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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 150th 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: Rural commerce

Rural markets are hard for large traditional players to operate in, and are also unattractive for new-age quick commerce companies that thrive in urban areas. How can this rural opportunity be effectively targeted?

Q2: Work productivity and health

Sitting at work desks for long hours can harm the body in the long run. This also hampers productivity. How can these challenges be tackled without disrupting work?

Q3: SMBs and HR

Many small business owners face challenges in employee recruitment, retention, personal development, and payroll management. They are not always up to date in labour law compliances. How can these challenges be addressed?

Q4: Lithium batteries

The growing use of lithium batteries in industries like EV (electric vehicles) raises serious concerns about their disposal after use. Improper disposal can lead to harmful pollution. How can this be tackled?

Q5: D2C food brands

There has been a rapid rise in the number of D2C food and nutrition brands, with many aspiring ‘foodpreneurs’ eyeing the market. But many of these smaller organisations face challenges in research and development. How can this obstacle be overcome?

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: Rural commerce

Founded by Sameer Gandotra, Gowrav Vishwakarma, and Harshad Joshi, Frendly sets up and operates assisted-commerce and convenience stores in rural catchment areas. It is betting on convenience and rural aspiration to grow its convenience store network.

Based in Gujarat, it functions as a grocery retailer, dark store operator, and private label manufacturer of daily essentials. Read more here about its B2B and B2C models, and how it has attracted funding from investors like Auxano Capital.

A2: Work productivity and health

Nihar Lohiya launched SuperErgo to offer a range of ergonomic office products. They include chairs, height-adjustable standing desks, and workspace accessories like footrests, laptop stands, and standing mats.

They reduce discomfort, help prevent musculoskeletal disorders, and aid productivity. Read more here about the pricing of these models, and upcoming variations in height-adjustable standing desks.

A3: SMBs and HR

Priyom Sarkar and Gaurav Prasad founded Asanify to provide Human Resources Management Software (HRMS) to SMBs. “We wanted to offer more configurability, flexibility, and independence, so that individuals can utilise the systems themselves,” Prasad says.

The platform facilitates payroll, hiring, attendance tracking, and leave management, and can reportedly be implemented within 24 hours. Read more here about its operating principles: AWE (agile, work is wonderful, engage).

A4: Lithium batteries

Founded by Utkarsh Singh and Vikrant Singh in 2020, BatX Energies recycles lithium-ion batteries to mine critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These materials are then used to make new lithium batteries.

Its three product lines, made with an in-house proprietary process, include black mass, metals, and secondary by-products. Read more here about the 48-member team that has recycled around 220 million batteries already.

A5: D2C food brands

Rinka Banerjee, Aditya Sapru, and Gourinandan Tonpe founded Thinking Forks as a specialist consultancy firm in food and nutrition R&D. It helps smaller D2C brands build products from the ground up and bring their ideas to market.

Based in Singapore and Bengaluru, its offerings for over 150 clients include defining the design brief, understanding competition, and mapping customer needs. Read more here about its in-house food labs and kitchens, consumer interaction centre, and product ratings.

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).