Vinay Singhal, Parveen Singhal, and Shashank Vaishnav have created a stunning success story with WittyFeed in the digital world, where content is king. Rising from the ashes of failed businesses, these computer experts changed course and built the second-largest content platform globally, only surpassed by BuzzFeed. This piece explores the story of these visionary founders and how WittyFeed rose to prominence in the content industry.

In 2013, faced with the setbacks of two unsuccessful ventures, Vinay, Parveen, and Shashank decided to stay the course. Ditching Evrystry.com and FollowMe247, they envisioned a content platform that catered to the needs of content creators, distributors, and consumers. This vision materialized in September 2014 with the launch of WittyFeed—a platform that rapidly ascended the ranks to become the third-most visited website in the Indian entertainment category.

For Vinay Singhal, WittyFeed is not just a content platform; it’s a technology play. Leveraging robust technology and analytics, WittyFeed ensures its content goes viral by intricately guiding content selection, creation, distribution, and monetization. Real-time data analysis and insights into user behavior empower thousands of influencers to disseminate content, making WittyFeed a formidable player in the global content arena.

WittyFeed’s strategic foresight extends to its strong network of influencers, positioning the platform years ahead of its competitors. Recognizing influencers as the distributors in the digital world, WittyFeed created Viral9.com—an influencer platform with around 15,000 influencers. These influencers, with millions of followers, redirect traffic to WittyFeed, creating a symbiotic relationship that propels the platform’s reach.

WittyFeed’s impact transcends borders, with a presence in Spain, the US, and the UK, while rapidly gaining traction in India. The platform boasts over 100 million sessions and 60 million unique visitors monthly, generating revenues of ₹30 crore in FY17. Programmatic advertising forms a significant revenue stream, complemented by sponsored content collaborations with around 70 brands, including Uber, Coca-Cola, and Zee Studios. By endearing itself to brands, WittyFeed aims to derive 40 percent of its revenues from brand partnerships.

While WittyFeed has thrived, the platform remains vigilant about potential challenges, especially as Facebook’s algorithms evolve. Vinay emphasizes the importance of steering clear of click-bait and focusing on quality content to maintain a symbiotic relationship with Facebook. Future strategies include the integration of video content, fostering collaborations with mobile apps, and seeking a series A funding round for expansion.

The success of WittyFeed lies in the synergy of its founders—Parveen Singhal, Vinay Singhal, and Shashank Vaishnav. Parveen, the Chief Content Officer, envisions video content as the next growth frontier. Vinay, with a knack for building solutions, steers the technology-driven aspects, while Shashank, the Chief Technology Officer, brings real-time data analytics to the forefront.

As WittyFeed charts a course toward greater heights, its founders remain attuned to the evolving nature of digital consumption. Vinay Singhal encapsulates the essence of their journey, emphasizing the imperative of staying at the forefront of change. The triumvirate’s journey from the brink of failure to commanding one of the world’s largest content platforms is not just a success story; it’s a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of strategic vision. In an ever-evolving digital landscape, WittyFeed and its founders stand poised for continued impact and influence.

Rahul Narang and Saurabh Arora‘s combined genius is evident in the rapidly changing field of healthcare innovation as they lead Lybrate, a ground-breaking online platform for medical consultations. The story takes place against the backdrop of Saurabh Arora, who attended Columbia Business School and IIT Delhi before purposefully changing his course. 2014 saw Arora leave his position as a data scientist at Facebook in Silicon Valley in order to pursue his homegrown business goals. This crucial choice launched Lybrate in 2015, a platform that has the potential to completely transform patient-doctor relations.

Arora’s vision for Lybrate germinated during a visit to India, where he keenly observed the challenges posed by self-medication in rural areas and the inconveniences faced by urban denizens. Fueled by a determination to bridge these gaps, Arora enlisted the expertise of his former colleague and friend, Rahul Narang, who assumed the role of co-founder and chief technology officer at Lybrate.

The platform, operating as an online out-patient department (OPD), strategically deploys technology to enhance the accessibility of quality healthcare across India. Arora’s mission was to seamlessly connect patients and doctors, transcending geographical constraints. In less than three years, Lybrate has garnered over 1 lakh registered doctors, facilitating upwards of 6 million interactions monthly. These interactions span doctor searches, health queries, and appointments for consultations and lab tests.

The triumph of Lybrate can be attributed to its innovative approach and meticulous planning. Arora underscores the critical importance of aligning the product with the workflow of doctors, fostering positive word-of-mouth recommendations. The nascent stages involved securing funding, with Gokul Rajaram, a luminary in developing Google’s AdSense network, playing a pivotal role. Lybrate secured a seed round of $1.23 million from Nexus Venture Partners, Rajaram, and independent investor Vispi Daver in August 2014. A subsequent funding round in July 2015 saw a commitment of $10.2 million from Tiger Global, Nexus Venture Partners, and Ratan Tata, propelling Lybrate’s mission to new heights.

The healthcare landscape in India presents a formidable challenge, marked by a concerning doctor-patient ratio of 1:1,700, as highlighted by a joint report from KPMG and Ficci. What sets Lybrate apart is its unwavering focus on alleviating the doctor shortage. The platform’s workflow begins with anonymous health-related queries from patients, evolving into online or offline consultations as comfort levels with the doctors on the platform grow.

Lybrate’s distinctive patient engagement model places the patient at the center, offering access to a comprehensive spectrum of healthcare services. This strategic differentiator positions Lybrate favorably against Practo, its major competitor, which primarily functions as a doctor discovery platform. While Practo concentrates on appointment scheduling, Lybrate is committed to transforming the patient-doctor interaction and propelling it into the digital realm.

Despite the myriad challenges, Lybrate has achieved a commendable turnover of over ₹22.45 crore in FY15-16, with aspirations to reach ₹25 crore in the current fiscal year. The platform boasts various revenue streams, including ‘Lybrate Consult,’ allowing users to consult preferred doctors for a fee. ‘Lybrate Lab+’ and ‘Lybrate Cube’ contribute significantly to the company’s revenue by facilitating lab tests and providing tools for doctors to enhance their online presence.

As the health tech industry witnesses an influx of competitors, Lybrate’s early entry into the fray positions it as a frontrunner. However, challenges persist, and success in this dynamic landscape hinges on delivering a substantial value proposition for both patients and doctors. The journey of Rahul Narang and Saurabh Arora with Lybrate symbolizes a commitment to quality and innovation, marking the advent of a new era in online healthcare solutions.

Three former investment bankers started a revolutionary enterprise to transform medical testing in India, driven by their desire for superior diagnostics equivalent to the fictitious Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in House. The founders of iGenetic Diagnostics, Arunima Patel, Siddharth Patodia, and Homer Paneri, are revolutionising the healthcare industry with their expertise in molecular diagnostics.

Founded in 2013 by this dynamic trio, iGenetic officially commenced operations in 2015 with a mission to bring quicker and more accurate results to medical testing. Arunima Patel, serving as the Managing Director, focuses on organic growth, while Homer Paneri engages with pharmaceutical companies for potential collaborations in drug research. Siddharth Patodia, handling mergers and acquisitions, completes the strategic trinity.

Backed by a seed capital of ₹10 crore and subsequent funding rounds, including a significant investment of around ₹130 crore from a healthcare-specific private equity fund jointly constituted by CDC Group and the Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), iGenetic is making significant strides in the realm of molecular diagnostics.

The company operates across three pivotal verticals – infections, infertility, and oncology. iGenetic stands out by offering specialized diagnostic facilities that are not readily available in conventional pathology labs. They have even filed for patents for some of their groundbreaking tests, such as those for early detection of septicemia and tuberculosis. The early detection of septicemia, with potential life-threatening consequences, within 24 hours is a game-changer in the medical landscape.

iGenetic’s portfolio includes next-generation sequencing for personalized cancer medicine, genetic diagnosis and screening for assessing genetic risks in unborn children, and an array of other high-end diagnostic services.

While routine tests currently constitute a significant portion of iGenetic’s turnover, the company is strategically positioning itself in the nascent yet promising market for molecular diagnostics in India. The overall market for medical diagnostic services in the country is estimated to be around ₹30,000 crore, with high-end services accounting for just 9 percent.

The founders are not merely chasing immediate returns but envision the future impact of their venture. Their strategy involves proactive engagement with doctors and hospitals through seminars, workshops, and research papers. iGenetic aims to build relationships and trust with institutions and medical practitioners to fortify its position in the evolving healthcare landscape.

What sets iGenetic apart is not just the wide range of tests it offers but also its unique protocols and dedicated focus on molecular diagnostic services. The company has a separate marketing team dedicated to high-end services, a departure from conventional diagnostics chains that bundle routine and specialized tests for marketing.

Having signed over 100 memoranda of understanding with leading hospital chains in India, including Apollo, Rainbow, KIMS, Jupiter, and SL Raheja, iGenetic is poised for further expansion. The founders envision a future where specialized services contribute significantly to the company’s revenues, targeting a share of 40 percent within the next three years.

Ranjan Pai, chairman of MEMG, recognizes iGenetic’s unique and scalable business model, emphasizing its focus on life-saving, complex medical investigations. The collaboration between iGenetic and MEMG extends beyond funding, with plans to explore joint diagnostic products in genomics.

With an infusion of funds from CDC-MEMG, iGenetic is strategically positioning itself for growth through acquisitions. The funds will primarily be used to acquire pathology labs across the country, with a focus on gaining geographical footprint and building relationships with doctors.

As iGenetic scales up its cutting-edge medical diagnostic technology, it not only promises timely disease diagnosis but also envisions making these services more affordable. Siddharth Patodia, armed with an MBA from Harvard Business School, affirms that the associated costs of tests can decrease with the growing volume of business.

Arunima Patel, Siddharth Patodia, and Homer Paneri are not just entrepreneurs; they are visionaries steering iGenetic towards a future where advanced diagnostics are not a luxury but a fundamental aspect of accessible and efficient healthcare in India.