Lateral Sparks, the weekly quiz from YourStory, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see the previous edition here). In this 131st 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: Recruitment
The recruitment process in many firms relies heavily on resumes and in-person interviews. These can be time consuming, and pose accessibility challenges for candidates in remote areas. How can technology help here?
Q2: Natural wealth
Lotus flowers are in high demand, but not much has been done with lotus stems, which are often thrown away as waste. What is the entrepreneurial opportunity here, in the context of frugal innovation and ‘wealth to waste’ value chains?
Q3: Rural healthcare
Accessibility is a key success factor for effective rural healthcare. The availability of healthcare infrastructure, trained professionals, and medical supplies is also vital. What’s another enabler for successful rural healthcare?
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Q4: Waste management
The waste management ecosystem is fragmented, with a number of scattered players and offerings of varying quality and reliability. How can technology forge a solution here, and where is the entrepreneurial opportunity?
Q5: Handloom weaving
In many villages, traditional handloom weaving is on the decline. The craft is laborious and time-consuming, and many weavers are also migrating to cities. What’s a way out of this predicament?
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: Recruitment
Video recruitment platforms can be game-changers in the hiring process, according to Anil Agarwal, CEO and Co-Founder of InCruiter, an HR Tech startup. They offer an efficient way of dealing with the talent crunch.
“Video introductions are an opportunity for candidates to exhibit their communication skills, show their personalities, and demonstrate their love for the job,” he explains. Read more here about how video interviews can be more lively and interactive than voice phone calls.
A2: Natural wealth
Entrepreneur Bijiyashanti Tongbram uses the abundant lotuses found in Loktak lake near her home in Manipur’s Thanga village to extract fibre from its stems. Her collective, Sanajing Sana Thambal, weaves products like scarves, mufflers, stoles, and neck ties from this fibre.
She launched the collective in 2019, taught local women how to weave products from the comfort of their homes, and collaborated with weavers to fashion the fibres into a range of products. Read more here about her journey, and the support she received from the North East Entrepreneurs Fund.
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A3: Rural healthcare
“Attention to the unique needs of rural populations, such as distinct cultural norms, beliefs, and healthcare-seeking behaviours, is crucial for delivering effective healthcare,” explains Priyadarshi Mohapatra, Founder and CEO of CureBay.
“Additionally, investing in community health workers familiar with the local culture and language can bridge communication gaps and foster trust between healthcare providers and rural residents,” she adds. Read more here about the ‘3 As’ for rural healthcare: accessibility, attention and availability.
A4: Waste management
Founded by Anirudha Jalan, Abhishek Deshpande, and Abhay Deshpande, Recykal is a tech-driven marketplace for the circular economy. Its platform connects producers, waste generators, and facilitators in the waste management ecosystem.
“The company has demonstrated significant progress and scale in achieving circularity of value chain, as opposed to the traditional linear “take-make-dispose” approach,” observes Sameer Nath, CIO and Head of Private Equity at 360 ONE Asset. Read more here about how Recykal has processed 700,000 metric tons of waste from plastic, paper, metal, e-waste, tyres, and batteries.
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A5: Handloom weaving
Kalaiyarasi Ramachandran started Raatai as an initiative to promote handloom products and manufacturing. She devised portable DIY handloom kits to boost traditional weaving via three product options: WeaveMate, WeaveAlly and WeaveFit.
The portable looms, designed for adults and children, come with a user manual and a QR code that guides users to a YouTube video on how to assemble and use the loom. Read more here about other features like an online community of users for help with troubleshooting tips and design ideas.
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).
Edited by Megha Reddy
