solid waste into non-toxic air by using a low-cost infrared continuous pyrolysis system.
The introduction of this machine on the premises of a bulk waste generator can eliminate the lengthy waste management cycle. This solution is offered to entities such as municipal corporations, chemical companies, and hospitals, who often face high charges for landfills or undergo bulk waste management processes for their waste.
Waste To Air claims to use 60% less energy and emit no toxic gases, making it a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to incinerators and plasma pyrolysis.
Neuphony
- Founded In: 2018
- Founders: Ria Rustagi and Bhavya Madan
- Headquarters: Noida
- Sector: Neuroscience
The Noida-based startup utilises EEG technology to measure brain activity and offers musical and guided meditations to enhance memory, sleep quality, and alleviate stress and anxiety.
Neuphony offers two products, the Neuphony Headband and the Neuphony Flex Cap, both of which monitor brain activity such as stress, focus, mood, and PDR in real time. The Neuphony Flex Cap is currently only available for pre-order. Both products utilise neurofeedback and BCI technology to biohack the brain and transition efficiently between brain waves.
The startup has been featured on SharkTank India Season 2 and listed in Forbes India 30 Under 30: The ones we couldn’t ignore. It was also a part of Google for Startups Founders Academy 2022.
SVAR
- Founded In: 2020
- Founder: Tejas Kumar, Syed Mohd Husain, and Ujjwal Mathur
- Headquarters: Delhi
- Sector: AI-assisted speech therapy
Speech impairment affects approximately 7.5% of India’s population, making it the country’s third-largest disability. SVAR is targeting this market with its AI-assisted speech therapy app.
Created by the Delhi-based team of Tejas Kumar, Syed Mohd Husain, and Ujjwal Mathur, the app provides a gamified platform to automate and customise speech treatment. With machine learning embedded, the programme is accessible in multiple regional languages and provides access to a virtual speech therapist around-the-clock at an affordable cost.
Children earn points in the app for practising and pronouncing words correctly. SVAR previously finished in the top five in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition and secured the first rank in the Startup Ideathon organised by FITT, IIT Delhi.
The LIIT Company
- Founded year: 2022
- Founders: Dhanish Shah
- Headquarters: Delhi
- Sector: Apparel
The LIIT Company is an IIT Delhi-based Design as a Service (DaaS) startup that specialises in designing college souvenirs and merchandise. It provides end-to-end solutions, including design, printing, and merchandising, for campus clubs, committees, and college fests.
The startup’s product range includes t-shirts, hoodies, bags, mugs, and phone covers with designs that cater to different college themes, cultures, and traditions. They also offer customised merchandise for events, clubs, and societies.
Founded by Dhanish Shah, the startup has gained popularity among college students and alumni due to its unique designs that resonate with the college community. The company has partnered with various colleges and universities across India to provide them with customised merchandise representing their institution’s identity.
