I had no idea Bihar had a thriving startup ecosystem. When I first started researching for the video, I found out that most people think of IAS officers when they think of Bihar. That’s because Bihar produces the second-highest number of IAS officers in the country, only after Uttar Pradesh. But the state isn’t particularly known for its businesses or job opportunities which is why a lot of people also end up migrating out of the country looking for work. But that is changing. In fact, today,
Bihar is home to more than 2,000 registered startups and in today’s video, I want to talk about 10 of the most noteworthy.
00:00 Intro
00:36 DeHaat
01:42 Medishala
02:41 Rodbez
03:39 Hanuman Care
04:58 JhaJi
05:46 D2Haat
06:40 iMithila
07:39 Recycling Bazar
08:48 Sattuz
09:48 Stepupify
10:33 Outro
DeHaat: DeHaat, founded in 2012 by Abhishek Dokania, Adarsh Srivastava, Amrendra Singh, Shashank Kumar, and Shyam Sundar, aims to support farmers throughout their crop cycle. With 11,000 centers offering quality seeds, fertilizers, and farming equipment, they also provide free personalized advice based on farmers' crop issues, earning trust from over 1.8 million registered farmers. In FY23, DeHaat generated revenue of Rs 1965 crore, becoming a leading agritech startup valued at $700 million.
Medishala: Medishala, founded in 2017 by Mohammad Amanullah, Prince Kumar, Rituraj Swamy, and Suman Sourav, addresses the lack of medical care in rural India. Over 60% of primary healthcare centers have just one doctor, and rural residents struggle with online doctor bookings. Medishala partners with local pharmacists to facilitate online appointments and tests, creating digital clinics. They have partnered with over 450 doctors, benefiting over 1.5 lakh patients in India.
Rodbez: Rodbez is revolutionizing the local cab market in Bihar. Founded by Dilkhush Kumar, it reduces one-way outstation trip costs by up to 50% by connecting passengers going in opposite directions, helping drivers save time and passengers save money. With over 100,000 users, Rodbez generates Rs 5 lakh in monthly sales.
Hanuman Care: Hanuman Care, a Patna-based startup founded in 2020, aims to address the lack of regulation and high costs in India's ambulance industry. They offer fixed pricing models, charging 700 rupees plus 15 rupees per km for Basic Life Support ambulances and 300 rupees plus 35 rupees per km for Advanced Life Support ambulances. With over 1200 ambulances, they promise a 30-minute response time and have a no-refusal policy. Operating in multiple states, they've served over 1 lakh patients and secured $500,000 in funding for further expansion.
JhaJi: JhaJi, a startup from Darbhanga, gained immense popularity after appearing on Shark Tank India. Founded by Kalpana Jha and Uma Jha, two sisters-in-law from Bihar, it offers 15 pickle varieties online. Although the sharks declined to invest in season 1, their pitch attracted the audience and boosted sales from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per month. In season 2, Vinita Singh and Namita Thapar invested Rs 85 lakh, leading JhaJi to earn Rs 80 lakh monthly.
D2Haat: D2Haat, a grocery delivery startup founded by Hasibur Rahman in 2020, started with just Rs 10,000. Initially, facing local resistance to online grocery shopping, Hasibur leveraged WhatsApp for orders and cash payments, building trust. D2Haat now serves over 500 homes annually, generating over Rs 1 crore in revenue in 2022.
iMithila: iMithila, founded by Renuka Kumari and Ruchi Jha in 2016 in Darbhanga, promotes traditional Mithila art by incorporating it into everyday items like sarees, bags, and paintings. The art form involves intricate handcrafting using natural tools and colors, making it a challenging business model.
Recycling Bazar: Recycling Bazar, an innovative startup in Buxar, Bihar, aims to preserve the city's heritage by addressing its waste management issues. Founded in 2017 by Vivek Kumar, Prashant Gautam, and Pradumna Upadhyaya, the company buys recyclable waste from homes and offers convenient waste pickup services.
Sattuz: Sattuz, a startup in Madhubani, Bihar, popularized Sattu, a high-protein and fiber superfood made from roasted chickpeas. Founded in 2018 by Sachin Kumar and Richa Kumari, Sattuz initially struggled with low sales but improved after launching ready-to-eat Sattu mixes following advice from Shark Tank India, increasing annual sales from Rs 30 lakhs to Rs 1.5 cr.
Steupify: Stepupify Labs, located in Bhagalpur, was founded in 2019 by an IIT Kharagpur alumni - Ajit Kumar. And unlike other agricultural equipment manufacturing companies, Stepupify has differentiated themselves by creating battery and solar power powered equipment.
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