Cosmetics are products that are used to enhance the appearance or to improve the texture and smell of a body. Makeup is one of the most important aspects of cosmetics and has seen a meteoric rise over the years in how the public perceived it and how it is affecting consumer behaviour. Gone are the days when makeup was applied behind closed doors in front of mirrors nor is it just limited to the female gender . Today, social media has successfully managed to strike down the reputation of cosmetics being attributed to only the ladies!
Impact of social media on the cosmetics industry
Before the advent of social media, television and offline media were the prominent avenues to promote makeup and cosmetic products. Not only that, but this was only limited to lipsticks, fairness creams and moisturisers. However, once the internet slowly started becoming available to people all across the globe, it became clear social media platforms have become very powerful tools to push products and services. When YouTube was released, several enterprising individuals realised putting up tutorials on how to apply makeup and use various cosmetics was a very good way to generate revenue.
Today, YouTube is the primary platform for aspiring entrepreneurs in the makeup space, to showcase their skills and gain subscriptions. In a way, it is safe to say social media also managed to empower people to break out of their shells and pursue their entrepreneurial passions. YouTube offered people the ability to make video tutorials and with the recent live feature that rolled out across most social media platforms, influencers and aspiring influencers can directly reach out to their followers and interact with them in real time and answer questions. Facebook and Instagram in particular have evolved into a thriving marketplace where buyers and sellers can connect with each other.
Social media also offered more refined ways to identify target audiences for a particular cosmetic product or service. Social media now has advanced ad targeting tools that let the advertiser have complete control over audience targeting. Information such as age and gender, as well as personal interests, and communication preferences, such as the types of devices they use. Other items that may be relevant include education level, location, and income will refine audience targeting for a particular cosmetic product or a service. The cosmetic industry has evolved into a $ 5.5 Trillion industry since the adoption of social media. India’s cosmetic industry is forecasted to exceed $ 20 Billion by 2025.
Cosmetic startups and entrepreneurs in the 21st century
When we look at the cosmetic landscape on social media now, it is quite easy to find startups offering various beauty and cosmetic products, bloggers making tutorials on how to use beauty products and cosmetic startups trying to adopt greener ways to create their products. Kylie Jenner is probably the most important example of how big cosmetic startups can grow. Kylie Jenner became the youngest billionaire in the world through her startup Kylie Cosmetics. Kylie also uses her social media accounts to do makeup tutorials as well. In India, cosmetic e commerce startup Nykaa is not easy to miss, with a strong online presence and loyal customer base as well as scaling up to open offline stores. Aggregator platform startup UrbanClap successfully provides a platform for beauty, cosmetics and skincare professionals to connect with their customers. Brands like Ustraa, Beardo, The Man Company, Bombay Shaving Company are some popular startups in India that cater exclusively for men, thereby proving that social media has made a visible impact on how cosmetics are perceived.
YouTube has paved the way for self made entrepreneurs who created their own brands. YouTube creators like Jeffree Star, Huda Kattan, James Charles, Tati Westbrook are just some of the prominent entrepreneurs who managed to use the video sharing platform to build their brands. Before becoming YouTube creators most of the influencers mentioned above started out by blogging about makeup. Once they adopted YouTube as a medium to reach out to a wider audience, most of the influencers began by launching their own products on YouTube videos which clicked with their audience. James Charles became famous when an yearbook photo of his in which he sports makeup went viral on Instagram. Charles then pivoted on that fame to launch a successful YouTube channel where he talks about various aspects of makeup.
The cosmetics industry is a constantly evolving space with more and more diverse products and cosmetic verticals popping up day by day. Green products are the current rage in the make up space which gave rise to enterprising Indians to fall back on their roots and come up with Ayurvedic cosmetics. While it is easy to keep on talking about how diverse the cosmetics industry is, there is no denying that the industry is here to stay.
Imagine a building that’s not just a structure but a buzzing ecosystem. A space where startups, corporations, universities, and investors come together to create the future. This isn’t science fiction; it’s T-Hub, India’s largest innovation hub, and it’s rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship.
T-Hub isn’t just about workspaces. It’s a launchpad for ambitious dreams. They’ve empowered over 2,000 startups, turning ideas into thriving businesses. Think funding woes? T-Hub’s got your back, connecting entrepreneurs with angel investors and government grants. Need a mentor to guide you through the rough patches? T-Hub boasts a network of 2,000 mentors ready to share their wisdom.
T-Hub’s vision extends beyond startups. Here’s a glimpse into what makes T-Hub special:
From Seed to Scale: Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur with a bright idea or a scaling startup ready to take on the world, T-Hub has programs to support you. From the “seed-accelerator stage” Lab32 program to the “early-stage technology startups” RubriX program, T-Hub provides the tools and guidance needed to thrive.
Corporate Muscle: Innovation isn’t just for startups. T-Hub bridges the gap between startups and established corporations like Facebook, Uber, and Boeing. This collaboration allows startups to tap into corporate expertise and resources, while corporations benefit from the agility and fresh perspectives that startups bring.
Funding Powerhouse: T-Hub is more than just an idea incubator; it is also a reality maker. Through initiatives like T-Angel and the Digital India Scaleup Program, T-Hub connects startups with high-net-worth individuals, angel investors, and government funding sources.
Global Ambitions: Thinking Beyond Borders? T-Hub has you covered. With partnerships across the globe, from the UK government to La Trobe University, T-Hub helps Indian startups access international markets and provides foreign startups with a foothold in India.
And it doesn’t stop there. T-Hub 2.0, their new colossal campus, is a testament to their ambition. This behemoth is not just the world’s largest technology incubator; it’s a microcosm of innovation itself. Universities find a home here, churning out future tech leaders. Foreign partnerships open doors to international markets for Indian startups. It’s a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and expertise, all focused on creating a brighter tomorrow.
T-Hub’s story is far from over. They’re aiming to empower a staggering 20,000 startups in the next five years. With their focus on internationalization and capacity building, they’re poised to become a global hub for innovation. So, if you’re an entrepreneur with a dream, T-Hub might just be the launchpad that takes you to the stars.
Farming has been an integral part of India’s history and culture for ages. It’s been the foundation of the Indian economy, supporting millions of people with food and jobs. Crops and agriculture hold immense importance in Indian society, not just in terms of money, but also in terms of culture, community, and spirituality.
Farming is a way of life for many people in India, but it can be a difficult and unpredictable business and farmers face a number of challenges, from erratic weather patterns to low market prices for their crops. Kheyti is a social enterprise founded in 2015 by Saumya, Kaushik Kappagantula, and Sathya Raghu. The organisation provides sustainable solutions to small farmers in India, helping them overcome challenges and improve their lives.
Kheyti’s flagship product is the “Greenhouse-in-a-Box,” a low-cost modular greenhouse that allows farmers to grow high-value crops year-round, even in unfavourable weather conditions. operates on a subscription-based model, where farmers can purchase a “Greenhouse-in-a-Box” kit or sign up for crop advisory services on a monthly or annual basis. Kheyti.com also earns revenue by connecting farmers with markets and buyers, taking a small commission on sales. They work to keep the costs low by partnering with local manufacturers to produce their products and leveraging tech to provide personalised crop advisory services at scale.
They also provide crop advisory services to farmers, offering personalised advice on crop selection, planting, and management. In total, The company has helped over 6,000 small farmers increase their incomes by an average of 300%. You call them small farmers, Kheyti calls them Smart farmers!
While there are other companies in India that offer similar solutions to small farmers, Kheyti stands out for its focus on sustainability, innovation, and community involvement. It works closely with farmers to develop tailored solutions that meet their needs while focusing on sustainable farming practices. Through its efforts, Kheyti has improved soil health, reduced water usage, and increased yields of various crops.
Looking ahead, Kheyti plans to expand its reach to more farmers in India and beyond and aims to continue developing new products and services that can help small farmers overcome the challenges they face. With its commitment to sustainability and innovation, The visionaries at Kheyti claim it has the potential to transform the agricultural sector and contribute to a more equitable future for all.
Imagine the joy and hope Kheyti brings to struggling farmers in India. With Kheyti’s help, over 6,000 small farmers have transformed their lives, becoming Smart farmers who handle challenges and succeed. With sustainable solutions, Kheyti is not only revolutionising agriculture but also spreading hope for a brighter future.
We live in a rapidly transforming era where humanity is making exponential leaps in technology. Thirty years ago, no one would have believed you could talk to an online voice assistant to create tasks and get things done. Ten years ago, no one would have believed humanity would land robots on Mars. Technology truly has improved the quality of living of every human who owns a smartphone and has access to an internet connection. Voice assistants are slowly replacing manual tasks and making lives easier and efficient. Siri, Alexa, Google Voice Assistant are just some of the widely used artificial intelligence based tools which are employed on a daily basis. Artificial intelligence, which is hailed as the technology of the future is now slowly making its way into much more complex domains like self driving vehicles, quantum computing and also health care.
Suki, a United States of America based startup founded by Punit Soni, developed their own voice assistant which runs on artificial intelligence to simplify healthcare for doctors and other healthcare professionals. In simple terms, Suki is akin to Siri for doctors. While you could order a pizza or schedule an appointment on Siri, doctors could modify, edit and add health records of their patients. Suki is a powerful tool to help doctors with documentation of health records which often take hours of their (doctors) time.
Suki currently focuses on documentation but has the potential to expand its usage to data queries, ordering, prescribing and billing. According to a white paper published by Suki, using its technology increases the time a doctor spends with a patient by 12% by cutting note taking time by 76%. The time which is saved also brings in a financial benefit of $30,000 more in revenue a year on average for doctors.
Suki raised a $ 20 million Series B round from Flare Capital Partners, First Round Capital, and Venrock, doubling its total funding to $ 40 million since its 2017 launch. Suki is also looking to expand its reach in India and has decided to establish Bangalore as their base of operations. India holds a lot of potential for Suki considering the amount of manual work which goes into almost any sector.
It would be interesting to watch how Suki and other similar AI based startups would transform healthcare across the world.
