From AstraZeneca's India growth plan to Forbes India Under 30 nominations, our top stories of the week

In this week's newsletter, read more about Indian startups on Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, how to lead in the age of outrage, JSW Foundation's Hampi Art Labs

By Forbes India

Published: Nov 16, 2024 10:00:00 AM IST

Updated: Nov 15, 2024 05:34:22 PM IST

1) Offering one-stop solution

Avinash Sharma, co-founder and CEO, ElectricPe Image: Madhu Kapparath

The adoption of electric two-wheeler vehicles is on the rise in India. Share of two-wheeler EVs increased from 0.4 percent in 2020-21 to 5.4 percent in early 2023. According to investment banking company Jeffries, this share saw a little dip in FY24 to 5 percent. But with government support--Union Cabinet has approved an electric mobility promotion scheme with an outlay of Rs10,900 crore--this rise will continue. So, how does one carve a niche in this rising market and satisfy customers? Become a one-stop solution from sales to service. “You can think of us like the Zomato of EV two-wheelers. Whatever your EV needs are, we have a solution,” says Avinash Sharma, co-founder and CEO of ElectricPe.

2) Looking out for dairy farmers

Ragavan Venkatesan, founder and CEO, Digivriddhi Image: Mexy Xavier

As per FAO Dairy Market Review, India’s milk production has grown at a 6 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), with a rise in production to 230.58 million tonnes in 2022-23 from 187.30 million tonnes in 2018-19. Milk production in India is estimated to reach 236.35 million tonnes in 2023-24, registering a growth of 2.5 percent over the last year. Dairy farmers are at the heart of these staggering numbers. And they suffer because of various difficulties in acquiring more capital, and gaining access to finance to keep, if not improve the size of, their cattle. With Digvriddhi Technologies, Ragavan Venkatesan, a founding member of IDFC Bank, is simplifying and expediting the process, paving the way for dairy farmers' prosperity.

3) Indian startups on Forbes Asia 100 to Watch

Annu Talreja, CEO, Accacia

In the fourth edition of Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list, which showcases small companies and startups in Asia-Pacific making waves in their sector, Indian companies have taken the lead with 20 entries. These business setups have grabbed investors' attention and managed to get them to loosen their purse strings. This is an extraordinary achievement since venture capital funding in the region has hit a seven-year low. Riding on the innovation and reinvention wagon, these startups have gained traction in some of the world's hottest industries. See what India, a hotbed of startups, has to offer.

1) Roadmap for India growth

Sanjeev Panchal, Country President & Managing Director for AstraZeneca India; Photo: Selvaprakash Lakshmanan for Forbes India

Be it manufacturing, beauty, or even the pharmaceutical industry, everyone wants a piece of Indian pie. Things are not different for AstraZeneca, a pharma giant that became a household name in India because of the Covid-19 vaccine. The company has been in the Indian market for nearly 45 years, bringing more than 50 innovative medicines--biopharmaceuticals, oncology, immune therapies, and rare diseases--in the country. But now the focus is on speeding up the process of bringing these meds into the country. How will the company accelerate development, delivery, and bring in profits? Sanjeev Patel, Country President & MD of AstraZeneca India, answers these questions and talks about India growth plan.

2) Leading in a polarised world

Karthik Ramanna, Author and professor of business and public policy at University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government

You see a polarised world everywhere you go on social media, especially after impactful elections on global landscapes, such as the recent US presidential race, Lok Sabha elections in India, and hurried elections in the UK and France. People have never been so steadfast in their opinions and so closed off to understanding the other perspective. The social media evolution has led to an age of outrage. It lives online, in the house, among friends, and at workplaces where bringing people together to achieve a common goal is the manager's first and foremost job. How should managers navigate this age of outrage? Karthik Ramanna, professor of business and public policy at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, and author of The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World, offers some solutions.

3) Art patrons with a mission

Exterior view of Hampi Art Labs

As a sports fan, this writer is well aware of the work JSW Group has been doing at the grassroots level to give India some of its medal-winning Olympians. They are also active in the arenas of football, kabaddi, and cricket. Their Inspire Institute of Sport is India's first privately-funded high-performance training centre for athletes. The exact format is being followed at Hampi Art Labs, an art residency and exhibition space aimed at nurturing artists globally. Sangita Jindal, chairperson of the social development arm of JSW Group, JSW Foundation, shares how this new centre in Vijaynagar, Karnataka, will foster an environment to encourage experimentation and multidisciplinary exploration.

4) Forbes India Under 30 Class of 2025

Ritesh Agarwal of Oyo, Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra of Zepto, Sahil Barua of Delhivery, Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, fashion designer Masaba Gupta, Indian women's team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Olympian Neeraj Chopra, actors Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri have one thing in common. They are all Forbes India Under 30 winners. In the last 10 years since its conception, this coveted list has brought the spotlight to more than 330 winners who have innovated, disrupted, and led the charge of success in their respective fields. Nomination forms for the Class of 2025 are now open. This is your chance to nominate yourself or someone you know deserving of this honour.