The 21st Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) has announced the finalists of its Fourth Wharton India Startup Competition.
Founded in 1996, the Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF), is an annual conference hosted by the students of Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. It is a global business forum focussed on understanding and engaging with India’s startup landscape.
The Wharton India Startup Competition (WISC) conducted in India, aims to promote entrepreneurship and to support aspiring entrepreneurs through a unique global platform.
The total number of applications received were 534. The panel of judges included Aditya Nair (Investor, Nyca Partners), Ajay Hattangdi (CEO India & Group COO, Innoven Capital Group), Ankit Shah (VP, Unilazer Ventures), Sameer Verma (Director & Junior Partner, Nexus Venture Partners), Saurabh Joshi (Strategy Manager, Paypal), and Shantanu Gangal (Head-Analytics, Fundbox). The winning team will receive a funding mentorship from a leading venture fund.
Here Are The Top 11 Finalists
CropIn Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd: Cropin provides farm-businesses with a farm management software and mobile apps, which enable them to do connected, and data driven farming. It allows them to take advantage of real-time data and insight from farms (an accurate view of their operation throughout the entire growing season) and to improve financial, operational, and agronomy aspects.
Detect Technologies: It is an IoT-based startup that works towards enhancing productivity in industries through Artificial Intelligence and NDE.
Eckovation Solutions Pvt. Ltd: It is an edtech platform that facilitates social learning by connecting parents, teachers, and students via a social media-based platform.
Ftcash: ftcash empowers financial inclusion for 
underserved micro-merchants through payments and loans.
GreedyGame: GreedyGame is an in-content native advertising platform that helps brands to tap into their precise target demographics and facilitates content creators to monetise their content without compromising on quality or losing their audience base.
HELPUSGREEN: It is a Kanpur-based social enterprise that preserves river Ganges by flowercycling the waste from temples and Mosques into patented lifestyle products, reportedly providing livelihoods to 1,260 rural families in India and Bangladesh.
Karma Healthcare: It uses technology to improve access to healthcare in rural India. It also offers market-based healthcare solutions. It provides diagnostic services, consultation, and referrals to the rural population.
Kings Learning (enguru app): Kings Learning’s flagship product enguru provides employability focussed English training through innovative technology products.
Nonspec Inc: It is a healthtech startup that has created a fully-adjustable, low-cost, prosthetic limb system.
MyEasyDocs: The startup offers a digitally certified document repository for citizens. Users, employees, customers can request certified documents such as payslips, travel letters, bank statements etc.
VIVO Healthcare Pvt. Ltd: VIVO Healthcare is a healthcare education and training company that provides short term certification courses and skill training to the youth to be part of the allied healthcare workforce of the country.
The judges for this year’s finale are Sandeep Singhal, Kartik Srivatsa, Kartik Hosanagar, Bharati Jacob, Rajul Garg, and Tarun Davda. The event will be presided by eminent keynote speakers including Kunal Shah, Sumeet Thadani, Nipun Mehra, Rehan Yar Khan, Sumit Mody, Rohan Mirchandani, Kunal Kapoor, Kerry Hilton, and Sandeep Aggarwal.
Some Of The Past Finalists Include
- 2016: Ketto (Grand Prize Winner), Kheyti (People’s Choice Award), Pratilipi (Powerhouse Winner), Trebene (Powerhouse Runners Up), Acuity, FRS Labs, Greensole, LoanMeet, iFreedom, and Art & Found.
- 2015: Flintobox, PosterGully, Babychakra, Haptik, Leova, Simpa Networks, Jiffstore, Mr. Hot Foods, Smart Paddle, and Pratilipi.
- 2014: Zoomcar, Zostel, Targeting Mantra, Qlicket, Samaan, Ambitioni, Level Counsel, Travel Gourmand, V Help, and Wish Guise.
Since 2015, the competition has increased its outreach by 50% to all leading schools, Wharton alumni, incubators, accelerators, and VC funds.
The finals of the competition will be held in Mumbai on January 6, 2016. You can buy your tickets here.
