Innovative Companies To Watch.

1. I N D I A January 2021 Innovative COMPANIES TO WATCH

4. EDITOR’S NOTE Lead your Digital Businesses hile we enter the digital revolution; we W communication. The world is advancing in adopting new technology. Some of the new technologies being AI, IoT, machine learning, and Cloud Computing are enabling a generational shift. Both consumer behaviors and the way businesses operate are experiencing a shift. For businesses to stay competitive today, they must be aware of not only the new trends but also what is attracting the customers. Companies need to align and build their plans around it. Building a company, product, sales follow-up system, keeps customers happy while taking the company forward. envision creating an ‘online’ customer culture for business and customer Taking the pandemic into consideration the businesses were hit hard as the people could not go out of their houses. Businesses which were not online were severely affected by it. Owing to this there felt the need to move the business, service, and payments to everything digital. Although the situation is more relaxed and businesses are starting to gain traction, life has come back to normal.

5. Innovative COMPANIES TO WATCH But the need of the hour is that today, companies thrive on cutting edge, state of the art, emerging technologies. The companies that offer a wide range of solutions, wide spectrum of services in areas such as web technologies, mobility applications, web, and mobile products are on the right track of this digital transformation. will be only considered good if we make the proper use for the betterment of mankind. Recognizing such disruptive and innovative companies we have come up with this special edition of ‘Innovative Companies to Watch’. This edition has featured a handful of companies offering a diverse and engaging mix of technological innovation and commitment to build a better future. Everything, everyone, entrepreneurs, businesswomen, small or big companies need to evolve in this end-to-end digital transformation journey. The future lies in augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and design thinking innovation along with digital marketing services. Also, while flipping the pages take note to read the exclusive CXOs by the industry experts and creative articles written by our in-our-house editorial team. These articles and CXOs will help you understand the current market scenario of the industry. The business leaders need to bring these high- powered technology changes in the team’s processes and should maintain a team with enormous experience, expertise in the comprehensive digital transformation of businesses. It is only in this way we can empower the clients and companies to stay ahead in market competitiveness, and grow their businesses up a notch. So, enjoy the read! Businesses that walk this extra mile and make sure their solutions delivery is tailored to the core digital business will reach the target audience. Not only this, companies need to maintain everyday interactions with the global marketplace, understanding the needs of the customer are a smart way to increase profit. Lastly, technology and environmental concerns are growing; issues continue to increase as far as renewable energy is concerned. It is in our hands how good use we make of it keeping all the factors in mind. Technology and Innovation DarsHP Darshan Parmar

6. C o n t e n t s 10 Aspirant Soft Solutions Using the Web to Shape Your Business 14 Avaada Energy Leading the Renewable Energy Market Dynamically 20 Century Pharmaceuticals The Company with a Tender Loving Touch

7. 24 NHANCE NOW Enabling Digital Business Stack in an Enhanced Way 32 SSB Properties Bangalore’s Prime Real Estate Consultancy Articles Innovation Simplified Innovation in Business: A Continuous Process 16 Marketing Insights Global Marketing Scenario Post Lockdown 28

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9. Innovative COMPANIES TO WATCH Company Name Featuring Brief Aspirant Soft Solutions is one of the India's leading one stop, full scale, full-service software, and information technology solution provider. K Navven Managing Director Aspirant Soft Solutions Vineet Mittal Chairman Avaada Energy is one of the pioneers in renewable energy. The company was founded to make the world a better place. AVAADA ENERGY Century Pharmaceuticals is a company that has constantly imprved its processes and product quality with better use of technology and cost-effective methods. Janak Sheth Managing Director Century Pharmaceuticals Ltd. NHANCE NOW is a SaaS startup building the first of its kind Digital Business Stack for empowering the pandemic affected B2B, D2C, and internet companies sell and enable services with minimal in-person interventions on all of the digital channels. Ansuman Dani CEO NHANCE NOW SSB Properties is one of the prominent property dealers in Bangalore. Vishal V Parwani Founder SSB Properties

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12. Innovative Companies to Watch Aspirant Soft Solutions Using the Web to Shape Your Business B business. That is why the importance of good service providers that excel at enabling best technical and digital expertise has increased many folds. The demand for streamlined offerings and easily integrated options that can enhance a business’s online presence have turned out to be a game changer. usinesses over the globe are going digital. It has become paramount to inculcate all the latest technical trends into the operations to scale the compromising on the quality, for at the end of the day, it envisages building long lasting mutually beneficial business relationship. For Aspirant Soft, the deployment is the beginning of this relationship and not the end. “We walk that extra mile and make sure our solutions delivery is tailored to the core business objectives of our client,” says the team of Aspirant Soft. Aspirant Soft Solutions is an international company dedicated to building close relationships with clients. The company maintains everyday interactions with the dynamic global marketplace, building an enviable understanding of business in every cultural, economic, and political region of the world. “No matter where you are in the world, we are there for you,” states K. Naveen. Aspirant Soft Solutions is one of the India's leading, one stop, full scale, full-service software, and information technology solutions provider. The company thrives on cutting edge, state of the art, emerging technologies offering wide range, wide spectrum services and solutions in areas such as web technologies, mobility applications, web, and mobile products. It also involves end-to-end digital transformation, augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and design thinking innovation along with digital marketing services. Aspirations Redefined The company’s sole mission is to make Aspirant Soft Solutions recognized as one of the most prominent organizations that facilitates cost optimization all the while maximizing profits of its customers, for profits to clients is a profit to its team. The company’s high-powered technology team possesses enormous experience, expertise and exposure in ideating, conceptualizing, designing, developing and deployment of web applications, mobile applications, and comprehensive digital transformation of enterprise businesses. “We empower our clients to stay ahead in market competitiveness, and grow their businesses notch higher,” says K. Naveen the Founder and Managing Director of Aspirant Soft Solutions. Talking about its core competencies, Aspirant Soft believes in building them centring around the core needs of the customers, focusing on the end result. “Our core competency plays a key, crucial and critical role when we aspire to become a global company of repute,” states the team of Aspirant Soft Solutions. Over the years, the company has built a culture of teamwork, and staying client focussed and their business goals. The team’s conviction is that when it helps the clients grow, it acts as an inverse relationship. “In a way, The team of Aspirant Soft understands the business constraints of its clientele and ensures that it delivers services and solutions that are cost effective without 10 JANUARY 2021

13. we are also propelled towards self-growth,” expresses K. Naveen. The growth for the team is inextricably embedded in mutual growth. To make it happen, the company is consistently upgrading its tools, technologies, training and nurturing the personnel (technologists), to ensure that it remains future ready. At Aspirant Soft, the idea is not just to meet the client requirements but exceed their expectations all the while delighting them. Thus, Aspirant Soft’s competencies depend on various fundamental elements like vast experience in latest and innovative technologies, offering customized services and solutions. All of this in a budget and timeline that helps clients stay ahead in the market competition. Lengthened Offerings The company utilizes the web to shape its clients’ businesses. Its team develops professional websites from scratch and updates the existing sites with new features and elements. “Our team considers the Internet to be a global source of information,” describes K. Naveen. K Naveen K Naveen, Founder and Managing Director Due to the ever-expanding technology development, information has become a basic and stable source of income. The team of Aspirant Soft presents the data in a professional manner and makes it work for the clients. “We always plan to minimise your development costs without compromising the quality of your work,” adds K. Naveen. That is why the company always maintains a well-structured development methodology for each and every project. We envision not just to become an internationally reputed company, but a tech-enabler that thrives on technological pinnacles by offering quality deliverables that delights our clients Aspirant Soft is a turnkey solutions provider for a palette of services, some of which are stated below: • Website Design and Development • Mobile Application Development • Custom Application Development • SEO 11 JANUARY 2021

14. • E-commerce • Angular JS Awards and Recognition a. Silicon India recognized us as one of the ‘20 most promising E-commerce Website Design Companies in India for the year 2019.’ Aspirant Soft team’s approach is simple and based on time-tested and globally accepted best standards like: 1. Meet – The starting process begins with discussion, debate, and ideation with the core needs of customer. It then leads to conceptualization of idea into action-centric requirements. b. Business Connect recognizedas ‘Companies of the year 2019.’ 2. Planning – Brainstorming of the conceptualized plan takes place is in this stage to further enhance its features. The time taken to document the entire process, formulation of the roadmap, and implementation of the plan is considered in planning. c. India Business Awards as recognized as ‘Most Creative IT Service Provider in Hyderabad.’ d. The services we offered to our clients has word appreciation and testimonials from our clients for delivery innovative, out-of-box technology enabled and empowered solutions to them. 3. Design and Development – The UI and UX process begins in resonance with the laid-out plan in accordance with the structure and layout. The functional part of the development process starts by coding the features of the solution. 4. Testing – The complete deliverables are tested including front-end processes, core functionality, and backend using time-tested manual and automated testing. e.The best part of the quality services we offer is we walk that extra mile with abiding passion and unwavering commitment to meet the client business requirements rst and work towards offering tailored solutions. 5. Launch – Once the user acceptance test is done, the solution is deployed. “Our works are for clients who are spreading values and principles to the world in order for it to become a better place,” concludes K. Naveen and his team at Aspirant Soft Solutions. 12 JANUARY 2021

16. Innovative Companies to Watch Avaada Energy Leading the Renewable Energy Market Dynamically C particularly true in the renewable energy market, where frequent changes in tax laws, new duties, etc., have forced IPPs to change their strategy. And even while adapting to change, a company’s strategy must reflect a consistency of purpose hange is an integral part of life, and the same goes for any business. A firm’s success depends on the ability to master and exploit change. This is our planet a cleaner and greener place. The company has an illustrious legacy to fall back on and a promising future to create. Powering Lives Since its inception in 2017, Avaada has grown rapidly and has almost 1 GW of Solar Power assets under operation. The group has built some of the largest solar projects across India.Its growth continues with an impressive pipeline of ~ 3 GW scheduled to be commissioned in the next couple of years. In 2020, the Renewable energy market has seen unprecedented health crises, which has disrupted the major supply chain of Solar modules and other components, followed by the extension of Safeguard Duty, which has forced IPPs to change their bidding strategy. However, a government led by Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi and Shri R.K. Singh has been very supportive. Decisive actions during lockdown like – Blanket extension for Renewable Energy Projects, must-run status for all RE projects helped us remain afloat and resume our under-construction projects as soon as the lockdown was lifted. “We also have plans for geographical expansion, and following that, we are under advanced stages of PPA finalization in almost a few African countries,” states Vineet Mittal, Chairman of AVAADA Group and Avaada Energy. Also, he is evaluating opportunities in South East Asia in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. Avaada Group is committed to helping our country meet its targets of clean and affordable energy. Avaada has a healthy project pipeline, and continuous addition is the testimony of its commitment. Recently, Avaada won 350 MW – ISTS Maharashtra, 300 MW – ISTS SECI, 240 MW – ISTS Haryana. Apart from this, its 300 MW – Surendranagar, Gujarat project is in the final stage of commissioning. The government's call for Atmanirbhar Bharat in Solar manufacturing could be a game-changer for India's Renewable Energy market. In 2020, Govt. has launched an ambitious project – ‘One Sun One World & One Grid.’ Similarly, CERC has also operationalized the real-time market, which is expected to be a great enabler for renewable energy. In the latest development, Hon’ble PM of India – Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated world’s largest solar park in Gujarat. All these developments reflect a better future for renewables in the upcoming year. Following with Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision to achieve 450 MW of solar energy capacity by 2030, Avaada targets 10 GW of solar energy capacity by 2025. “We plan to fund through a mix of debt and equity, which is being finalized presently,” describes the team of Avaada Energy. One of the pioneers in renewable energy, AvaadaEnergy, was founded to make the world a better place. Avaada Group is one of the largest producers of solar energy in India.‘Avaada’ is derived from two words – Ayurveda (the science of life) + Vaada (promise), and thus the enterprise stands for the promise of a sustainable future. Technology at the Helm As technology costs fall and environmental concerns grow, opportunities will continue to increase as renewable energy is concerned. For instance, India can set up 300 GW of power generation capacity by tapping into Floating Solar technology. Floating solar helps reduce evaporation from water bodies and helps reduce algae in water bodies. Another area to watch out for is Energy Storage, which is expected to play a critical role as managing grid variability takes center stage with increased penetration of renewable “At AVAADA, we believe in a world with an abundance of energy generated from renewable sources. This is our dream, and we are continually striving to make this a reality,” says the team of Avaada Group. Avaada is a coming together of ideas, technology, and people to make 14 JANUARY 2020

17. assets. As prices decline, storage is expected to play a broader role in energy markets, moving from niche uses such as grid balancing to broader ones like replacing conventional power generators for reliability, providing power-quality services, and supporting renewables integration. Talking about the key issues for IPPs at present, Vineet sheds some light on the matter in a dynamic way: Policy consistency is one of the most significant issues with the renewable energy sector. Both Central and State governments have invariably brought changes in taxation, duties, and sometimes with retrospective effect, which is a significant concern for all the IPPs. For instance, Safeguard Duty was purportedly imposed to encourage domestic manufacturing of modules. However, it had no impact. Almost two years after the announcement, no new manufacturing capacity has been added, and several developers are stuck with court cases to get the refunds. Another area of challenge is land acquisition.The land is a critical element for the development of renewable energy projects. Most states in India have a lengthy documentation process and are typically marred with litigations. The resolution of matters results in disproportionate effort on the part of developers. Land ceiling acts in different states create another hurdle for developers in acquiring large tracts of land required for large scale solar projects. Vineet Mittal Chairman Financial Health of DISCOMs and Payment Delays is yet another obstacle in the race. Discoms across the country are in dire financial shape, due to which there are frequent delays in payments. Payment security remains a primary concern for developers and has rightly caught the attention of Central Govt. MoP has come up with an order making it mandatory for Discoms to maintain adequate Letter of Credits for getting the supply. However, there is a structural problem with the Discom operations, which needs to be addressed through comprehensive reforms. We aspire to be a 10 GW company by 2025 and be one of the business's largest players Avaada Energy has been a preferred destination for investors because of our professional leadership, strong project execution capabilities, and impeccable debt servicing record. We have received investments from major sovereign funds like ADB, DEG, FMO, and Proparco. “Investments by these global financial stalwarts revalidate our ability to set up high performing assets, generating maximum returns for all our stakeholders,” concludes Vineet. 15 JANUARY 2021

18. INNOVATION in BUSINESS PROCESS A Continuous 16 JANUARY 2020

19. Innovation Simplied I certain problem already being faced or likely to be faced. The reason for the same is that without innovating, the body loses the ability to counter the unexpected, and may fall prey to a situation where our basics aren’t met. There was a time when water was aplenty on the planet and life was being led in a particular way. And then came the slow and steady warming of the climate’s atmosphere which led to waterbodies disappearing or getting severely depleted. Humans and the other species learnt to adapt and change to survive the new situation and have to quite an extent succeeded in overcoming their situation. -Using more resources f you think innovation is the work only of enterprise, think again. Every cell in every living organism on the earth innovates on a daily basis to overcome One aspect of innovation is that it lets us do more for less. Take for instance automotive. Diesel or gasoline, vehicles manufactured till the 80s consumed far in excess of what they consume presently. They also pollute far less as a consequence. And what does one attribute this change to? Continuous innovation in combustion technologies which has seen the increasing use of electronics, plastics and intelligent chips. In practically every field of life, where innovation has been a norm, things have always improved. A very pertinent example is that of agriculture where produce per hectare has gone up substantially despite the steep fall in every element which goes into agricultural production including fertilizers, water, and of course, human efforts. Had humans not done so, where would we be? Most likely as dead as a dodo! This bring us to the understanding that innovation isn’t only relegated to tech-related stuff but to practically every aspect of life. What’s the difference these days is that technology is leading the race for innovation in practically every field be it relating to agriculture, education, transportation, healthcare, business or entertainment. -People moving out Fields where innovation does not take place has intelligent people moving out only to be replaced by machines. Take for example the field of data entry. A mindless activity where the person was just to type in the required matter, with practically zero innovation and loads of boredom, those with intelligence and innovative capacities moved out to places and entities which engendered newness and innovation. A part of this act of innovation was also to produce machines which could do the drudgery work! This brings us to an important question. Why is innovation in business important enough to make it a continuous process? From experience, we know that the answer could include the following points: -Being left out in business -Others get the position of thought and action leader Those who don’t innovate in business be it related to products, production process, ancillary or related services or even staff functions, are sure to run out of ideas and fall out with their clients. A prime example of this point are smartphones manufactured by Nokia. A decade back, Nokia led the feature phone market like no one else. Back then it felt like there could be nothing in the path but Nokia. It produced the best in the field of simple, rudimentary mobile phone till the advent of smart phones. Other bid for their time, especially the likes of Samsung which read the wind rather carefully. With change in technology, feature phones lost the game and so too Nokia. Without a dedicated back-up plan, the sank to the bottom- precisely what happens if one doesn’t innovate fast enough. This is the era of portrayals and putting up acts. Yes, you do need experience without a doubt. That said, if the same isn’t backed by the capability and intent to continuously innovate, it’s just a question of time before lesser mortals take the position of thought leaders despite one’s years of experience and the right credentials. It’s ONLY when you innovate and show your capabilities to the world that you are judged a leader and does. If either one is missing, the crown promptly moves on. With so much running on the back of innovation, how does a person or an organization become continuously innovative to stem the tide and ride the waves? Experience of stalwarts in the field has distilled it to a few points including the following: 17 JANUARY 2020

20. -By understanding the needs of the target audience by being close to them Balloons that broadcast Internet signal. Drones that deliver goods to homes. Computers you wear like glasses. Airborne wind turbines. A digital collection of all the world's books. A map of the world. A collection of photographs of every street in the world. A social network. Software for creating and maintaining blogs. An online video rental store. An online software store. A live-updating database of equities and financial news. A service that allows you to pay for things with your phone. A language translation service. A phone number replacement service. Video-conferencing software Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Innovation is the mainstay of the farsighted. Innovation is also the mainstay of those who set their sights on relevant issues. The latter invariably are those close to their audience and can read their pulse. And in doing so they design products, services and interventions which solve problems, bring forth new services, crank up existing ones, and generally stay two steps ahead of competition. These are times when customers understand as much as service/ product providers, and demand what they think is rightfully theirs. Innovation is thus the only recourse for business leaders and organizations to stay with their clients. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ -By understanding technology and its potential for disruption The case of Google could be the best example to highlight this point. They started out as a search engine and remained that way for years. Today, they are that, and they do a lot more, including (courtesy: Business Insider) but not limited to: Going thru the list brings out two points. Google disrupts! And Google tries and stays two steps ahead of other disrupters. -By developing the power of dreaming up the unthinkable An Internet search engine. Web email. A news aggregator. Calendar software. A suite of productivity applications, including spreadsheet, word-processing, and photo-editing software. Cloud storage for consumers. Cloud storage for businesses. Cloud computing for businesses. A website for watching Internet videos. A web browser. A smartphone/tablet operating system. A thermostat. Unknown life-extending technologies. Computerized contact lenses Robot assistants Self-driving cars "A spoon designed to make life easier for people with diseases such as Parkinson's.” A home video monitoring system. High-speed Internet service. Laptop computers. Desktop computers. A dongle that puts Internet video on your TV. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Fans of the Star Trek series would remember Capt James Kirk’s team using a communication device when exploring distant worlds. Strapped to the user’s wrist, it was used akin to a mobile that would connect the user with the circling-in-space mother-ship Enterprise. Half a century after the series was produced, practically every mature individual anywhere uses something similar. The mobile phone. Imaginations howsoever wild have the power to get the brain working to bring about revolutionary products. Innovations thus need the ability to dream. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ -By reading and by continuously innovating Innovations happen on the back of sound knowledge of technologies, and likely needs. And these on their part come about when one imbibes information irrespective of sources which enhance one’s knowledge. Reading is one way of imbibing information that comes naturally to us. Add to that the sources from where one can get information, and it becomes amply clear that one needs to read and be in the know ALL THE TIME to remain an ever-innovator. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ 18 JANUARY 2020

22. Innovative Companies to Watch Century Pharmaceuticals The Company with a Tender Loving Touch I t is very important to move with the technological advances. Innovation and creativity are most essential elements of coming up with advanced solutions to the emerging challenges. Innovation breeds growth. There have been several business disruptions owing to technology developments and Century Pharmaceuticals is quite aware about it. Also, with every technological advancement the cost of its product and its quality improves. This gives an edge in fighting the competition from laggards. Century Pharmaceuticals has constantly improved its process and product quality with better technology and cut costs while maintaining a consistent quality standard of its products. Janak Sheth is the Managing Director of the Century Pharmaceuticals. He is one among the manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical Industries and into research of novel therapeutic proteins in India. Azithromycin Dihydrate Bimatoprost Brinzolamide Calcipotriol Chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol Palmitate Clarithromycin Dorzolamide HCL Empagliflozin Erythromycin Erythromycin Estolate Erythromycin Ethyl Succinate Erythromycin Stearate Flibensarin Gramicidin Latanoprost Linagliptin Oxytetracycline (base dihydrate – suitable for injection preparation) Oxytetracycline HCL (injection grade) Palonosetron HCL Rosuvastatin Calcium Roxithromycin Sevelamer Carbonate Sevelamer Hydrochloride Sildenafil Citrate Sitagliptin Phosphate Monohydrate Tadalafil Tetracycline HCL Tafluprost Travoprost Vardenafil HCL Trihydrate Vildagliptin Steady Growth Century Pharmaceuticals Ltd was set up in 1980 to manufacture pharmaceutical active ingredients and has been growing steadily since then. The initial products were only two. Currently it has a WHO GMP plant with zero discharge. It has been engaged in the research of novel biotechnology molecules since 2008 for the treatment and cure for asthma and allergy and stem cell therapy. Recently, the organisation has taken up research of personalised cancer treatments based on targeted therapy which promises no side effects. Its vision is to reach a turnover of Rs 500 crores in five years from now. Expanding Product Range and Geographic Reach Over the years the Century Pharmaceuticals has expanded its product range and also its geographic reach. Century Pharmaceuticals now has about 40 products under manufacture and is exporting its products to 60 countries worldwide. Giving Value Added Services Century Pharmaceuticals Ltd is in the business of manufac- turing APIs for over three decades. It offers various kinds of services – in addition to supplies of APIs, it undertakes long-term contracts for manufacturing intermediates and development of new Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients as per requirements of customers. It has a sharp focus on giving value added services to its customers cost effectively. Some of the most popular products of Century Pharmaceuticals are as follows - Acenocoumarol Amlodipine Besylate 20 JANUARY 2021

23. Dealing with the Pandemic Owing to the pandemic in India, there was a complete lockdown in March 2020. The business sentiment was at its lowest level as the people could not go out of their houses and hence non-discretionary expenses were curtailed or stopped. Businesses which depended on this were severely affected as well as others owing to the pandemic, which was one of its kind in the century. Owing to this there was a sharp drop in GDP and several businesses suffered as customers could not payments in time. This led to severe financial crunch. However, as the was relaxed and businesses lockdown restarted, the business came back to normal. honour their With the pandemic, several businesses cut down unnecessary expenses, removed redundant staff, expenses were cut sharply etc. As a result, the second quarter results showed a very healthy profit for most of the companies and Century Pharmaceuticals expect this trend to continue. travelling In the second wave of virus in Europe and USA, there could be another round of business disruption. Luckily India is not much affected, and this could be a boon for India. Century Pharmaceuticals expect that India will come out of the pandemic with good growth in GDP in later part of 2020-21 and 2021-22. Developing a Niche in the Market Janak Sheth Managing Director The competition always gets the better of you. With higher competition we need to struggle to find our place in the market with a better quality and better priced product. Century Pharmaceuticals usually fights the competition by finding a way to develop a niche in the market for its products amongst its customers. This helps organisation to retain the customers over time and sustain its business. With a volatile market Century Pharmaceuticals always benefits by buying raw materials cost effectively at a lower price owing to its strong financial position. The Century Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company that everyone trusts Inspiring Entrepreneurial Spirit Century Pharmaceuticals always tries to motivate young students to pursue a career as entrepreneurs. As young people have several ideas and if they can structure their ideas into a business plan it would be a much more rewarding experience. As a result, India is able to generate the largest number of start-up businesses. Indian people 21 JANUARY 2021

24. are smarter than others owing to several challenges faced by us in our day to day lives - starting from water supply to electricity to crowding in various places owing to high density of population. Leaders of the Century Pharmaceuticals are sure that with the startups, the success ratio will improve with time. Business leaders in India have a greater role and responsibility to grow their businesses faster. India has been an emerging market for many decades. If each business leader grows their businesses faster, the country is likely to move to a US $ 5 trillion economy soon. Fair Business Practices (Indian Council for Fair Busi- nesses)- Gold Medal for Excellence in Business Practices (Switzer- land)- Excellence Award for Exports-Excellence for Innovation, Quality, Productivity (IES, India)- Gold Award from Lockheed Martin in Biotech technology- Selected as Fastest Growing Pharmaceutical Company of 2016 in The Silicon Review Magazine.- Winner of Quality Mark Trust Awards 2016- Qualified for GOLD in ZED Certification from QCI India (ZED ID-ZEDQCI1211718) - CEO of the Year by Business Connect Magazine November 2018- Brand of the Year by “THE CEO Magazine” in December 2018- Best Entrepreneur 100 in 2019 in the CEO Insights Magazine-March 2019- An Aspiring Entrepreneur in Technology Widgets Magazine –March 2019- Business APAC’s Zealous Business Leaders of 2019- The Most Innovative Brand –2019 in Business View Magazine-“30next-Future of Indian Economy”by Forbes India- India’s Leading Pharmaceutical Companies to Watch in 2020 by Prime View Magazine India’s Leading Bulk Drug Company by Gujarat Pharma Leadership Awards 2020 ecosystem of more Strong Clientele Century Pharmaceuticals has a strong clientele of small, medium and large customers like Zydus Cadila, Hetero, Aristo, Macleods, Cipla, Glenmark, Pfizer, Abbott etc. The regulatory requirements of large and multinational compa- nies are far more involved than others. However, it enjoys working with all customers as it tries to cater to each customer’s specific requirements. This helps it to retain most of the customers and helps in growing faster. Awards and Recognitions Some of the awards and recognition received by Century Pharmaceuticals are: - 22 JANUARY 2021

26. Innovative Companies to Watch NHANCE NOW Enabling Digital Business Stack in an Enhanced Way N has also opened many new opportunities that can be leveraged to build sustainable business models and profitable ventures. The pandemic has shown that companies can be run extremely frugally, people can be trusted to work from home and any geography. Rest is history (one can hire talent from any place and any culture and blend them into their existing workforce). o one has not been impacted by the pandemic. It is how they have dealt with it that will define their future. While this has been a massive shakeup, it “Our 100+ customers are spread across the small and mid - Market segment in India, Middle East, and Africa,” further adds the team Nhance. As a global SaaS player, the company will continue its mission of empowering compa- nies across geographies, in emerging markets, and sectors as they embed Digital First and Digital Only solutions into their growth plans. Enhanced Offerings NHANCE NOW’s products primarily focus on helping traditional businesses that are underperforming become digital growth machines. “All our product offerings are designed to help businesses achieve this,” informs its team. The company’s professionally trained personnel are positioned as complete Digital Business Management Services providers which brings all the assets that a business needs to get a Digital Makeover. The company’s product suite is curated with all the essential tools that a business in the domain or function would need to offer a rich experience to its customers, succeed in the digital space, without overwhelming its users with a technology overdose. Some of the company’s unique offerings are: 1. Personalized sector-specific conversational Bots to help companies deploy a digital workforce to augment their human workforce. 2. Digital Experience Cards – The world’s first digital card for post-purchase customer experience. 3. The world’s first conversational experts’ marketplace to help businesses with tactical advice as they transition their operations to the digital space. In this cutthroat and volatile market, the way Nhance is staying relevant is through the following measures: 1. By staying away from the crowded markets and sectors and focusing on emerging markets and sectors. 2. By getting closer to end-users, understanding new uses. End users are dictating the digital adoption roadmap. 3. Focus on research. Keep an eye out for new trends. Build future-ready product offerings. These fundamental shifts have enabled founders to get creative with their operational and business models. And made them bolder, by re-enforcing the belief that the whole world is out there to be captured. Working with a similar vision is NHANCE NOW. The company is a SaaS startup building the first of its kind Digital Business Stack to empower the pandemic era B2C, D2C, and internet companies sell and provide service with minimal in-person interactions, on every digital channel. With Covid-19 demolishing all the traditional ways of doing business, digital customer engagement is more important than ever. But with so many digital customer touchpoints, technical challenges and compliance issues how does a business simplify the complexities of growing their digital business? It is frustrating and time-consuming. Nearly every business today faces this challenge. “Based out of Bangalore (and now everywhere), we work with consumer product and services companies in e-commerce, consumer retail, financial services, hospitality, healthcare, and auto,” says the team of NHANCE NOW. Nhance helps its clientele automate their customer interac- tions, easily connect to messaging apps, voice assistants, social media and transform into a digital business. In other words, with team Nhance’s contributions, the company’s clients can scale to any number of touchpoints, handle thousands of interactions daily without having to hire hundreds of resources or worry about their customer’s experience. 24 JANUARY 2021

27. Ansuman Dani CEO 25 JANUARY 2021

28. Genesis of Nhance Imagine this, it is predicted that the next wave of e-commerce is going to be built on Instagram and Short Video sharing apps with millions of ordinary humans as brand ambassadors. One of India’s most popular daily need e-commerce companies has less than 20 customer support executives for the top 10 Indian cities. 90% of their customer queries are handled, resolved, and audited by their Customer Service Bot. The world is taking rapid strides in adopting new technol- ogy. Some of the new technologies in AI, voice, and machine learning are enabling a generational shift in both consumer behaviors and the way business is conducted. For any business to stay relevant today, they must be aware of not only the new developments but also what is gaining traction amongst the masses. Businesses need to align all their plans around it. “We recently helped a finance company launch their Neo banking function entirely on WhatsApp,” says Ansuman Dani, the CEO of NHANCE NOW. “We started 3 and half years back with a vision to help companies bringing messaging into their customer experience culture, as the world was undergoing a generational shift,” Ansuman adds further. People had shifted to messaging to run their personal lives and it was only a matter of time it became mainstream in business. Positioned as an aspirational product the journey encountered a huge roadblock when Covid hit in February 2020. Like scores of startups, the company ‘pivoted and persisted’ while using its previous learning and technology stack to help with a one-stop-shop to build, manage, and transition into a digital business, with a conversational backbone. Under the NHANCE NOW Reboot program, the company is focused on helping a million SMB and Mid-Market companies transition to digital business to stay relevant in the new normal. “With the world entering the digital age we envision creating a ‘digital-only’ customer engagement culture for business and consumer communication,” states Ansuman. We help consumer business companies solve this with a complete digital business platform that brings together conversational Bots, automation tools and experts services in one place Advising budding entrepreneurs in a conclusive statement, Ansuman expresses, “Build a company, product, and sales follow-up system. Build for customers, not for investors. Be an employee first - happy, and valued employees keep customers happy while taking the company forward. Always prioritize and keep your focus on less as less gives more.” 26 JANUARY 2021

30. MARKETING INSIGHTS 28 JANUARY 2021

31. GLOBAL Scenario Post Lockdown 29 JANUARY 2021

32. W was a virus which spread so virulently that the only way to escape it rapidly rampaging abilities way to stay out of its reach- but shuttering oneself at home completely cut off from the world. Arctic to Antarctic, United States to Japan, streets emptied as people huddled at home behind face masks, armed with PPE kits and sanitizers. - Be there when it matters most e were always taught that the earth was a sphere and would remain that way. All that it too to flatten it out end-to-end It’s one thing to plan and ready things to face and better disruptions, and its quite another for a marketer to be there with the clientele when most required. The lockdown was a period when brands of every kind across industries and verticals were tested to their limits. Supply-side disruptions, lack of customer support, lack of adequate online and offline presence etc were matters which came to the fore. The pandemic being a global occurrence, these issues were felt by clients worldwide. One surprising factor that was observed was that local and area-specific brands that knew their terrain very well and were aware of local issues did better than known, and in some cases ‘international’ brands who despite deep pockets could not get things and services where they were most needed. Also, worth recognizing was local entrepreneurs resolved to service their clients despite the inconveniences of the lockdown. These put together brought out the importance of being there when it mattered the most. Those who did, won! Despite the fear of death hanging over humanity worse than the proverbial Damocles’ Sword, humanity cautiously ventured out. It had to, because hunger after a while doesn’t register fear as a factor to be reconned with. It’s in these 6 to 9 trying months that brands either earned their spurs or lost them completely. Those that have survived see the global marketing scenarios post the lockdown as a time of great change which is creating a template for the future to follow, survive and grow. These post-lockdown scenario in global marketing includes among others, the following: - Show presence in the right manner - Be ready for any eventuality by looking for trouble much before trouble troubles you. Drill right down Much before the pandemic brought the world on to a single plane, there was the smart phone. With its reach and ability to connect to the net, marketing a brand to the right clientele was no more an issue. What was, was one’s intention and need. Those brands that figured prominently and for the right reasons on any smart-phone search were guaranteed the kind of visibility that’s hard to miss. The lockdown was a time of severe testing. Those intending to win had to have the presence on the right mediums, and more so for a reason that was hard to miss. The Covid-19 pandemic could just be the beginning of our lives in the times of the unknown. Medical science knows for a fact that viruses and pathogens are coming back with more than a bang and would be difficult to control. That, and other events that could flatten the earth means we ought to have our antennas really primed for trouble before it is upon us. That, and the ability to run the marketing show despite adverse happening is the need of the hour. Wars, pandemics, natural disasters, fuel-shortages etc cannot be wished away. Nor can our self-interests. Post-lockdown marketers would have to drill down deep to list our every circumstance that has the potential to cause disruptions while also listing down steps to be taken to counter and better such disruptions. Marketing finally wins when a brand stands tall despite its circumstances and carry with it its loyal clientele. - Have more content and display it in many ways From the time that the internet has become the de-facto platform for advertising and marketing, focus has come to be had on content that can and needs to be put forth. Times like the post lockdown period has made the issue of content even more important for survival. Stories of products and services, how they served valuable 30 JANUARY 2021

33. clients in tough times, what clients have to say about brands, are some of the issues around which content is now being developed and put forth. Marketing in the post lockdown time is all about a heightened and proactive sense of engaging with the target audience in order to get the right message across including making the much- needed right impression about a brand. marketers avoid CAPEX unless it is absolutely necessary and without an option. With constant upgrades and new features, cloud-based systems help marketers stay with an ear to the ground. - Constantly interact with customers be it in times of crisis or otherwise The internet democratized and made accesses (marketer to client or vice-versa) very easy and firm. It also made it pertinent that brands and marketers be in constant touch with clients be it to listen to their pain-points or informing them about newer products, additional features or just plainly informing the latter about the happening in an industry. Those that do this religiously are most likely to have loyal followings in times to come. - Align with local concerns & pay close heed to what clients have to say Despite the pandemic being a simultaneous worldwide phenomenon, the disruption, and hardships it caused to a brand’s clientele were matters local. Issues for instance in North America caused concern to citizens there and had nothing to do with the rest of the world. That said, brands that took up local concerns and paid heed to local issues came to be identified by users in that location. In time their reliability index went up substantially. - Use all ways to collect marketing-related information, and likewise communicate irrespective of means and gadgets In the end, what matters is the touch. With the net, without the net, with gadgets, without gadgets, what is desired is a connect at all times- something ONLY the net can provide. With parts of the world still being patch as far as bandwidth is concerned, marketers ought to find ways to communicate and stay in touch with clients. - Be open about abilities without being curt During and after the lockdown, with people’s patience running low, marketers who told their tales in all honesty while also mentioning their shortcomings, found their share of loyal clientele. Honesty in hard times can save a lot of pain which can be the marketer’s gain when it’s about important issues. Not being able to serve certain products or places in the post lockdown period if put forth upfront can help clients look for alternative at the right time while retaining the marketer’s image as being upright, clean, and dependable. - Invest in technology that identifies products and matter and connects the same to the cloud Post lockdown, the pace of marketing worldwide has quickened for a variety of reasons. In these times, to speed up marketing efforts and get to the clients fast, the ascent is to move to technologies which always guarantees visibility. One of them is the cloud which frees marketers from owning and maintaining legacy systems. Besides making them agile, services including SAAS and HAAS help 31 JANUARY 2021

34. Innovative Companies to Watch SSB PROPERTIES Bangalore’s Prime Real Estate Consultancy T personal touch there is to facilitate an experience. Although, the digital space has brought on various avenues that have made the work easier for many realtors, it has also taken away the pleasure of assisting clients individually in a tailor-made fashion. Tackling these issues and providing on- point real estate services dynamically to the clients is one company, SSB Properties. he impact of technology on the real estate sector in India has been mixed, where people are getting virtual tour of the properties but have lost a Properties has kept in mind the cross cultured immigrant population that has been coming in the city and its advantages with respect to the development prospectus. Vishal started this venture for enabling suitable spaces for use on rent. After grasping the market requirements of different segment of clients from various parts of the country and the world. The company now offers property management services in Bangalore to meet all the needs of the clients including corporate companies that are looking for dynamic workplaces within the city. “Our services start from providing residential properties for rent to company personnel and procuring lands for further development that can be turned into IT parks all over the city,” claims Vishal. The company specializes in understanding the individual requirements and attend the client personally to cater them in a customized fashion. SSB’s team has the ability to get the best properties for its clients at the most reasonable rates. “We are engaged in all kinds of real estate activities like renting and leasing, buying and selling, along with marketing and promoting of residential, commercial, retail outlets, and industrial premises in Bangalore,” describes Vishal. SSB Properties is one of the prominent property dealers in Bangalore. Its team is engaged in offering a wide range of real estate services that includes purchasing, selling, renting, and leasing different kinds of properties in the city. The team consists of specialized and seasoned professionals who provide a palette of services to the clients. These services include activities like aiding in buying and selling of commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties in Bangalore. “We are committed to render the best investment opportunity for the investors in the high- tech city of Bangalore,” says the Founder of the company, Vishal V Parwani. SSB’s team leverages different resources in order to cater to the clients needs. This team of highly experienced professionals have in-depth insights of the real estate market. These professionals are competent enough to realize the dynamic requirements of clients and strive to serve them to their best extent. “If you are looking for buying, selling, leasing, renting, and interested in a residential, commercial, or industrial property; be it for single or multiple purposes in Bangalore or nearby area, we are the perfect destination for you,” states Vishal. SSB Properties also facilitates trained marketing personnel for some of the prestigious builders of the city. Its team believes in transparent transactions and thereby it outsources its marketing team for various top builders in the industry on a regular basis. The company also acts as a marketing liaison between builders and real estate companies, wherein its team looks after all the promotional activities of the project on the builders’ behalf. “You can be assured best of the prices and discounts from us,” states the team of SSB Properties. Professional Realtors at Your Service Bangalore city has the potential to become one of the go-to destination for every business group on a global level. SSB As a property management service provider, the company handles all the property of NRIs, companies, celebrities, 32 JANUARY 2021

35. builders, and landlords, etc. SSB’s team works as a bridge between the party and the space user where it enables properties for filling out on rent and if needed, the team even collects the rent from the beneficiary on the behalf of the owner. Dynamics of SSB Vishal started venturing into the real estate as a hobby, helping his friends and relatives in buying and renting properties in 2002. “Initially it was just a hobby and without any financial gain. But, later as we moved forward with the sales and renting, me and my family decided to go full time in this venture from 2007,” he adds. He started marketing and promoting revenue sites and renting out small homes to prospective clients. Then his team (comprising of family members and close friends) started promoting and helping Category B, builders sell their apartments. “Our journey started with meager earnings of just Rs. 4000 per plot that we sold, and our first “ Vishal V Parwani Founder We provide end-to-end solutions for brands to set up in Bangalore, right from doing the survey to tapping the right area and locating the right property “ 33 JANUARY 2021

36. Transforming Realty SSB Properties provide tailor-made real estate solutions to the clients, right from understanding their budget and financial position to availing them suitable properties. The process includes careful selection of floor plan, assistance in negotiating, along with necessary interior upgradation advice for the property, renting out the property for investor, and getting new tenants for the clients once the tenancy is expired or terminated. “We are an integral part of our client’s real estate journey,” tells Vishal. The company’s mission is to emerge and grow as the best reliable realtor, property dealer, property management service provider. “I have my family working along with me in my firm, my close friends, my brothers, my cousins, and now younger ones in our family are also assisting me in my work,” addresses Vishal. Talking about the challenges, Vishal mentions about the problems that he and his team faced in the unorganized sector that SSB is currently active in. There were a lot of issues like the delays in projects by the developers and the difficult attitude of some owners and tenants as well. “Now we have become well-established to identify the clients who have the same ideology that we share,” addresses the team of SSB Properties. rental started with just Rs. 1200 as our fee. Started with a mobile phone, the journey is pretty great now and we have scaled up to doing business with the best Category A developers in Bangalore,” opines Vishal. The pandemic had instilled uncertainty in some clients, but now people have realized that only real estate investment seems to be safe and lucrative, and rentals from it is certain when compared with volatile job scenario, the people who were not affected in this pandemic were only landlords who had residential investment with rental returns. Having the opportunity to serve the best-known VIPs and celebrities, the company has observed the challenge of accommodating bachelors who move into Bangalore city for jobs. SSB has helped them in giving a home that is best suited to them and provide with a bigger home on rent if their family is grown. “For us being a part of anyone’s family journey is the most awarding moment which we cherish a lot,” describes the team of SSB Properties. The future seems to be good as the new generation will be riding the mantle which is more aggressive and is more time conscious. “With the zeal to grow, you will see people investing in real estate in young age itself and the new set of buyers also would be the career-oriented females,” concludes Vishal. The team at SSB has assisted in establishing countless ATM spaces for banks, offices for companies, logistics spaces for a few organizations, retail spaces, residential renting, sale of projects, selling of bungalows, and now; managing properties of various clients. There are some customers who have invested in multiple properties through the guidance of SSB Properties’ team and Vishal’s directions. 34 JANUARY 2021