FunPiper.com

Ajitesh Shukla (B.Tech./1999/Energy Engg.) along with few other friends started their Web 2.0 startup FunPiper.com (http://www.funpiper.com) around a month back and it has been catching up fast with the Indian Youth. “KGPian” editorial team congratulates him for his new venture. Following is an excerpt from an interview with him:

Ajitesh Shukla (B.Tech./1999/Energy Engg.)
KGPian : How did you come up with the idea?

Ajitesh Shukla : I had been working in startups all through out since I left IIT KGP. My first startup venture was IITian.com way back in the year 2000 (funded $100,000). After the last startup Cendura Software that I was working in, and that was bought by Computer Associates, I decided to pursue my idea of FunPiper.com. FunPiper.com, initially started as a portal to provide a place for users to let others know about all the fun they had in the weekend or planning for coming weekends. Ideas kept evolving and our vision got clear with time. As most of the fun happens on weekends when we get two days holidays (29% of our life), we chose to pursue this idea to make a fun-based weekend portal.
FunPiper.com is envisioned to be the weekend portal such that people start their weekend on FunPiper.com. We have chosen to innovate weekend planning in twitter style. As “How was your weekend?” forms the most heard question in any gallery conversation on Mondays in every office around the world. We wanted to take up this question on FunPiper.com and entice users to post about “How was their weekend?” With our coming up feature of “Planner”, users would also be answering yet another question, “What are you doing this weekend?” by creating weekend plans and sharing it with their friends and everybody out there.

I have always been fascinated by the story of Pied Piper of Hamelin. As users share their fun with everybody and in a way do their bits to spread the fun, I chose the name FunPiper.

KGPian : Tell us something about the planning part.

Ajitesh Shukla : As per our plan, we are working aggressively on engineering front to come up with value-added features on FunPiper.com. We are creating more channels for user interaction with FunPiper.com such as Mobile integration, and IVR (Integrated Voice Response). We have also started taking marketing intiatives to promote our portal in blogosphere. Very soon, we are planning to go for raising funds from various VCs in the country.

KGPian : What were your Growth sustaining strategies?

Ajitesh Shukla : We have strategies laid out on engineering, sales & marketing and team building front to grow at a faster rate. As soon as we get funds, we are planning to increase the team size for enhancing the portal development. We shall also be going for promoting our portal in media very soon.

KGPian : Are there any Collaboration Synergy etc.?

Ajitesh Shukla : We have plans of entering into key partnerships with vendors in various fun categories such as movies, music, TV etc. There are in all 30 fun categories on FunPiper.com. As time go by, and we build up our user base and traffic, we shall be entering into partnerships with various portals, vendors to provide great weekend services to our users.

KGPian : Is there any separate offer for the fellow Kgpians?

Ajitesh Shukla : We have plans for expansion very soon. I am not sure, if we would be taking any freshers currently but as we go along, and if have to hire freshers, I would always have an eye for IIT Kgpians.

KGPian : Anything else do you want to tell the new entrepreneurs?

Ajitesh Shukla : I and my team firmly believe in 5 mantras and they are Focus, Commitment, Strategy, Skill, and Speed. And, collective passion (of the team) is the key driver. If a person is thinking of starting his own company, he/she must check out his preparedness for starting up. Idea is only one thing. The most important thing is execution which could even make a B-grade idea click in no time.

Entrepreneurship Cell

Its been 3 years and we thought we should take this moment to show of our portfolio

So, without further ado

Presenting

PORTFOLIO of IIT Kharagpur

COMPANIES formed under TIETS Funding

Minekey Minekey’s current product is a recommendations widget makes use of advanced online discovery technology to personalize content for each user, based on what they’ve read before what what’s most relevant to them. Minekey was showcased at the Always on Stanford Summit 2007, as one of the top 50 participants at the Stanford University campus. Minekey was also showcased as one of the top 25 start-ups in Asia at proto.in. Minekey has closed a $ 3 Million Series a Round of financing with NEA IndoUS Ventures.

Ants Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. Ants Ceramics develops unique ceramic processes to create abrasion resistant components Novel shaping technologies in advanced ceramics catering to Industrial and defense related high temperature and abrasion resistant applications Team of IIT engineers guided by IIT and IIM Ahmedabad Professors, supported by reputed industrial and business consultants from ceramic industries in India and Abroad. Vision- Ants Ceramics aims offer products of uncompromising quality and become a Global Player in the area of advanced ceramics by constantly evolving technologies and products through market driven research. For this financial year the projected turnover of ANTS is Rs. 30 Lakhs and target till October end another 8 Lakhs. The products portfolio will include DT/TGA crucibles, Nozzles, Lab- Ware, Jewelry Crucibles, Pressed Components and Investment Casting Ceramic Cores.

Azure Software Pvt. Ltd The prime objective of Azure Software Pvt. Ltd is to manufacture multi-factor medical measurement instruments, capable of (a) measuring multiple medical signals in one unit, (b) storing the information for future use and (c) transmitting the data over an appropriate transmission medium (computer, internet or cell phones) as and when required, while being (d) low cost. This report outlines the progress made by Azure Software during the period April, 2007 to September, 2007 (6 months) for development of the product HeartThrob under the incubation program in TIETS, IIT Kharagpur. The technical improvement is going on.

P2Power Solutions Pvt. Ltd P2Power incorporates Statcom based technology for power quality in Industrial scenarios. Power quality enhancement, superior technology at cheaper rate, latest technology of FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) The first major breakthrough is an order for installation of three units of P2-STAT of 100 kVA each at the printing presses of Dainik Jagaran, the most renowned Hindi newspaper of India. In 2006 they got incubated under TIETS, IIT Kharagpur for the proper growth of the startup. After getting incubated they were given the necessary seed loan from IIT to develop the prototypes of the technology and install them commercially. In 2007 they got our first major breakthrough with Dainik Jagran as our client. The company successfully installed their first here prototypes at Dainik Jagran site. After successful commercialization of the technology they got further orders from IIT Kharagpur, Vidya Prakashan etc. The company has crossed sales orders worth 60 lakhs in a period of 4 months.

Data Resolve Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The Company has a product based on advanced data leakage prevention and detection technologies to stop Data Leakage in a corporate network. Being the only company having this technology in our country, it is expecting to capture a market estimated at 11 Billion USD for 2008-09. The company was founded by five IIT, Kharagpur graduates and is currently based at IIT, Kharagpur. Company has already been incubated by IIT, Kharagpur. In order to scale up its operation and R & D the company is looking after first round of investment. This will help the company meet its expected sales target of around 9 crores by 2010 and at the same time solve the problem of cyber crime, data thefts and information assurance in the country and abroad.

iViZ Techno Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Penetration testing based internet Security Company, funded by Singapore and Canadian venture partners for $2 Million. The total sales in current quarter is 0.5 Crore. The company has been selected among Top 2 Security Startups in Asia and Top 6 in the world by London Business School, Homeland Security and Pentagon. Also it has been selected among world’s top 8 innovative startups by Intel and UC Berkeley.
Entice Pvt. Ltd. They worked out the marketing and technical possibilities of the proposed software but, it was felt personally that it wouldn’t be a very promising one. They have decided to hold the project for the time being. 

Accuflex Biolab This company is based for setting up of the recombinant antibody based immunodiagnostic research and development. The prototype is based on the diagnostic tests on the emerging infectious diseases that keep pace with the rate of evolution and their timely detection.

Aero-Xtremes The company is based on Reconfigurable Autonomous Air vehicles. Prototype contains the autonomous reconfigurable air vehicle which can autonomously navigate a given terrain once fed with commands and is able to reconfigure the control in the case of failures to make it fly safe to complete the mission or return back home safely. The product boasts of being unique in reconfiguration feature in the world which will make it less accident prone which till now hinders their wide acceptance.

Intinno Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The firm is committed to Hi-tech Research and Development in Education/Learning technologies, web2.0, Data Mining, Information Retrieval and software development; the first three fields being latest. The company also has a long-term initiative to improve the quality of education through its endeavor. The company is currently providing an collaborative E-Learning Platform to its clients (Educational Service Providers like Universities, colleges, schools, distance learning programs) as a web service. This helps its clients to effectively perform knowledge dissemination and reach the benefactors of clients’ service i.e. the student, in an efficient manner. It also helps the students maximize the use of educational resources in a time and resource efficient manner. Currently, the company’s first client, IIT Kharagpur, has given a very positive response to former’s service (E-learning platform). The company is incubated under TIETS, IIT Kharagpur and has received a seed loan of amount Rs. 10 Lacs.

Powersys Pvt. Ltd. Deployment of the national grid requires software based optimization for efficient performance. Derivative software will also be developed for dynamic power management with respect to grid constants. The company gets approval from TIETS based on the proposal to form a Pvt. Ltd. company on June 22, 2007.

Xaneda Technolgies India Private Limited Xaneda has a big business potential since it addresses a burning problem in a fast growing domain like Analog and Mixed-Signal IC design. At present Analog IC segment is growing at more than 10% per annum compared to the overall Semiconductor industry which is growing at a mere 3.2%. Analog IP market is growing much faster (around 39% p.a.). Moreover, Xaneda’s EDA product will enable a whole new business in Analog Mixed Signal Design Service area in India which is limited till date due to lack of man-power.

Design and Development of Micro-cooler for the Electronic Components The company aims to develop innovative and efficient electronic cooling technology for better thermal management. This Micro-cooler company has been promised a seed loan applicable to their noble innovation from the TIDE centre.

Capillary Technologies

Started by Aneesh Reddy and K.K.Mehra, Capillary Technologies Private Limited is a new venture by alumni of IIT Kharagpur and has operations in the space of mobile value added services for the retail sector.

*P2P and INTINNO were the winners of Concipio. The winner of Concipio 2006, ROBOKIT didn’t opt for funding.

An interview with Mr. Shwetank Jain, CEO, P2P Power Solutions

On the 9th of August 2008, we were honoured to have Mr. Shwetank Jain, CEO P2P Power Solutions, alumnus  IIT Kharagpur, amongst us answering queries to a jam-packed gathering of 1st year students at V1 auditorium, on the occasion of Fresher’s Induction Program. Shwetank won Conipio 2005 through which he got his start up initially funded. 90% of the young audience said they too would like to have a start-up of their own at some point of time!! These are a few excerpts from the question-answer session with Shwetank on that day.

1.Please tell us something about P2P Power Solution?

A: It basically developed from my b-tech project which I did in 2006.It deals with power handling, improving efficiency of machines & reducing grid pollution.

2.Whom does your industry caters?

A: It caters to basically steel industry, paper mills, printing press any hardware industry and even the medical industry.

3.When did you think of starting a company of your own?

A: I wanted to do something of my own since my 2nd year of my college & was actually looking for a good idea which I got in my third year from Prof. Poddar.

4.How did you manage the initial funding?

A: The initial seed loan was provided by IIT Kharagpur. Now I have some funding from the WB mutual funds but they have only been sanctioned not issued.

5.At what stage is your business sales currently?

A: At this time I have sales order of Rs.60 lakh with around 30 lakh implemented and we aim to take it to 1
crore by the end of this year.

6.What role does the MBA play in business?

A: For doing business you don’t need to do MBA because its mostly theoretical knowledge and that doesn’t help you anyways it’s just your brain which comes for your rescue at places. Even I joined XLRI last year because of persuation from my parents but I had to leave it anyways because I couldn’t do the two things simultaneously.

7.Whats the advantage of opening your own company?

A: You directly become the CEO of your company what else? And once your company starts doing well you become independent .

8.Does one need a great personality to have a start up on his own?

A: As far as I think, it’s not needed that much, It’s your mind which actually works but yes, you should be confident and be presentable to others.