If there is political unrest in the country, international investors will become uncertain about investing in India. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) have already received a lot of international criticism, and it is only a matter of time before it affects business sentiment. Alienation of border areas like Kashmir will continue, which means development will get stunted if the government continues to prioritise issues related to citizenship rather than focusing on economic development.

Publication : Yourstory

Date : January 02, 2019

Aided by proliferation of cheap smartphones and a burgeoning young population which is increasingly taking to convenience, the domestic e-commerce sector is sure making headway — from $16-17 billion in 2014, the market has currently grown close to $30 billion, according to analyst estimates. However, it is nowhere near $100 billion as predicted by analysts five years ago. A 2016 KPMG report had estimated the e-commerce industry to touch $103 billion by 2020. To give perspective — e-tail comprises lion’s share of the total e-commerce sector but a mere 3% Indians shop online, according to a RedSeer Consulting report released last year.

Publication: Financial Express

Date: December 31, 2019

E-commerce and digital payments are fields that have been advancing at a rapid pace over the last few years. And now that we’ve entered into a new decade, it’s vital to keep preparing for what’s to come. Here, Mastercard’s head of digital payments in the UK and Ireland, Mike Cowen, gives his predictions for the top 10 trends that are set to have an impact on the sector this year: 2019 has seen a massive shift to new interfaces enabling consumers to shop, live, and pay without the need to pick up a mobile phone or other device in order to do so.

Publication : Silicon Republic 

Date : January 03, 2020

The government is expected to provide tax incentives to start-ups in the forthcoming budget to support the growth of budding entrepreneurs, sources said. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has suggested several measures to the finance ministry for start-ups in the budget. The recommendations include an extension of tax incentives to incubators supported under Atal Innovation Mission; reduction in GST (Goods and Services Tax) rates on AIF (alternate investment fund) management fees; and tax benefits on ESOPs, they said.

Publication: The Economic Times

Date: December 30, 2019

The government has been trying to tame the internet commerce hydra for a while now. On February 23, 2019, it brought in the draft national e-commerce policy, making India one of the few countries in the world to take steps towards such unconventional legislation. However, to ensure a better understanding of the e-commerce sector and its future, you would do well to read the document with the Consumer Protection (e-Commerce) Rules, 2019. The policy was due to be implemented by the end of 2019, but has missed the deadline.

Publication: MoneyControl

Date: January 1,2020

For Indian startups, raising capital in 2020 depends on where they are in their growth cycle. Those raising Series A or B rounds could get a longer rope, but those who have been around for a while will need to demonstrate a clear path to profitability. Investor tolerance for losses has shrunk with a lukewarm Uber IPO and WeWork’s momentous non-IPO. However, they are likely to continue backing market leaders despite red in their books.

Publication: Forbes India

Date: January 2, 2020

The startup draft policy has laid out an ambitious target of creating 1 lakh jobs and facilitated the growth of 2000 startups. While the industry said it will improve the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state, the government also needs to involve the private sector as they are better placed to know what works and what does not as they have already invested in a lot of startups.

Publication: The Times Of India

Date: January 2, 2019

India’s unicorn club witnessed several highs and lows in 2019, even as investors remained cautious across the tech startup segment. Several new startups entered the unicorn club, and existing unicorns moved closer to their proposed IPOs. Mint takes a closer look at the top technology unicorns in 2019, which includes nine new names in the same year, and the road ahead for these billion-dollar companies in 2020.

Publication: Mint

Date: January 1, 2020