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Inc42 Plus gives you an inside look at how startups are transforming the Indian economy. Start exploring some of our most recent Inc42 Plus explorations designed for our growing list of industry leaders and executives who’ve made the decision to gain an edge, make smarter decisions, and connect with the people who matter.

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Reports
DataLabs helps today’s leading entrepreneurs, investors and innovators make data-backed decisions using our insightful charts and incisive research reports on India's rapidly evolving startup economy.

India’s Generative AI Startup Landscape Report, 2023
India’s Generative AI Startup Landscape Report, 2023
Generative AI (GenAI) in India is on track for exponential growth, with projections estimating a market value of over $17 billion by 2030. Home to over 70 funded GenAI startups, India is becoming a breeding ground for versatile, industry-agnostic AI solutions.
Remarkably, 81% of these startups offer horizontal solutions that have applicability across multiple sectors, emphasising India’s burgeoning role as a global center for AI innovation.

State Of Indian Fintech Report, Q3 2023 InFocus: Consumer Lending
State Of Indian Fintech Report, Q3 2023 InFocus: Consumer Lending
With an expected market size of $2.1 Tn+ and a strong 18% CAGR, India’s fintech sector is heading towards significant expansion.
Lendingtech, a segment within fintech, holds great promise. Despite facing hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry’s outlook remains bright. It’s clear that fintech isn’t just surviving challenges but also shaping a path to a thriving future.
This report delves into the nuances of the fintech world, spotlighting consumer lending. By evaluating the post-Covid scenario and key drivers of the industry’s evolution, we aim to offer critical insights for stakeholders and innovators. Our goal is to highlight fintech’s immense potential and its enduring resilience as it steps into a realm filled with opportunities.

Indian Tech Startup Funding Report Q3 2023
Indian Tech Startup Funding Report Q3 2023
A majority of Indian startup investors (approx 56%) surveyed by Inc42, anticipate that total investment in startups for 2023 will not surpass the levels achieved in the previous year. Notably, each quarter this year has witnessed a decline in investment compared to 2022, a trend that is expected to persist into the next quarter.
In Q3 2023, Indian startups received $1.7 Bn in investment, marking a 43% reduction from the same period last year. This decline can be attributed to a myriad of factors including a decrease in sizable investment deals, corporate governance issues within startups, and broader global economic challenges.
In this report, we decode the latest startup investment trends.

State Of Rajasthan Startup Ecosystem Report 2023
State Of Rajasthan Startup Ecosystem Report 2023
The startup ecosystem in Rajasthan has experienced remarkable expansion in recent years, with over 10,000 startups calling it home, of which 3,700 are officially registered with DPIIT. Collectively, these innovative startups have attracted a notable $307 Mn+ in funding since 2014.
Pioneered by CarDekho, a plethora of startups spanning diverse sectors such as ecommerce, fintech, and enterprisetech have established their unique market positions in the state. In addition, Rajasthan is host to a dynamic investment ecosystem, comprising 250 active startup investors and 45 accelerators and incubators, all instrumental in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Indian Spacetech Startup Landscape & Market Opportunity Report 2023
Indian Spacetech Startup Landscape & Market Opportunity Report 2023
The Indian Spacetech sector is experiencing rapid growth, with projections indicating that the total market opportunity could reach over $77 Bn by 2030. Importantly, with 150+ startups, the industry has already secured more than $285 Mn+ in funding since 2014, highlighting increasing investor interest and confidence in the capabilities of the booming Indian spacetech economy.
Though still an emerging field, spacetech’s rapid rise is nothing short of extraordinary. The growing spacetech sector aims to revolutionise a variety of industries through advancements in satellite technology, the exploration of asteroid mining possibilities, and cutting-edge space exploration initiatives.

State Of Indian Ecommerce Report Q3 2023
State Of Indian Ecommerce Report Q3 2023
The total addressable market for Indian ecommerce is projected to reach $400 Bn by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 19% from 2022. Since 2014, the sector has attracted over $33 Bn in investments and is home to 25 unicorns and 14 soonicorns.
However, the sector has shown some vulnerabilities; the second quarter of 2023 marked a substantial downturn, witnessing a sharp 71% drop in total funding and a 50% decline in year-over-year deal count.
Conversely, the rise of ecommerce in Tier II cities and beyond is shaping India’s ecommerce landscape in a promising way. A slew of D2C brands from these regions is generating buzz and poised to make meaningful contributions to the sector.
This report offers an in-depth look at India’s current ecommerce climate, with a special focus on the emerging startups that are making waves within the industry. It highlights the impressive growth of startups originating from Tier II cities and beyond, thereby shedding light on a new frontier in Indian ecommerce.
Guides
Learn through comprehensive, guided playbooks how to validate your startup idea, acquire your first customers, and secure funding.

Founders’ Guide To Building ESOPs
Founders’ Guide To Building ESOPs
ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) buybacks have gained immense popularity in India in recent years. But in spite of ESOPs gaining momentum in Indian private markets, several startups are still unsure about the concept of wealth sharing. Some do not understand how the ESOP ecosystem works while others fail to identify the right way of implementing an ESOP policy.
In this guide, we aim to take startup founders through every aspect of ESOPs, right from various clauses in the ESOP policy and ESOP scheme document to the ESOP process flow, success stories and much more.
The guide will act as the ultimate resource for formulating your ESOP policy and updating it at different stages.
What You'll Learn?
- How to draft an ESOP policy
- How to grant ESOPs at your startup
- How to evolve ESOP pool across stages
- How ESOP vesting works
- How taxation works
- ESOP templates and more

Decoding Term Sheets For Early Stage Startups
Decoding Term Sheets For Early Stage Startups
Investment term sheets always end up becoming a complex topic for early stage startups.
This guide will help founders get familiarised with the first document they receive from an investor as an offer to invest in the company which typically contains everything material in relation to the valuation, investment details, rights of the investor, restrictive covenants and exit commitments. The guide also talks about a new form of CCPS — “iSAFE”.
Reading this will help startups raising seed or Pre Series A funding prepare for what is coming inevitably and help navigate through the most commonly used terms, the process involved and typical investor asks!
What You'll Learn?
- Understanding how to structure terms to meet the interests of both startups and investors
- The crucial terms included in the early stage term sheets and their impact
- The process involved and typical investor asks
- Importance of various types of shares, capitalisation table & other key terms
- How “iSAFE” works
- Along with, term sheet templates & more

Building And Scaling Up A Digital Retail Brand
Building And Scaling Up A Digital Retail Brand
With the lockdown rules bringing down the shutters on many offline stores, retail brands have been forced to open or scale online stores to reach consumers. With footfall and retail visits expected to remain low for months, a permanent shift in consumer behaviour towards online buying is inevitable. Thus, it is time for retail brands to also embrace the D2C way of life and use online tools to go directly to the consumer!
This guide aims to help brands and offline retailers to build and scale up their digital or D2C brand seamlessly.
The guide will help you understand the various opportunities, options for brands, managing the supply chain, automation across business processes, optimising marketing to maximise reach and more.
What You'll Learn?
- Building your retail D2C online brand
- Using digital tools & analytics to accelerate your digital strategy
- How to go about digital payments
- Introduction to managing your logistics for digital customers
- Customer acquisition & marketing strategies to scale up
- Legal & compliance knowledge