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.

Rahul Khanna, who is leading Trifecta Capital to new heights of success, is a vibrant figure in the Indian start-up sector. Trifecta Capital has demonstrated its strategic strength in the venture debt area with the recent news that it has raised Rs 1,500 crore in its first equity fund, Trifecta Leader Fund-I. This accomplishment follows the company’s successful acquisition of Rs 750 crore in the first round of the Trifecta Venture Debt Fund-III, indicating a strong demand for venture debt in the dynamic start-up landscape.

Since its inception in 2014, Trifecta Capital, under Rahul Khanna’s leadership, has been a stalwart supporter of start-ups during their growth stages. The firm has traditionally played a crucial role in providing financial backing to ventures, with strategic investments in notable companies like Curefoods led by Ankit Nagori and Rivigo in 2015.

The success of Trifecta Capital’s recent fundraising initiatives mirrors the larger trend of the Indian startup ecosystem experiencing an unprecedented funding boom. Family offices and LPs are increasingly recognizing the startup space as a lucrative asset class, contributing to the firm’s achievements under Rahul Khanna’s guidance. The Managing Partner expressed confidence in concluding the fundraising for Trifecta Venture Debt Fund-III, amounting to Rs 1,500 crore, by the first quarter of 2022.

What sets Trifecta Capital apart is its adaptability to the changing dynamics of the startup landscape. The firm has expanded its focus to include early-stage startups, aligning with the industry trend fueled by the surge in unicorns and startups filing for IPOs. Rahul Khanna’s strategic leadership is evident in the firm’s ability to navigate these shifts and seize opportunities across different stages of a startup’s journey.

The broader trend of startups opting for a combination of debt and equity to address dilution concerns has further propelled the demand for venture debt. In 2021, Indian startups raised $339 million in venture debt across 45 deals, showcasing the increasing popularity of this financing model.

In the competitive venture debt sector, Trifecta Capital faces notable rivals like Alteria Capital, which recently closed its second fund at Rs 1,800 crore, marking the largest fund in the ecosystem. However, Trifecta Capital’s trajectory stands out for its remarkable speed and growth, with the first round of Trifecta Venture Debt Fund-III securing Rs 750 crore in just 60 days.

Rahul Khanna’s leadership acumen has played a pivotal role in shaping Trifecta Capital’s journey, solidifying the firm’s position as a key player in the venture debt space. As startups continue to seek alternative financing models, venture debt firms, including Trifecta Capital, are poised to play a crucial role in fostering innovation and growth throughout the Indian startup ecosystem. The firm’s ability to adapt, coupled with Rahul Khanna’s strategic vision, positions Trifecta Capital for continued success in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of startup finance.