The labour ministry’s draft code defines a gig worker as a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement, and earns from such activities outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship. Going by this broad definition the number of Indian gig economy workers is 426 million (informal + temporary workers) i.e. 92% of India’s… Continue reading Data Ownership and Wellbeing of Gig Workers
Bhanuben 46, is a native of Morbi in Saurashtra, but was born, raised and married in Ahmedabad. She lives in an urban settlement in Ahmedabad. I ask her if she is married. She bursts out giggling in response. Of course she is married! I tick it off in the form. Bhanuben tells me she… Continue reading People of Bharat: Bhanuben, Ahmedabad
The recent Covid-19 pandemic has made it difficult to meet with people. Therefore, I call up Kavita before I go to visit her. ‘Aaj muskil hai — daakter ke paas jaana hai’ (Today appears to be difficult — I will be out visiting the doctor), she says over the phone. She tells me to… Continue reading People of Bharat: Kavita, Allahabad
Executive Summary This report is part of a study that IIMA Ventures (formerly IIMA-CIIE), the Innovation Continuum, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) are conducting to open collaboration and peer learning between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and share knowledge and tools relevant to entrepreneurship… Continue reading Women Entrepreneurs: Focusing at the Grassroots
Small businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy. The 75 million small and medium businesses account for about 35% of employment and 50% of exports, according to Zinnov. They supply crucial products and services to the business, social and government sectors. Small businesses are so interconnected to the rest of the economy, and society… Continue reading Disentangling the Growth of MSMEs
It goes without saying that COVID-19 has shaken up economies across the globe. The Indian handicrafts sector has also been severely hit – livelihoods have been affected, supply chains have been disrupted, and market channels have changed with different customers’ requirements. IIMA Ventures studied crafts-based enterprises in India to map the present and future of… Continue reading From clusters to customers: Startup opportunities in the Indian crafts value chain
Executive Summary This report is part of a study that IIMA Ventures (formerly IIMA-CIIE), and Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) are conducting to open collaboration and peer learning between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and to share knowledge and tools relevant to entrepreneurship ecosystems in South and… Continue reading Technology and distribution innovations in healthtech
Why rural transformation? Why must transformation, beyond development, be the goal for the country? Can financial inclusion catalyse rural transformation; to what extent? In this article, we pick up some of these questions. We try to identify the mechanisms underlying rural transformation at the level of household and individual decision-making. We argue that, unlike rural… Continue reading Financial Inclusion Pathways to Rural Transformation
About Startup Compass The idea of starting a company has never been more popular in India. A new breed of entrepreneurs is rising in the country, inspired by home-grown heroes, driven to pursue extraordinary outcomes and supported by an ecosystem that is willing to back audacious ideas. Startup Compass offers advice on starting… Continue reading Startup Compass
Ankita, 42, is a senior partner at a law firm in a Tier 1 city. The law firm primarily works in the areas of Intellectual Property (IP) Law and Corporate Law – helping corporates and startups build their IP strategy, handling mergers and acquisitions, general advisory, real estate investments and overall litigation. Along with… Continue reading Market Gaps in Legal Tech: From the Desk of a Managing Partner
Abstract: ReMaterials was started in 2012 by Hasit Ganatra, when he realised the potential of an alternate product that could cater to the current needs of people living in slums. Slums are characterised by inadequate facilities, one of which is durable housing. Ganatra observed that metal sheets were the most commonly used roofing material in… Continue reading ReMaterials: Scaling up frugal innovation solutions
Abstract: Amit Kasliwal was a participant of the Post Graduate Program for Executives at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 2013 when he came up with an idea of a tea-brewing machine. Kasliwal conducted a survey to understand the tea-brewing machine industry and needs of the market and subsequently started working on prototypes for… Continue reading My T Brewer – Part A: Arriving at a minimum-viable-prototype (MVP) for a tea-brewing machine in India