Your-Space, co-founded in 2016 by Nidhi Kumra and Shubha Lal, has raised $10 million in Series-A investment, a noteworthy achievement for the student housing industry. Leading investors in the investment round, which consisted of a calculated combination of convertible debentures and pure stock, were Ajay Gupta’s family firm AJAX Capital, Holy Basil Consultancy Private Ltd., and Shantanu Rastogi of General Atlantic. Sanjaya Gupta, the former MD and CEO of PNB Housing Finance Limited, and the family offices of Manish Choksi and Sunidhi Group are also involved in the round.

Your-Space, a pioneering player in the student housing market, was founded with a vision to redefine the living experience for students. Currently operational across multiple cities in India, including Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more, the company has carved a niche for itself in providing tech-enabled, secure, and community-centric student accommodations. The newly acquired funds will play a pivotal role in the company’s expansion strategy, allowing it to deepen its presence in a highly competitive market.

Shubha Lal, Co-founder, and Chief Operating Officer of Your-Space expressed the significance of the funding, stating, “The funds will help us deepen our presence in a competitive crowded market. It gives us the firepower to continue delivering global service standards at scale.” The company aims to leverage these funds to grow its operational capacity and increase its footprint in key metros and Tier I cities.

One of the key elements of Your-Space’s success lies in its tech-enabled approach to student housing. With over 60 smart spaces equipped with features such as facial recognition, biometrics, and digital locks, the company places a strong emphasis on ensuring a secure and convenient living environment for students. The newly acquired funds will be directed towards further enhancing its scalable, modular technology platform, thereby improving user experience and facilitating the development of a robust student community.

Your-Space, which currently boasts more than 7,000 operational beds, has ambitious plans to scale its capacity to over 20,000 beds by July 2022, aligning with the upcoming academic year. The company’s strategic approach involves a keen focus on becoming the preferred student housing brand in India. The funds raised will also be allocated to strengthen and retain the core team, essential for sustaining and accelerating growth.

Nidhi Kumra, Co-founder, and CEO of Your-Space highlighted the company’s expansion strategy, stating, “Our strategy for expansion is to remain focused on being the most preferred student housing brand in India.” The student housing segment in India is poised for significant growth, projected to reach over $25 billion per annum by 2025. Ajay Gupta of AJAX Capital emphasized the potential in the student housing sector, stating, “The future of student housing is going to be driven by technology and building a strong community, and Your-Space is at the cusp of bringing about this change.” The funds raised in this Series-A round position Your-Space strategically to lead this transformative change in the student housing landscape.

Shantanu Rastogi of General Atlantic emphasized the pressing need for quality student housing operators in India to address the growing demand. He stated, “There is a significant unmet need for safe, comfortable, convenient, and affordable lodging & community spaces for 30M+ migrant undergrad and post-grad students in India.”

With a clear vision, innovative technology-driven solutions, and substantial funding, Your-Space, under the leadership of Nidhi Kumra and Shubha Lal, is well-positioned to shape the future of student housing in India, providing a secure and enriching living experience for students across the country.

Anuva Kakkar found a new area in the heart of Gurugram, where the busy city life frequently yearns for warmth: the lack of good, reasonably priced instant hot chocolate. This insight, together with her fondness for the cosy beverage, inspired her to launch Tiggle, the only online hot chocolate business in India. Anuva’s story, which began with a failed postcard endeavour and ended with revolutionising the hot chocolate experience, demonstrates the tenacity of a young businessperson setting new standards.

Anuva Kakkar ventured into the startup arena after completing her BBA degree in 2019, joining UrbanClap in Gurugram. Despite her initial foray into entrepreneurship with Postapostcard facing setbacks, it laid the foundation for her problem-solving mindset and a glimpse into the intricacies of startup operations. However, it was her passion for hot chocolate that led her to identify a gap in the market — the absence of easily accessible, high-quality instant hot chocolate.

The inception of Tiggle was not without its challenges. Anuva, at the age of 21, initiated the venture on an extremely small scale. Armed with a five-litre steel jar, three litres of milk, and the essential ingredients, she set up a makeshift stall outside a metro station in Gurgaon. Despite the initial hesitations of a young entrepreneur selling hot chocolate on the streets, Anuva’s confidence soared as she sold out the entire jar, approximately 30 cups, in an impressive 52 minutes. This early success fueled her determination, leading to partnerships with a metro kiosk and selling over 1,000 cups to understand customer preferences.

The year 2019 brought unforeseen challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life. Anuva, forced to pause Tiggle’s operations, utilized this time to reassess her business strategy. Armed with a modest investment of Rs 35,000, she shifted gears to the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space, leveraging the insights gained during the initial phase of Tiggle.

Anuva’s learning curve included understanding target audiences, refining packaging strategies, and honing her outreach through platforms like Facebook and Google ads. Tiggle’s community-centric approach involved keeping followers informed about the brand’s progress, turning consumers into decision-makers. The brand’s Instagram community played a vital role, contributing to both brand building and sales.

With a focus on quality, Anuva tasted cocoa from numerous farms across India to source the best raw materials for Tiggle. The brand’s claim of serving over 14,000 customers and delivering 200,000 cups of hot chocolate to 20,000+ pin codes within a year attests to its rapid growth.

Starting Tiggle at a young age came with its set of advantages and challenges for Anuva. The perks included the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them without severe judgment. However, the challenges involved facing skepticism due to her age and gender, especially when dealing with vendors and operational aspects.

Looking ahead, Anuva envisions expanding Tiggle’s product range beyond hot chocolate mixes. Plans include introducing complementary products such as marshmallows, cookies, biscuits, churros, and exploring three new flavors. Quirky merchandise like cups, T-shirts, mixers, and a hot chocolate color card to guide consumers in achieving the perfect texture at home are also in the pipeline.

Anuva Kakkar’s mission is to bring hot chocolate to the masses in India, demystifying its image as a premium beverage. With Tiggle, she is not just brewing hot chocolate; she’s crafting an experience that transcends age and brings joy in every cup.

Hair Originals, a company located in Gurugram and established by Jitendra Sharma, has created waves in the dynamic beauty and personal care industry by collecting a large $30 million in investment following its remarkable debut on the renowned business reality show, Shark Tank India. Hair Originals, which specialises in human hair extensions and wigs, fills a distinct niche in the market, and the new investment round is a major endorsement of its creative strategy.

Jitendra Sharma, the visionary founder of Hair Originals, sees the funding not just as a financial boost but as an acknowledgment of the distinctiveness of the product offering—human hair extensions. The start-up plans to leverage this capital infusion to enhance its supply chain and production capabilities, ensuring seamless operations to meet the growing demand for its products. Additionally, the funds will be instrumental in undertaking extensive marketing initiatives, particularly focused on educating individuals dealing with hair loss.

One notable aspect of Hair Originals’ vision is its tech-driven approach. Coming from a tech background, Jitendra Sharma envisions utilizing a portion of the funding to delve into cutting-edge technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The goal is to enable customers to visualize the outcome, allowing them to see how different hair extensions would look on them. This tech-driven approach aligns with the start-up’s commitment to innovation and providing a unique and personalized experience to its customers.

Operating in approximately 20 cities across India, Hair Originals has ambitious expansion plans. Over the next 15 months, the start-up aims to extend its reach to 50 cities, with a revenue target of Rs 100 crore. Emphasizing the move towards digital transformation, Jitendra Sharma envisions making the entire process of choosing, purchasing, and installing hair extensions seamless and online. The startup currently offers two main product categories—Do-It-Yourself (DIY) hair extensions available on its online store and permanent hair extensions that require professional assistance at a salon or from a stylist.

To facilitate nationwide accessibility, Hair Originals is actively partnering with salons in various cities. This strategic collaboration ensures that consumers from any corner of India can purchase products and benefit from free installations. The start-up’s commitment to convenience and inclusivity is evident in its efforts to democratize access to high-quality haircare products and services.

Highlighting the sourcing and manufacturing aspects of the business, Jitendra Sharma sheds light on the company’s practice of sourcing hair primarily from the southern part of India, particularly from temples. Manufacturing initially began in Indore and expanded to Gurgaon, with plans to venture into smaller cities in the pipeline. This approach aligns with the start-up’s mission to create a sustainable and ethical supply chain.

Looking ahead, Hair Originals has its sights set on global expansion, with plans to launch its business in the United States. This strategic move underscores the start-up’s ambition to become a significant player in the international haircare market. With Jitendra Sharma at the helm, Hair Originals is not just a business; it is a mission to redefine beauty standards and empower individuals through innovative and accessible haircare solutions.