Former Forbes India editor floats digital media platform

Idea is to create a playbook and support entrepreneurs, and individuals with a business mindset, says Indrajit Gupta

Former Forbes India editor Indrajit Gupta has launched Founding Fuel, a digital media and learning platform for entrepreneurs. The company has signed content deals with business daily Mint and digital television network Ping. While it will offer two pages of content on entrepreneurship for Mint every week, it will also create content on YouTube and Daily Motion, in association with Ping Network, a firm co-founded by Govindraj Ethiraj, former editor-in-chief of Bloomberg TV India.

"The idea is to create a playbook and support entrepreneurs, as well as individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset," says Gupta, who has about three decades of experience in publications such as The Economic Times, The Times of India, BusinessWorld and Business Standard. He adds entrepreneurship isn't only about starting up. "It is a concept and mindset that is also relevant to bigger firms."

The platform, which went live on Monday, will be more than only a content provider, says Gupta. "Soon, we will offer learning tools such as online courses and webinars. This will help it create a reasonably busy hub when it plans to offer a curated marketplace, where different vendors, such as providers of legal services and accounting services, can come and pitch their services before enterprises."

Revenue will accrue from advertising and sponsorship. Once it gains traction and builds an audience, various companies in the banking, financial services and insurance segment are likely to be interested, says Gupta. These include technology companies such as Google and Microsoft.

"The entrepreneur community is fairly big. If we are able to deliver to this community, others such as Accenture and IBM, which are investing heavily in digital content, should be interested," says Gupta.

Gupta's long term colleague Charles Assisi and former Tutor Vista executive CS Swaminathan are co-founders of the venture. The venture has been bootstrapped by founders, and may look for funding in a month.

Gupta has roped in industry veterans such as Analjit Singh of Max India, Harsh Mariwala of Marico and consultant Rama Bijapurkar as part of its advisory council. "There aren't enough credible platforms that allow aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to interact, learn and be inspired to deal with the multiple challenges they face in scaling their enterprise. I am convinced Founding Fuel will fulfil these unmet needs," said Harsh Mariwala.

AN INITIATIVE

• Founding Fuel is a digital media and learning platform for entrepreneurs
   
• The company has signed content deals with business daily Mint and digital television network Ping
   
• Besides offering 2 pages of content on entrepreneurship for Mint every week, it will also create content on YouTube and Daily Motion with Ping