Latest news with #Pronto
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
'This grass seed repaired my lawn in a couple of weeks'
The winter and a big project had left my lawn in a poor state, so I was in need of some grass seed to help it recover. I decided to give the Pronto Seed Premium Grass Seed a try, and I was delighted with the results I'm a keen gardener, not quite up to Alan Titchmarsh's standards, but I take pride in keeping my outdoor space looking its best. So, I was devastated when winter left my lawn in a sorry state. After a project that involved digging up half the garden and shifting topsoil, it was in dire need of repair. The cost of turf was eye-watering, so I opted for grass seed instead. I was thrilled with the results and how quickly my lawn returned to normal. With so many options available, it was hard to know where to start. I chose the Pronto Seed Premium Grass Seed, a 1.4kg box priced at £14.49 on Amazon. Described as "fast acting and hardwearing", it sounded perfect for the job. With Amazon Prime's speedy delivery, it arrived the next day, and I got to work sowing it, reports Wales Online. Having rejuvenated my lawn before, I knew the drill. I used a fork to loosen the compacted soil, mixed the seed with compost, and kept it watered with a hosepipe during a dry spell. To my delight, after just over a week, the seed started to sprout. Once the seeds began to sprout, progress was rapid. Within days, the impact was noticeable, and after just over two weeks, the grass was nearly back to normal. The product's claimed 7-14 day timeframe held true in my experience, and its promise of "lush, green coverage in no time" was also fulfilled. However, I did notice a drawback in the shadier areas of my garden. The presence of a large acer tree, while visually stunning, means that certain spots receive limited sunlight. In these areas, the seed didn't grow as well, and although it did sprout, the grass was noticeably thinner. If your garden has similar shaded areas, it's worth taking this into consideration. Alternatively, you could opt for shade-tolerant grass seed, such as Gro-Sure Shady Lawn Seed, which is available at Wickes for £9. This specialized seed is designed to thrive in drier, shadier conditions and features a blue coating that deters birds and nourishes the seed. The packaging also includes a convenient built-in seed applicator. If you're a pet owner looking for the perfect grass seed, the Pegdev Pet Friendly Grass Seed (£17.20) from B&Q might just be your answer. It's designed to leave "fewer bare patches" and is touted as "low maintenance", with an impressive ability to bounce back from "rapid recovery from pet damage". Customers have been sharing their experiences with the Pronto seed, with one saying: "I used this Pronto Seed to overseed some patchy areas in my garden, and the results were impressive. Within a week, I noticed new grass sprouting, and by two weeks, the lawn looked much fuller and healthier." However, not everyone was completely satisfied, as another customer gave it three stars and remarked: "I had high hopes for this grass seed, but the results were just OK. The germination rate was decent, but it took longer than expected for the grass to fill in." On the flip side, another buyer was over the moon, stating: "I recently purchased Pronto Seed Grass Seed to rejuvenate my lawn, and I am thrilled with the results! After carefully preparing my garden and ensuring the right conditions for growth, I can confidently say that this product has exceeded my expectations in delivering a lush, green lawn."
North Wales Live
4 days ago
- General
- North Wales Live
'This fast-growing grass seed repaired my lawn in a couple of weeks'
I'm a keen gardener. Definitely not Alan Titchmarsh levels, but I like to keep my outdoor slice of paradise looking in good nick. So I was dismayed to discover the absolute havoc winter wreaked on my lawn. Add in a project that involved me digging up half the garden and having to shift a load of topsoil, and it was in a bit of a state. After taking a look at the price of turf and gulping, I turned to grass seed, only to be delighted with the results - and how quickly the lawn is looking back to normal. Combing through the reviews of the tidal wave of options, it's really difficult to know where to start. I settled on the Pronto Seed Premium Grass Seed, which comes in a 1.4kg box and is priced at £14.49 on Amazon. Said to be "fast acting and hardwearing" it sounded good to me, so I decided to give it a whirl. With the usual Amazon Prime speediness, it arrived the next day and I set to work sowing it. This wasn't my first rodeo when it comes to rejuvenating the lawn, so I made sure to use a fork to disturb the compacted soil a bit and mixed the seed with some compost to ensure the best chance of success. Similarly, we'd had a pretty dry spell with next to no rain, so I made sure to keep the seed watered with a hosepipe, and to my delight, after just over a week the seed began shooting up. There was no stopping it once those green shoots started appearing and within a matter of days after that it was really making an impact, with the grass almost back to normal after just over two weeks. The product description claims it works within 7-14 days, something I've found to be true, while it promises "lush, green coverage in no time", a statement that's also stood up in my experience. The only downside I've discovered is how it's grown in some of the shadier parts. There's a beautiful acer tree in my garden that's stunning but also sort of takes over a bit and hogs a lot of the sunlight. As such, it means there are a couple of spots that spend much of the day in the shade. It's noticeable in these areas that the seed hasn't grown as well, and while it has sprouted, the grass definitely isn't as thick here, so it's worth considering if your garden has shady areas. Specific shade-tolerated grass seed is also available, like the Gro-Sure Shady Lawn Seed that's priced at £9 at Wickes. That particular seed is designed to thrive in drier, shady conditions. It also has a clever blue coating that helps to keep birds away and nourishes the seed, while the pack features a handy built in easy to use seed applicator. As I've already mentioned, there's a whole variety of grass seed out there. One product worth flagging if you have a dog is the Pegdev Pet Friendly Grass Seed (£17.20) at B&Q. Promising "fewer bare patches", the seed is said to be "low maintenance" and has "rapid recovery from pet damage". Other shoppers also seem to be very happy with the Pronto seed. One said: "I used this Pronto Seed to overseed some patchy areas in my garden, and the results were impressive. Within a week, I noticed new grass sprouting, and by two weeks, the lawn looked much fuller and healthier." Another wasn't quite as impressed, giving three stars: "I had high hopes for this grass seed, but the results were just OK. The germination rate was decent, but it took longer than expected for the grass to fill in." But a different shopper was delighted, adding: "I recently purchased Pronto Seed Grass Seed to rejuvenate my lawn, and I am thrilled with the results! After carefully preparing my garden and ensuring the right conditions for growth, I can confidently say that this product has exceeded my expectations in delivering a lush, green lawn."
Entrepreneur
19-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Pronto Raises USD 2 Mn from Bain Capital to Scale Rapid Home Services
The funds will be deployed to expand operations, grow the team, and launch in newer cities as the company ramps up its rapid home services model. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Delhi NCR-based home services startup Pronto has raised USD 2 million in a seed funding round from Bain Capital, valuing the company at USD 12.5 million. The funds will be deployed to expand operations, grow the team, and launch in newer cities as the company ramps up its rapid home services model. Founded in October 2024 by Anjali Sardana, a BS Biology graduate and former investor at Bain Capital and 8VC, Pronto enables users to book cleaning, laundry, and domestic help services within 10 minutes. The startup assigns professionals for tasks like dishwashing, mopping, and clothes washing, riding the quick commerce wave pioneered by Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. "We are on a mission to create two million jobs in two years. We're growing hyper fast and scaling our team rapidly to meet demand," said Sardana. "Building in a tough, often misunderstood space isn't easy. But we've stayed focused on what matters—earning trust, delivering value, and scaling responsibly. Grateful for Bain Capital Ventures' belief in our mission to transform domestic work in India," she added in a LinkedIn post. Pronto's funding comes just weeks after its direct competitor Snabbit raised USD 5.5 million in a Series A round led by Elevation Capital and Nexus Venture Partners. Both startups are taking on the likes of IPO-bound Urban Company by offering faster, tech-enabled alternatives for household chores. While some users remain skeptical of the need for instant domestic services, investor confidence in quick commerce remains strong. Since 2021, India has seen a surge in startups innovating around rapid service delivery—from groceries to fashion. While Pronto and Snabbit tackle home services, others like Slikk are reimagining fast fashion, showing the broader potential of India's quick commerce ecosystem.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pronto Raises $2M to Reimagine India's Domestic Labor Market with On-Demand Services and Income Stability for Workers
Pronto enables domestic service workers to double or triple their earnings in the first month after joining GURGAON, India, May 15, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pronto, India's 10 minute house help service, today announced $2 million USD in funding led by Bain Capital Ventures. With these funds, Pronto will open new hubs, expanding their service area across Gurgaon. India's domestic services market has over 50 million workers, but greater than 90% are informally employed. The acute disorganization of the labor market makes it difficult for consumers to find workers. When groceries and hot food can be delivered in eight minutes, consumers now expect everything to be quick. Due to the informality of the market, finding domestic help can take weeks to months. Pronto allows users to book house help through their app with three different timing options: Instant (10 minutes), scheduled ahead or recurring. Services include cleaning, laundry and chopping vegetables. With the tap of a button, a verified and trained professional will show up in uniform at your doorstep. "Workers and consumers are disadvantaged by disorganization in India's domestic labor market. Workers suffer from income instability and consumers aren't able to get the services they need," said Anjali Sardana, founder and CEO. "The average Pronto Professional earns 2-3x more in the first month after joining. We are building a win-win-win business." Pronto's business model flips gig work on its head, eschewing the commission-based model in order to provide income stability to its Pronto Professionals with guaranteed hours. This also unlocks better service for customers, with retention rates higher than typical on-demand services. Pronto operates 24/7 with their 10-minute guarantee and users who opt for Pronto's daily services can select a specific Pronto Professional to show up every day. The company plans to open 10 new hubs over the next 90 days. The company recently launched their second hub in the Galleria Market area of Gurgaon. Over the next three months, Pronto also plans to hire 700 Pronto Professionals and 50 corporate employees across operations and engineering. "Pronto is transforming one of India's largest and most disorganized labor markets by delivering reliable, on-demand domestic services at the speed modern consumers expect — and doing it with workers in mind," said Ajay Agarwal, partner at Bain Capital Ventures. "We're excited to back Anjali and the Pronto team as they rapidly build the default platform for trusted house help across India." About Pronto Pronto is India's 10-minute house help service. Based in Gurgaon, the company provides house help on demand. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Rachel ColsonBain Capital Venturespress-BCV@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
15-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Bain bets on Indian domestic work startup Pronto even as rivals face criticism
Urban India is becoming increasingly used to not having to wait — at least when it comes to getting goods and services delivered. You only need to look at the breakneck pace at which instant delivery apps like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart have grown and continue to see adoption soar in the country. Pronto, one such startup that lets users book and avail cleaning, laundry and home services within 10 minutes, is capitalizing on that change in consumer behavior, and it's now come out of stealth with a $2 million seed round led by Bain Capital Ventures at a post-money valuation of $12.5 million. Investors are likely stoked to invest in such startups given their potential for growth, but Pronto's funding is coming at a time when people are increasingly sensitive to how gig workers are treated by platforms. Just two months ago, another venture-backed home services provider Urban Company faced intense public backlash for launching a similar service. Called Insta Maids, the 15-minute home cleaning service quickly sparked an uproar on social media, mainly for the language Urban Company used in its promotional campaign. The company later renamed the service to Insta Help, but many, including gig worker unions, didn't seem satisfied with just a rebranding. For its part, Pronto offers cleaning, laundry, and cooking prep services with three different timing options: instant (10 minutes), scheduled, and recurring. Services are offered 24/7, and the startup guarantees 10-minute service access in all supported areas. The company claims more than 1,000 customers in the North Indian city of Gurugram. Pronto's founder and CEO, Anjali Sardana, says her company aims to address gig workers' concerns with an approach that is 'win, win, win business' for all stakeholders. 'What's missing from a lot of the language around these services is that they treat workers like commodities. They treat them as inputs. That's not the way we operate,' she told TechCrunch. 'We sit at the same hubs where these workers are coming in and out every day. And the reason being that, as soon as you start putting separation between yourself and the worker, you lose empathy for them.' Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Government sources estimate India has nearly 4 million domestic workers, though unofficial sources say that number is more in the area of 50 million. Nonetheless, most of these workers are part of the informal labor market, which Pronto sees as a key competitor. Pronto says its workers can earn about ₹22,000 (about $258) a month if they work eight hours a day for 30 days. It also offers performance bonuses that can take their total pay to ₹25,000-₹26,000 (about $293 to $304) a month. These amounts are significantly higher than what domestic helpers in urban locations like the Delhi-NCR region are typically paid, which is around ₹9,000, per the International Domestic Workers Federation (PDF). Sardana says her startup also functions as an agency to help workers when they face exploitation or abuse — a problem domestic helpers have struggled with in the country for decades. The quick-service model Speed has become the new normal for many urban Indians, but does that mean people don't want to wait even an hour to have their home cleaned? Sardana thinks so. 'When they need something, they need it right away,' she said. 'For that customer, having 10 minutes of service is huge because they no longer have to plan ahead.' Pronto started piloting its service in December in Gurugram before launching its first hub in late March. So far, the company claims 70% of its customers have requested its services twice within 14 days. The startup operates two hubs in Gurugram, each serving customers within a two-mile radius. Sardana said 70% to 80% of Pronto's demand comes from within 500 meters — about 2 to 3 minutes — of each hub. Workers aren't required to return to the hub between jobs, though they must start and end their shifts there. Eschewing commissions Pronto eschews the commission model employed by most services that employ gig workers, instead paying its workers per 4-hour shift, once every two weeks. The company keeps the fees it charges customers. The company said it plans to start paying workers weekly, and even let them choose to be paid any time during their payment cycles, which domestic workers often ask for in such unorganized setups. 'Eventually, we are going to build a lot of 'almost-fintech' products for workers to provide services that they need, as a lot of these people struggle to access those resources otherwise,' Sardana said. The startup also plans to launch a health insurance product for its workers 'very soon,' she added. To assure its customers that its workers are verified and vetted, Pronto does in-house training, government ID and police verifications, and court record checks, Sardana said. It also considers giving training and upskilling services to workers based on customer feedback. The startup plans to open 10 new hubs in Gurugram over the next three months, and grow its worker network to 700, and its staff count to 50 — up from over 150 workers and 21 employees currently. Ultimately, it plans to offer more services beyond cleaning and laundry, but its focus currently is on expansion — going deeper into Gurugram and entering new markets like Mumbai and Bengaluru.
