Ratan Tata's love affair with start-ups

Tata says he likes businesses that can enhance the quality of people's lives, reports Tech in Asia

Ratan Tata loves the startup world, with over 25 investments since his first two years back. The Indian industrialist says he likes businesses that can enhance the quality of people’s lives and founders who make a good impression.

Tata also confesses to being very numbers driven. “In the past two or three years, the companies I have looked at have grown at rates I could not have believed [were] possible,” he says.

Barely five weeks into 2016, and he has already put his money in seven startups. Here’s a look at what has tickled Tata in the new year so far: 

Invictus Oncology

Based in Delhi and founded by Raghunath Mashelkar and Shiladitya Sengupta in 2011, the company uses technology to design anti-cancer drugs that can target a tumor and modulate its immune response.

Moglix

Moglix, an ecommerce startup in the manufacturing tech space is based in Noida and Singapore. 

Teabox

Bangalore-based Teabox, founded by Kaushal Dugar, lets you order in your favorite cuppa from Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiris, or Nepal. 

FirstCry

Mumbai-based FirstCry is an online store where you can pick up baby care, maternity, and children’s products. Founded in 2010 by Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha, it also sells through offline stores. 

CashKaro

Founded by entrepreneur couple Swati and Rohan Bhargava in mid-2013, Gurgaon-based CashKaro is a cashback and coupons startup. 

DogSpot

The Gurgaon-based startup was founded in 2011 by the husband-wife duo of Rana and Vizal Atheya with an eye on the growing market for pet products. 

Tracxn

Techies-turned-venture capitalists Abhishek Goyal and Neha Singh founded the Bangalore-based startup in 2013. It tracks startups globally and gives out analyses and advisories to stakeholders.

This is an excerpt from Tech in Asia. You can read the full article here