The IndUS Entrepreneurs, to encourage and nourish entrepreneurship saw Artoo, a technology start-up offering software solutions to micro-finance institutions, win at the IIM Bangalore auditorium on Saturday.
The first ‘Kaun Banega Entrepreneur’ programme conducted by The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE), to encourage and nourish entrepreneurship saw Artoo, a technology start-up offering software solutions to micro-finance institutions, win at the IIM Bangalore auditorium on Saturday.
Artoo was introduced as a technology start-up that delivers solutions to microfinance institutions to help them offer better quality services to their customers. The software solutions are designed for microfinance field staff and take the entire process of data collection and loan disbursement online.
Team Artoo was led by Sameer Segal, a former NIT Surathkal student who has been recognised as one of Asia-Pacific's most promising young social entrepreneurs by the Paragon100 Fellowship.
Other members include Karunjay Anand, Indus Chadha, and Arunesh Mathur. This team, along with the four other finalists, will get introduced to the angel investment community.
Pradeep Kar, president of TiE-Bangalore and chairman of Microland, said, “The Kaun Banega Entrepreneur programme was conceived in March this year to stimulate and nourish the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals and give them an opportunity to indulge in a real-life thrill of team building and company creation. The overwhelming response we received from the participants is an affirmation of the infinite skills and talent we have in our country.”
TiE, a global, non-profit, non-political and non-religion organisation dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship across its global network, received a total of 65 entries, including individual and group proposals, for the programme.
Each team was given an imaginary fund of Rs1 crore, which it could use to develop the business and all its aspects such as team formation, capital costs, sales and marketing, technology and customer support.
The programme was open to TiE Bangalore and Hubli members, students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and individuals who joined an existing team of three TiE Bangalore members.
The judges were Subrato Bagchi (co-founder and vice-chairman of MindTree), Vinita Bali (managing director of Britannia Industries), Bipin Chandran (editor of Entrepreneur India magazine) and Sudhir Sethi (founder, chairman and managing director of IDG Ventures).
“We hope this initiative by TiE motivates many others to come forward with their unique business ideas and make a positive impact on the socio-economic environment of the country,” Kar said.
TiE is spread across 55 chapters in 13 countries comprising 1,800 experienced entrepreneurs and business executives as charter members and 12,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals as members.
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