Lateral Sparks, the weekly quiz from YourStory, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see the previous edition here). In this 157th edition of the quiz, we present issues tackled by real-life entrepreneurs in their startup journeys.
What would you do if you were in their shoes? At the end of the quiz, you will find out what the entrepreneurs and innovators themselves did. Would you do things differently?
Check out YourStory’s Book Review section as well, with takeaways from over 355 titles on creativity and entrepreneurship, and our weekend PhotoSparks section on creativity in the arts.
Q1: Art market
Much attention has focused on India’s startup ecosystem, but not as much on the huge potential of India’s art market. Consumer spending is up, but not as much on art. How can this challenge be tackled?
Q2: Travel assistance
Travellers can face several challenges during their journeys, such as the loss of an important belonging, a medical emergency, or getting lost in a new city. What can be done to help such travellers in distress and reduce worries about what might go wrong?
Q3: Museums and education
Museums play an important role in increasing awareness about science and the environment among the larger public, especially children. But in many traditional museums, visitors are passive observers. What can be done to make the experience more engaging?
Q4: Sustainability solutions
Ensuring sustainability is key for future business growth. However, many companies face challenges in accessing tailored solutions and financing that meet their needs. How can this problem be addressed?
Q5: Food discovery
The bewildering choice of food options makes it hard for consumers to make a satisfactory choice. Many new restaurants remain undiscovered due to lack of visibility. How can this challenge of exploration and trust be addressed?
Answers!
Congratulations on having come this far! But there’s more to come—answers to these five questions (below), as well as links to articles with more details on the entrepreneurs’ solutions. Happy reading, happy learning—and happy creating!
A1: Art market
Vaishnavi Murali founded Eikowa as an online art gallery to democratise art and make it accessible to a wider audience. It has expanded into two physical spaces in Hyderabad and Gurugram.
It makes first-time art buyers feel comfortable and informed, something Murali felt traditional galleries often fail to do. Read more here about how Eikowa also offers augmented reality features to create an immersive experience and blockchain certification for senior artists.
A2: Travel assistance
Harish Khatri founded India Assist as a mobile-based assistant service that helps travellers deal with issues such as medical emergencies, trip disruptions, and lost luggage. It operates in over 130 cities across India.
Khatri has laid the groundwork for expansion into Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the UAE. Read more here about how it has raised $2.5 million, and started off its journey by managing the UP Tourism’s Tourist Information Centres.
A3: Museums and education
Founded in 2023, the JSW Foundation’s Museum of Solutions (MuSo) in Mumbai engages children as active participants in solving real-world challenges. “Our goal is to create an environment where learning happens through hands-on immersive experiences, and children become future change-makers,” says founder Tanvi Jindal Shete.
It features exhibitions, activities, and learning experiences on topics like sustainability, social justice, health, and the environment. Read more here about MuSo’s Make Lab which encourages children to adopt a ‘Maker Mindset,’ and its Discover Lab where children learn about local issues, such as the challenges faced by the Mithi River and the Koli fishing community.
A4: Sustainability solutions
Founded in 2023 by Aditya Singh, Pramod Marar and Terniza Berry, TapFin provides a range of financing and insurance services to organisations within the sustainability ecosystem. The tech-enabled platform enables insurance, demand aggregation, market linkages, and OEM selection.
It serves the needs of companies like cab aggregators, fleet operators, charging point operators, and financing partners. Read more here about how it raised $4 million in a seed round from impact investor Elevar Equity.
A5: Food discovery
Founded by Jugul Thachery and Harish Harshan, HOGR is an AI-powered food discovery app that helps users make informed choices from a range of restaurants and foods. This is powered by recommendations from friends, foodies, and like-minded consumers.
“HOGR’s proprietary AI continuously gathers user data from interactions like dish choices and content engagement to create detailed taste profiles,” says Thachery. Read more here about how the startup raised seed funding of Rs 10 crore from Curefoods, and has around 3 lakh active users already.
YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).
