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Lateral Sparks, the weekly quiz from YourStory, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see the previous edition here). In this 145th 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.

Q1: EV industry

The rapid growth of the electric vehicle (EV) industry raises new challenges with respect to sustainable and responsible sourcing of critical materials for batteries, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. How can these environmental and ethical concerns be addressed?

Q2: Maths education

Many students have a fear of mathematics due to the rigid and abstract style of teaching. There is also rote memorisation, repetitive drills, and lack of connection to practical applications. How can these be addressed to improve math appreciation and education?

Q3: Sustainability and brands

Many consumers today want to show their concern for the environment by buying products only from brands with a proven commitment to sustainability. But the process of brand discovery, comparison and choice can be complicated – how can this be simplified?

Q4: Childcare institutions and livelihood

Many children who graduate from childcare institutions and other alternative care centres tend to be confused, worried and uncertain about their future. How can their concerns be addressed?

Q5: Event planning

The events industry is in full swing in the post-pandemic era, but finding a venue for an event is still complicated and requires many physical visits. How can technology help here, and where is the entrepreneurship opportunity?

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: EV industry

Urban mining offers a promising solution to the extraction concerns about deforestation and soil pollution due to natural mining of battery materials, according to Rajesh Gupta, Founder and Director of RecycleKaro.

“Urban mining refers to the process of recycling and recovering valuable materials from end-of-life products, waste, and other sources in urban environments,” he defines. Read more here about urban awareness programmes for recycling of old electronics and batteries, and manufacturers’ extended producer responsibility requirements.

A2: Maths education

Vidya Jayaraman founded learning startup Inteligen to make math learning fun, and reduce anxiety and fear. She leverages the positive impact of game-based learning for mathematics and critical thinking.

The Bengaluru-based startup offers three mobile gaming apps on algebra, chess strategy, and interactive math puzzles. Read more here about its digital and print activity books to enhance classroom teaching and improve numerical fluency.

A3: Sustainability and brands

Shivang Singh launched Impacto in 2022 as a marketplace for sustainable products across categories like fashion, beauty, and wellness products. It serves B2C and B2B segments, and supplies to multinational companies and hotels.

“We are the green Amazon or green Alibaba,” he says. Read more here about how it works with 100 brands and provides products like recycled notebooks, bamboo-based toiletries, compostable tableware, and eco-friendly gift hampers to schools, hotels, and corporates.

A4: Childcare institutions and livelihood

Girish Mehta launched the Careleavers Inner Circle Forum (CLiC) as a non-profit startup that helps children leaving child care institutions at the age of 18 integrate into mainstream society. It has worked with 1,500 ‘care leavers’ in eight states in India.

CLiC offers a range of services such as legal guidance for housing and employment, financial guidance for access to resources, peer support via a buddy system, and information about government policies. Read more here about how it was incubated at The/Nudge and MNIT Jaipur, and is looking for support from state governments to scale up.

A5: Event planning

Vishal Puri and Naveen Gupta launched Spalba to improve efficiency in the legacy events industry by leveraging AR and VR technology. It helps businesses view digital twins of venues to make better decisions on venue choice and event design.

Its Event Mockup Builder allows users to visualise and plan events by creating mockups of event layouts, setups, and designs. Read more here about its other offerings like 3D virtual walkthrough of venues, with visualisation of ceiling height, venue enclosures, and seating arrangements.

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).