Health, AI, management: Test your business creativity with Edition 175 of our weekly quiz!
This insightful feature from YourStory tests and strengthens your business acumen! Here are 5 questions to kick off this 175th quiz. Ready?
Lateral Sparks, the weekly quiz from YourStory, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see the previous edition here). In this 175th edition of the quiz, we present issues tackled by real-life entrepreneurs in their startup journeys.
What would you do if you were in their shoes? At the end of the quiz, you will find out what the entrepreneurs and innovators themselves actually did. Would you do things differently?
Check out YourStory’s Book Review section as well, with takeaways from over 355 titles on creativity and entrepreneurship, and our weekend PhotoSparks section on creativity in the arts.
Q1: Workforce training
The manufacturing sector needs well-trained workers to ensure operational reliability, thus minimising errors and downtime in critical processes. How can technology help such workers understand their jobs better and upskill themselves?
Q2: Contract management
Contracts are a fundamental aspect of operations for various industries. But contract management remains outdated, relying on manual paperwork, scattered approvals, and email-based negotiations. How can this be fixed?
Q3: Pet care
Owners of pets face challenges in manually tracking their pet’s health, which frequently leads to missed treatments, incomplete care, and unnecessary anxiety for pets and their families. How can technology help here?
Q4: Mouth fresheners
Traditional practices like eating mukhwas (mouth freshener) have been an intrinsic part of Indian culture, for refreshing the palate and aiding digestion. However, this sector is largely unorganised and has inconsistent quality standards. Where is the entrepreneurial opportunity here?
Q5: The social sector
Many professionals in the social sector suffer from stress and even burnout, leading to risks for themselves and their organisations. How can this serious issue be tackled?
Answers!
Congratulations on having come this far! But there’s more to come—answers to these five questions (below), as well as links to articles with more details on the entrepreneurs’ solutions. Happy reading, happy learning—and happy creating!
A1: Workforce training
Founded by Abhinav Ayan and Anirban Jyoti Chakravorty, Cusmat offers an AI-powered platform that uses technologies such as AR and VR to train people in the manufacturing and logistics sectors. It suggests areas in which trainees can improve themselves and gives actionable insights to trainers on skills gaps.
It uses VR/MR headsets to provide immersive training on safety protocols and hands-on tasks such as repairs and operations on the shop floor and assembly line. Read more here about how Cusmat has trained around 1.8 lakh workers over the last four years, from companies such as Schneider Electric, Coca-Cola, Tata Steel, DTDC, and DHL.
A2: Contract management
The need for a cost-effective, automated and compliant contract execution platform led Aditya Pandranki, Manjula Rao, and Vilaas BV to launch DOQFY. It digitises contract management, enabling businesses to create, execute and track contracts seamlessly while ensuring legal compliance.
The B2B SaaS platform automates key aspects of contract management, including e-stamping, digital signing, and compliance tracking. Read more here about its subscription plans starting at Rs 1,500 per use, and its customer list which includes DFC Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Swiggy, Meesho, Unacademy, Xiaomi, and Axis Bank.
A3: Pet care
“By digitising medical records and treatment plans, pet parents no longer need to worry about misplaced files or forgotten appointments,” explains Gaurav Ajmera, Founder of Vetic. A well-designed system ensures that vaccination schedules and treatment histories are accessible and transparent.
“Apps can also play a crucial role, giving pet parents easy access to their pets’ medical history and automated reminders for vaccinations, deworming, or post-surgery care,” he adds. Read more here about how AI can analyse medical images like X-rays and ultrasounds, and lead to a shift from reactive to proactive healthcare for pets.
A4: Mouth fresheners
Founded by Vaishali and Yash Mehta, JoySpoon offers low-sugar and all-natural mukhwas. It focuses on supari-free (without betel nut or areca nut) products, catering to a growing segment of consumers looking for clean-label products.
Unlike traditional mukhwas brands that rely on plastic pouches with minimal branding, JoySpoon introduced sleek, premium packaging designed to appeal to younger, health-conscious consumers. Read more here about its product lineup which includes over ten flavours such as Almond Delight, Cashew Rose, and Calcutta Paan, with prices from Rs 99 to Rs 299.
A5: The social sector
Founded by Vishal Talreja, the Cocoon Initiative urges leaders in the social sector to rest and reset as it funds their break, thus sustaining themselves while sustaining others. It funds sabbaticals of three months to a year, with grants covering living expenses, therapy or travel.
This has helped many social entrepreneurs and NGO leaders overcome exhaustion, rediscover joy, and reconnect with their families. Read more here about its financial support of up to Rs 10 lakh, allowing leaders to step away from work without financial stress.
YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).
Edited by Kanishk Singh