StartupCentral

Hyderabad is a charming city and the biryani more than lives up to its name. Unlike previous years, the Marriott, off the majestic Hussain Sagar, was the venue for TiE-ISB Connect 2009. The event has also gotten bigger. About 500-plus delegates were in attendance. But there was one key element missing this year. The Business Plan Showcase was not part of the schedule. The organizers, said Sateesh Andra, program convener and venture partner, DFJ India, are working on a revamp to give the showcase more teeth. This implies some kind of funding commitment to the winning startup, which has not been the case in the past.

The event started with the ‘Jumpstart Your Venture – Workshop’ and following are excerpts from some of the parts that I found particularly insightful:

Atul Phadnis, What’s On India

Phadnis founded What’s On India, a company that provides television electronic programme guide solutions, in 2005. It is backed by Nexus Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital and is based in Mumbai. Phadnis spoke about the importance of partnerships for startups. Edited excerpts: Read the full story

Content Syndicate

Founder (s): Maddy Reddy

HQ: Dubai, Hyderabad

Sector: Media

Content Syndicate started up in August 2006 and employs 17 people. The company syndicates content like press releases for public relations agencies, coffee table books, market research and exclusive stories for publishing firms (newspapers, magazines).

AnaXee Technologies

Founder (s): Govind Agrawal, P Kranthi Kiran, Arti Agrawal

HQ: Indore

Sector: Information Technology

Anaxee started up in 2006. It has raised Rs 2 million seed funding from Nirma Labs, where it was incubated and is currently in the market for Series A funding. 

MetroMela

Founder (s): Not Available

HQ: Hyderabad

Sector: Consumer Internet

MetroMela started up in 2007.  Indu Projects promoter Syam Prasad Reddy is an investor in the company.  DFJ India venture partner Sateesh Andra, who is a co-founder, has also possibly put in some seed money.

Swingwind Technologies

Founder (s): Not Available

HQ: Not Available

Sector: Education

No further information available on the company.

Samarthi Business Solutions

Founder (s): Not Available

HQ: Not Available

Sector: Information Technology

No further information available on the company.

The final six were chosen out 149 initial entries, of which 112 were in the Bright Ideas category and 37 in the Cool Startups category. An imminent economic slowdown in the country doesn’t seem to have dampened entrepreneurial activity yet.