Gruhas ASPIRE, a start-up accelerator focused on high-potential Proptech start-ups in India, has announced its inaugural cohort. Selected start-ups benefit from the accelerator’s support, which includes market expansion and access, business model refinement, branding and marketing, hiring, and 1:1 mentoring.
A partnership between Gruhas Proptech Fund, DLF Family Office, and Anthill Ventures, Gruhas ASPIRE (Accelerating Sustainable Proptech in Real Estate) chooses start-ups from four Proptech streams:
Construction Management
Property & Asset Management
New Materials and Technologies
Investments and Financing
Commenting on the need for investments and scaling support in these areas, as well as the exciting potential of the cohort, Abhijeet Pai, Co-founder of Gruhas Proptech Fund, said, “There is no doubt about the continued demand for construction in global markets. However, we need to invest in sustainable solutions at the same time. Our quest at Gruhas is to bridge the gap between the infrastructure needs of developing markets and the sustainability goals set out by the Paris agreement. This can only happen through the use of innovative technologies and sustainable materials. We believe India has the brightest minds and markets for leading this change and we at Gruhas ASPIRE firmly back this cohort which represents the diversity and high potential of the country. We are excited to support such inspired founders to realise their vision.”
Start-ups in Gruhas ASPIRE’s first cohort include
Modcave-a shelter-tech start-up that manufactures innovative prefabricated, modular, temporary shelters that can be deployed anywhere. Modcave’s design allows the shelter to be compressed by 4x, enabling a 90% reduction in logistics and storage costs. modcave.in
Realiti.io-an integrated solution that empowers real estate brokers to create and manage their digital presence and collaborate with other brokers through a managed service. The service ensures the fulfilment of demand and supply and a 40%reduction in time from lead-to-sale. www.realiti.io
Safearth-India’s fastest-growing, fully integrated platform for solar projects, Safearth encompasses procurement, EPC, as well as financing support for projects of anysize. The start-up has already captured 6.67% in the C&I Rooftop Solar space and 5% In the overall distributed solar market in India. www.safearth.in
Settl – a new-age proptech start-up that is reimagining the co-living experience for urban professionals through data-driven models for property selection and differentiated community engagement. thesettl.com
SustVest -a sustainability fintech platform that enables retail investors to help finance India’s growing renewable energy demands through fractional ownership of solar projects. www.sustvest.com
Tellus Habitat -a start-up that is working to solve India’s water shortage issue through its proprietary decentralized wastewater treatment machine that can be installed in any home. The machine is scalable to a community and municipality-leveland reduces water use by 40%.
Zerund-a sustainable construction materials start-up that captures and converts waste plastic into high-grade, lightweight bricks that are 15% cheaper and 45% lighter than the industry standard. www.zerund.com
A fast-growing segment proving attractive to investors due to the scope for disruption through innovation and technology, Proptech is reshaping the face of the Indian real estate sector, a fact that Rahul Talwar of the DLF Family Office understands very well. “Construction is the biggest industry in the world, representing 13% of global GDP. But the sector has only seen a productivity growth of 1% in the past two decades. In addition, buildings and construction are responsible for 20.7% of global GHG emissions. I am happy to collaborate with Gruhas and Anthill and assist these innovators in their growth journey through Gruhas ASPIRE.”
Sailesh Sigatapu, Partner, Anthill Ventures said, “Our mission is to offer startups a speed scaling ecosystem that helps accelerate their growth while building a profitable business model. We do this by establishing a robust product-market fit from the outset and refining their business model before helping them build a measurable plan for sustainable scale. By offering a combination of focused mentoring, knowledge sessions, and capital, we provide founders with a space to bring their vision to life while ensuring that their idea is commercially viable and financially sound. We are committed to helping each cohort not just reach but exceed its potential.”
Anthill Ventures, an early-stage fund and a speed-scaling ecosystem for start-ups specialises in health, media, consumer, and urban tech. With Gruhas ASPIRE, the firm is expanding the reach of IndusX, its urban tech &sustainability program, and helping the seven proptech companies in the cohort brainstorm ideas, implement plans, and track goals.
About Gruhas Proptech Fund
Gruhas Proptech Fund is a venture by the people behind Puzzolana and Zerodha. Gruhas Proptech is focused on decarbonizing the construction and real estate sector by backing path-breaking founders who are disrupting traditional practices.
About DLF Family Office
DLF Family Office is one of the oldest family offices in the country, established by the promoters of DLF Ltd., India’s largest real estate company. The Family Office makes investments in public market funds, private market funds, and direct investments in unlisted enterprises.
About Anthill
Anthill Ventures (www.anthillventures.com) is an early-stage investor and a ‘speed-scaling ecosystem’ for start-ups. Set up in 2015, Anthill focuses on health and life sciences, media, entertainment and gaming,consumer lifestyle, and urban technologies and sustainability.
