VIVo’s V-SHAPED COMEBACK PRICE ` 200 MAY 8, 2020 R N I R EG. NO. M EG. NO. A H E N G /2009/28102 Jayakrishnan T Gautham Prashant Pasupuleti Warier Asimov Robotics Biodesign Qure.ai Innovation Labs Ventures Vs Virus Vs Ventures Suhani Mohan Atul Rai Shashank Mahesh Saral Designs Staqu Technologies Innaumation FORBESINDIA.COM / VOLUME 12 ISSUE 8 APRIL 10, 2020 8 APRIL 10, 12 ISSUE / VOLUME VENTURES VS VIRUS A selection of startups that has tweaked its solutions to lend a hand in the battle against the global pandemic FIXING MEET THE WARRIORS OPPORTUNITIES THE FOOD ON THE COVID-19 FOR BIG www.forbesindia.com SUPPLY CHAIN FRONTLINES TECH Welcome to the INDIA Tablet Edition Testing becomes the biggest challenge amid mass movement and community transmission Letter From The Editor Of Antibodies and Anti-bias s of April 20, 8 am Indian Standard Time, remodelling existing solutions to ease the pressure on public India had 14,175 active Covid-19 cases, health care. Varsha Meghani and Naini Thaker unearthed 2,546 infected had been discharged and seven such ventures—from one repurposing robots to treat A 543 had died. Those numbers in a country patients of the pandemic to another deploying artificial with a population of 1.35 billion may not ring alarm bells, intelligence and machine learning technology meant for particularly when you compare India with the US (764,265 TB analysis in diagnosing Covid-19. And we have a fine cases and 40,565 deaths), Italy (178,972 and 23,660), Spain collection of other pandemic-related stories, including (198,674 and 20,453) and France (152,894 and 19,718). one that captures the tribulations (and joys) of health Yet, few countries share the complexities of India. workers at the frontlines, and another on the community- One of every six urban Indians is estimated to live in based initiatives to combat the economic fallout. slums (typically 10x10 ft rooms in each of which six In a statement in end-March, Fernand de Varennes, to eight family members or workers live together). the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, said that Over two thirds of the population resides in rural “Covid-19 is not just a health issue; it can also be a virus that areas. And the country’s population density is high exacerbates xenophobia, hate and exclusion”. Indeed, across (1,202 per sq m as against the global average of 38). the world—India included—fears around Covid-19 are being Almost 10 percent of India’s population—over 120 exploited to scapegoat communities. The Chinese have been million—is estimated to be migrants from rural areas to obvious targets and, along with the hate, cries to stop buying urban labour markets. Staying put in their rented urban Chinese goods can be heard globally. However, the reality dwellings during a lockdown is a poor alternative for is that China is yet at the fulcrum of the global supply chain, them, as they have no work and have run out of money. particularly for telecom and electronic equipment. The Amid these challenges of mass movement and Indian mobile handset market, for instance, is dominated by 3 community transmission, testing becomes the biggest the Chinese, with Xiaomi at No 1, and Vivo a recent No 2. challenge. Data released by the Indian Council of Our big story this fortnight is on how Vivo came Medical Research shows that a little over 400,000 in from the cold to take that No 2 position. Vivo India samples from 384,000 individuals had been tested as of CEO Jerome Chen tells Rajiv Singh how the brand April 19. As of April 18, India had tested 0.26 people per overcame the initial perception of Chinese players being 1,000; Italy’s ratio of tests performed stood at 22.08. fly-by-night. But will Covid-19 set them back? Chen, no The good news is that private laboratories have joined stranger to crises over the past couple of decades, tells government ones in the testing endeavour. And hundreds Singh: “Our culture as a company has been to overcome of thousands of testing kits had arrived from China. difficult times.” And he has a message for the rabble- India can do with all the help it can in fighting the Covid- rousers: “No matter whether we are in China or India 19 battle. And this fortnight’s Forbes India cover story is or any other country, it is time to have a strong belief on the fascinating innovations of India’s startups, who are that we can all come together and overcome this.” StoRIES to looK OUT foR Brian Carvalho Editor, Forbes India [email protected] Best, (From left) Jayakrishnan T of Asimov Robotics has created the ‘Karmi- Bot’, which can provide essential services to patients inside isolation wards; Jerome Chen of Vivo India is bullish about the future despite the pandemic MAY 8, 2020 • FORBES INDIA MAY 8, 2020 ☛ VOLUME 12 O N ISSUE 10 T H E Contents COVER SHUTTERSTOCK PG. 26 ENTREPRENEURS vs COVID-19 Seven startups that have stuck their necks out, innovated and made the fight against coronavirus a common goal 4 Several startups have come to the rescue of individuals who have contracted Covid-19 and those who are leading the fight against it FEATURES PG. 16 PANDEMIC IMPAct 34 • THE 3D ENTERPRISE MOBILIsatION 16 • VENI, VIDI, VICI? The unorganised and sluggish Can Chinese smartphone 3D printing sector could have maker Vivo maintain its a windfall gain as companies winning run once the make PPE and other critical Covid-19 dust settles down? equipment CORPORATE 38 • THE SOCIAL AccoUNT NetwORK Several crowdfunded and 22 • WINDOW Of community-based initiatives OppOrtuNITY have come forward to combat Yes Bank has managed the social and economic to tide over the moratorium fallouts of the outbreak and CEO Prashant Kumar is confident of sailing through the lockdown 44 • Fate OF FOOD with a digital focus How agritech ventures are attempting to fix the supply chain that collapsed during the pan-India lockdown Vivo India CEO Jerome Chen says customer satisfaction is priority FORBES INDIA • MAY 8, 2020 IMAGINARIUM PG. 34 PG. 22 3D printing technology is being used for quick prototyping Yes Bank CEO Prashant Kumar wants to regain the trust of customers R RAVI 48 • WarrIOrs ON THE 58 • CraNK-UP TIME FRONTLINE How to get the manufacturing How doctors and nurses along and MSME sector that has PG. 68 with assorted health activists ground to a halt during the and workers are taking on the lockdown moving crisis head-on 61 • StuDENts ON 52 • IN THE LINE Of FIre FurLOUGH With a broken supply chain As top companies defer and and inadequate stocks, health revoke job offers, IITs and care workers face an acute business schools work hard shortage of protective gear to help find placements and 5 move online 55 • A TestING Race AGAINst TIme 64 • CLOUD COver After a slow start, will India’s Technology companies see Meals prepared in Kerala's jails are sold in packets made in-house efforts to ramp up testing for opportunities as more clients Sars Cov2 be quick enough? move towards cloud-based, VAISHALI DINAKARAN remote-working infrastructure PG. 72 PG. 58 68 • STONE WALLS DON’T MAKE A PRISON The Kerala police is counting on prisoners to make masks, sanitisers and hospital gowns LIfe 72 • LOCKDOWN DIarIes Glimpses of daily life from cities around the world 78 • Tastes FROM A TEMPLE TOWN The love of mutton makes Madurai an exception among South Indian religious centres The Potsdamer Platz railway station in Berlin wears a deserted look reGULars ● 8/LEADERBOARD ● 82/NUGGETS ● 84/ THOUGHTS Subscriber Service: To subscribe, change address or enquire about other customer services, please contact: WE VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK: FORBES INDIA, Subscription Cell, C/o Network18 Media & Investments Limited, Empire Complex, Write to us at: [email protected] 414, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400013. 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