Latest news with #Kavikrut
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
AIC T-Hub mobility accelerator Charge's next cohort features 21 startups
Twenty one startups working on electric vehicle (EV) charging, batteries, shared mobility and AI-driven fleet solutions have been selected for the fourth cohort of AIC T-Hub mobility accelerator programme 'Charge'. The cohort will undergo a 12-week programme at tech startup incubator T-Hub with access to mentors, corporate connections and government partnerships to help them deploy and scale their solutions. The cohort is designed to support startups building solutions for electric mobility, shared transport, fleet management and related technologies, T-Hub said in a release on Monday. 'India's mobility sector is entering a crucial phase of growth, with EVs and shared transport leading the way for the next decade. At T-Hub, we are focused on helping founders turn bold ideas into successful businesses. Charge is a step in that direction,' CEO Kavikrut said. With India's EV market projected to grow at a CAGR of 28.52%, from $5.22 billion in 2024 to $18.31 billion by 2029, the need of the hour is scalable innovations in batteries, charging infrastructure and shared mobility to support the rapid expansion. The latest cohort is designed to support startups working in these areas to scale faster and address the sector's evolving demands. Previous cohorts have helped startups raise ₹17.16 crore and file 63 IPs in sustainable transport, T-Hub said. The accelerator is supported by Atal Innovation Mission and industry partners. 'Our earlier mobility cohorts demonstrated the value of deep engagement between startups, corporates and government partners in building sustainable transport solutions,' AIC T-Hub CEO Rajesh Kumar Adla said.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
AIC T-Hub launches fourth ‘Charge' cohort to boost 21 mobility startups
AIC T-Hub has launched the fourth cohort of its mobility accelerator programme 'Charge', selecting 21 startups developing solutions in electric mobility, shared transport, fleet management and related technologies. The current cohort includes startups working on electric vehicle charging ( EV Cult, YANO), shared mobility (HerCabs, ProCar, DriEV Pink), battery and energy platforms (Ayka Control System, EEzy Volt, Joul Energy), AI-led fleet and vehicle solutions (Attento, Zekardo, Bluerock Robotics, Nxtas Mobility) and next-generation vehicles (Revelec AutomotiEV, Folks Force, AirJet Bike), the company statement said. Programme structure and objectives The 12-week programme, supported by the Atal Innovation Mission and industry partners, will provide mentorship, market access and pilot opportunities. Participants will have access to corporate connections and government partnerships. Kavikrut, CEO of T-Hub, said, 'India's mobility sector is entering a crucial phase of growth, with electric vehicles and shared transport leading the way for the next decade. At T-Hub, we're focused on helping founders turn bold ideas into successful businesses. Charge is a step in that direction.' 'Our earlier mobility cohorts have demonstrated the value of deep engagement between startups, corporates and government partners in building sustainable transport solutions . With Charge, we are extending this model to help 21 new startups innovate in EV infrastructure , batteries and shared mobility.' added Rajesh Kumar Adla, CEO of AIC T-Hub. AIC T-Hub is the largest Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) among over 70 such centres in India. Since 2022, its mobility cohorts have helped startups raise ₹17.16 crore in funding, secure 240 market connections and file 63 intellectual property registrations. Companies such as Efill, Ermin Automotive, Tride Mobility and Vihaan Electric participated in earlier batches.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ET Soonicorns Summit grows its footprint with Hyderabad launch of ET Soonicorns Sundowner series
ET Spotlight Report Unveiling Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills ET Special Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (I&C), Government of Telangana ET Special Dr. Raj Narayanam, Founder, Zaggle , GV Keshav Reddy, Founder, Equal & Board Member, Reddy Ventures, Prasad Vanga, Founder & CEO, Anthill Ventures, Sandeep Maheshwari, Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset, Kavikrut, CEO, T-Hub, Deepak Ajwani, Editor, Dr. Raj P. Narayanam, Founder & Executive Chairman, Zaggle GV Keshav Reddy, Founder, Equal & Board Member, Reddy Ventures Prasad Vanga, Founder & CEO, Anthill Ventures Sandeep Maheshwari – Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset Kavikrut, CEO, T-Hub ET Special Dr. Raj P. Narayanam, Founder & Executive Chairman, Zaggle ET Special Sandeep Maheshwari – Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset ET Special Kavikrut, CEO of T-Hub ET Special GV Keshav Reddy, Founder, Equal & Board Member, Reddy Ventures ET Special Kishore Tallam, CFO at Skyroot, Nishanth Dongari On a balmy July evening in Hyderabad, as the sun dipped behind the skyline of Knowledge City, a different kind of spark lit up the city—a spark of ambition, resilience, and realism. The inaugural edition of ET Soonicorns Sundowner took off on July 31, 2025, in the heart of India's newest startup innovation corridor. This marked the launch of a high-powered regional spin-off from the flagship ET Soonicorns Summit, now in its fourth year and slated for a grand return in Bengaluru on 22 August ET Soonicorns Summit initiative, originally conceived as a data-driven list, has evolved into a multi-city franchise that recognises startups with growth potential. Hyderabad was the natural choice to kickstart the Sundowner series, given that it is an increasingly vital innovation hub, yet often Sundowner format may be breezier in tone, but make no mistake—Hyderabad's edition delivered heavyweight insights and hard data in equal measure.A tribute to the grit behind the gloss in India's startup story, the evening delivered a three-part punch: the unveiling of the ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Priority Sectors Telangana-Andhra Pradesh 2025 report, a high-wattage founder-investor panel on Hyderabad's product-first DNA, and a raw, open-mic finale featuring founder stories that rarely make it to pitch decks.A key highlight was the official unveiling of the ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Priority Sectors Telangana-Andhra Pradesh 2025—a comprehensive cluster map of the regional startup ecosystem, curated in collaboration with research partner Tracxn, a data intelligence report identifies breakout companies and signals sectoral shifts in one of India's fastest-rising tech corridors, whilst analysing funding patterns, capital flows, and high-growth soonicorns and minicorns poised to produce the region's next Ranjan, Principal Secretary (I&C), Government of Telangana, Sandeep Maheshwari – Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset, and Deepak Ajwani, Editor, jointly launched the report to a packed a special address, Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, reflected on the government's proactive stance in catalysing innovation since 2014: 'We believed the government could strategically solve ecosystem pain points. And I think we've proven that. But we could do more, especially in accelerating those on the cusp of unicorn status.'Importantly, Ranjan extended an open invitation to founders: 'If you need help and the government can play a role, we'll do it.'If the report offered the data, the panel delivered the lived reality of building quietly, purposefully, and against the by Deepak Ajwani, Editor, the session featured a formidable lineup:The discussion that followed was equal parts rooted and revealing. GV Keshav Reddy, Founder of Equal and Board Member at Reddy Ventures, spoke with clarity on Hyderabad's appeal: 'I could have started Equal in any major city, but we chose Hyderabad. Purpose, culture, lower cost, better lifestyle—it's a founder-friendly city. Out of our 100 people, 81 moved here from other metros with no prior connection.'Prasad Vanga, Founder and CEO of Anthill Ventures, shared his own pivot back to the city: 'I built my first company in Bangalore, then moved to the US. When we returned to India, I thought we'd go back to Bangalore. But my wife won—her parents are in Hyderabad. Ten years later, we're still here.'Dr. Raj P. Narayanam, Founder & Executive Chairman, Zaggle, who traded New York for Delhi before choosing Hyderabad, offered a flavourful metaphor: 'This city is like biryani—slow-cooked overnight. That's how businesses should be built.' He emphasised Hyderabad's USP of 'quiet focus and fewer distractions'.His view was echoed by Sandeep Maheshwari – Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset, as he pointed to Hyderabad's natural advantages in frontier sectors: 'Especially in defence and space, Hyderabad is uniquely positioned.'Offering the investor lens, he added: 'There's excellent engineering talent here and a frugal mindset—cost discipline is built in from day one.'Kavikrut, CEO of T-Hub, zoomed out to connect regional strength with national vision: 'This isn't a competition between cities. India needs 100 Bangalores and Hyderabads. The artificial intelligence (AI) wave won't be built in just one place—Hyderabad has the ingredients: top universities, large tech campuses, and deep talent pools.'But the panel didn't sugar-coat the journey. Ajwani's sharp question on hype cycles led to a candid response from Narayanam: 'I've never believed in 'fail fast' or 'scale fast.' My focus has always been revenue. Customers keep you grounded.'On navigating the AI boom and bust, Maheshwari didn't hold back: 'One release from OpenAI can wipe out 20,000 companies overnight.' For investors, he said, 'The only real moat is customer love—or regulatory licenses.'The consensus? Bet on founders, not just the discussion shifted to hype cycles, Narayanam stressed the importance of customer-first discipline: 'I've never believed in 'fail fast' or 'scale fast'. From Day One, my focus was revenue and staying close to the customer. The current AI downcycle is helping; we're acquiring great companies at good value.'Maheshwari added perspective on the volatility: 'One release from OpenAI can wipe out 20,000 companies. The only real moat today is customer love or regulatory moats like licenses.'When asked 'what not to do', the consensus was firm: 'Don't chase hype. Pivot with purpose. Founders who've pivoted and stayed in the game, that's who we look for,' said perhaps said it best: 'Find your niche, scale it to the deepest level, and keep pivoting. That's what keeps you alive.'Keshav Reddy's own story proved the point: 'We pivoted three times in three years—from personal data to health to financial services. Now we power a billion transactions a year.'When Ajwani posed the age-old dilemma—scale vs. sustainability—Reddy framed it as a false binary. 'The right answer is: sustainable scale.'The evening ended on a note of introspection about India's capital culture. 'We need patient capital,' said Narayanam. 'But there's none of it around.' Citing Flipkart's early struggles and the role of Tiger Global, he remarked, 'One man, one strategy—Lee Fixel changed everything.'The final segment, One Moment That Changed Everything, brought the mic to the founders. Three entrepreneurs shared pivotal moments of heartbreak, reinvention, and unexpected breakthroughs in an unscripted storytelling the lights dimmed and conversations spilled into corridors and cocktails, one thing was clear: the ET Soonicorns Sundowner isn't just another networking evening. It's a mirror, a spotlight, and a platform for founders building quietly, investors betting wisely, and ecosystems readying for the next intimate founder journeys, it offered a raw, real look at the emotional core of building a Tallam, CFO at Skyroot, Nishanth Dongari, Founder and MD of PURE EV, and Sankarsh Chanda, Founder - Stardour, took to the stage to share personal turning points—stories of pivots, heartbreaks, near-failures, and surprising a narrative-rich layer to the evening, the launch of the Limitless Founder Journeys: N to X report—featuring 20 behind-the-scenes stories curated by 360 ONE—brought founder voices to the fore in fine editions in Gurugram and Mumbai coming up, and the flagship ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 returning to Bengaluru on August 22, the stage is set. Hyderabad has raised the bar.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025. T-Hub is the ecosystem partner of the ET Soonicorns Sundowner 2025 Hyderabad edition.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
T-Hub, Beyond Next Ventures India extend MoU
Startup incubator T-Hub and Japanese venture capital and innovation firm Beyond Next Ventures India (BNVI) have agreed to extend their partnership until November 2027. Building on the original MoU signed in 2023, the extended partnership will enable the launch of multiple strategic initiatives over the next five years, T-Hub said on Thursday. T-Hub and BNVI will jointly launch a social innovation programme aimed at empowering startups that address critical social and environmental issues. The programme will work in tandem with BNVI's BRAVE Accelerator, leveraging the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for funding and mentorship. Further, they will collaborate to develop a localised version of BNVI's innovation leaders' programme to cultivate a pipeline of highly skilled, science-backed entrepreneurs in India. The Indo-Japan Innovation Programme will be their third initiative seeking to facilitate closer engagement between Japanese corporations and Indian startups. T-Hub and BNVI will aim to promote establishment of global capability centres (GCCs) in India, which will serve as innovation hubs for Japanese companies looking to expand in the Indian market. This collaboration will also help Indian startups gain market access in Japan, T-Hub said. The extension of the MoU will also see BNVI operating from T-Hub's Hyderabad campus and continuing to lead innovation initiatives under the Indo-Japan Innovation Bridge and T-Bridge programmes. 'By tapping into India's vibrant startup ecosystem, we aim to co-create impactful solutions and empower local startups to expand their reach, leveraging Japan's rich experience in technology and business excellence,' said Jay Krishnan, Partner, Beyond Next Ventures. 'Our partnership with BNVI reflects our shared vision to create a more inclusive and innovative world,' T-Hub CEO Kavikrut said.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OYO elevates Sonal Sinha to CEO of newly acquired G6 Hospitality
India-based hospitality chain OYO has appointed Sonal Sinha as the CEO of G6 Hospitality, the American motel chain recently acquired from Blackstone Real Estate. The acquisition, finalised in December 2024, added 1,500 franchised hotels across the US and Canada to OYO's portfolio. The combined entity is projected to generate a gross booking value of approximately $3bn, with G6 Hospitality, which operates the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, contributing $1.7bn. OYO expects the integration to drive significant synergies and accelerate growth in international markets. Last October, the company appointed Sonal Sinha as chief operating officer (COO) International. A professional chartered accountant, Sinha joined OYO in 2015. He previously served as chief financial officer for International Business, where he played a key role in improving business margins and establishing financial control frameworks. In the new role, Sinha will continue to report to OYO International CEO Gautam Swaroop. OYO founder and group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said: 'Sonal has been instrumental in driving OYO's international business to new heights. His deep understanding of our operations and proven track record of enhancing business performance make him the ideal leader to spearhead G6 Hospitality while maintaining the strong momentum of our global business.' Meanwhile, OYO's chief growth officer Kavikrut is leaving the company to take over the role of CEO at Indian incubator T-Hub. Agarwal added: 'We're immensely grateful to Kavikrut for his contributions to OYO's journey. Having been with us since our early startup days, Kavikrut has helped shape our culture and growth trajectory through both challenging times and periods of great success. 'His vision and leadership have left a mark, and while we'll miss his presence, I am delighted that he has chosen to pursue a role that will add immense value to Telangana and India's tech and startup ecosystem.' "OYO elevates Sonal Sinha to CEO of newly acquired G6 Hospitality" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
