Lateral Sparks, the weekly quiz from YourStory, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see the previous edition here). In this 194th 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 actually 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.
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Q1: Access to doctors
Many patients suffer from high-grade fever, sudden BP fluctuations, or gastric issues that need attention within the hour but do not warrant an emergency visit to a hospital. How can medical care be effectively provided in such cases?
Q2: Aquafarming
Many aquafarmers suffer from high pricing practices from suppliers. They also face challenges in identifying and tackling diseases that affect shrimp cultivation. Where is the entrepreneurial opportunity here?
Q3: Fertility
Many couples struggle with infertility – and though IVF offers hope, the process is complex and expensive. How can these challenges be overcome?
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Q4: Sustainable fashion
The rapid turnover of fashion trends leads consumers to frequently buy and dump clothes. The cycle of overproduction and overconsumption leads to landfill overload. How can this problem be addressed?
Q5: Spice trade
Despite the dominance of India in the spice trade, the spice industry has remained fragmented and under-modernised, with inconsistent quality, unbranded players, and rampant adulteration. How can these problems be solved?
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: Access to doctors
Founded by Aditya Gupta, Kyno Health has launched a ‘Doctor at Home in 20 Minutes’ service across Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. The hyperlocal health-tech startup offers quick general physician home visits for acute, non-emergency cases.
The company has reportedly completed over 23,000 consultations, maintained an average travel time of 25 minutes, and achieved a 91% patient satisfaction rate. Read more here about how it has raised $1.2 million in seed funding from Fundamental VC, and the other large players active in this space.
A2: Aquafarming
Founded by Abhijeet Naohate, Corel Lifecare specialises in developing advanced bio-formulations to help aquafarmers. Its flagship product, Mintamix, is a high-grade mixture that supports healthy molting and growth in shrimp via essential minerals in bioavailable form.
It also has an AI-enabled imaging tool to assess shrimp health through smartphone photos, detecting diseases such as Enterocytozoon Hepatopenia (EHP). Read more here about how it currently engages over 3,000 farmers every month across seven states in India, and has a projected Rs 12 crore target for FY 2025–26.
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A3: Fertility
Founded by Ramnath Babu TJ and Santosh Bhargav DB, SpOvum Technologies is a deep-tech startup building a combination of hardware-software solutions for Assistive Reproductive Technologies (ART). For example, its RoboICSI device automates sperm injection with precision, minimising ovum trauma.
Its ART dashboard consolidates patient data, lab metrics, and clinical notes, offering real-time insights and AI-powered strategy recommendations. Read more here about the startup’s journey, and how it aims to expand its presence to over 100 clinics across India.
A4: Sustainable fashion
Founded by Mayank Singh and Ayush Saxena, Tooused helps citizens recycle old clothes and earn credits. The sustainability startup helps keep waste out of landfills, and offers people Tooused Credits that can be redeemed for cash or rewards at a wide range of retailers.
It has clients such as Chaayos, whose corporate and in-store teams will wear clothing made out of recycled cotton. Read more here about how the Tooused app is functional across 18,000 pin codes across India, with pickup fees ranging from Rs 149 to Rs 219.
A5: Spice trade
Founded by brothers Akash Agrawalla and Ashish Agrawalla, ZOFF Foods aims to improve the preservation and packaging of spices in India. Its lineup includes regional combo spice kits and 5-minute gravy and marinade mixes.
It has Air Classifying Mills (ACM) for cool grinding, which preserves the essential oils, aroma, and medicinal properties of the spices. Read more here about how it has introduced resealable, zip-lock pouches that are tamper-proof and extend shelf life, and its plans of expanding from online platforms to retail outlets like D-Mart.
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).
