Are Indian B2B Startups Adding any Value to the Sector with New Disruptions? It is a known fact that Indian Wholesale Distribution System still largely functions under the complex network which can be greatly eased with the help of digitization
By Dipti Singla
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
The background
The upswing in the vibrant startup scenario in India has grabbed eyeballs of many giants around the world. They are now looking at India with a completely new perspective and are keen on investing in the future of the country. The National Association for Software Services Companies (NASSCOM) 2017 report states that 1000+ tech startups were launched in the previous year, with a total number of tech startup now reaching over 5000+.
The Indian startup ecosystem is maturing and B2B tech startups being on the leading front is exploring varied new avenues and thus attracting good investments. Almost 50per cent of all startups in 2017 were in the B2B sector.
The Current Scenario
B2B startups have reckoned with a growing number of investors. They are surely going to be the potential game changers by introducing disruptive technologies.
In a recent "The India Startup Report – 2018', YourStory reported, Significant transformations are occurring in the organizational world and business ecosystem, which open up opportunities for startups in the B2B (business to business), B2E (business to employee) and B2B2C (business to business to customers/consumers) products. SMAC technologies (social, mobile, analytics, cloud), AI, and ML are disrupting big businesses and are enabling agile strategies for a new generation of enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses.
What is a Disruption?
In business, disruption or disruptive innovation is a change that creates a new market and value network by bringing more efficiency that leads to greater profits. This further disrupts the already existing market and displaces established firms, products and alliances.
However, not all innovations are disruptive.
Is it a Responsible Disruption?
While there are several players entering B2B market they follow the U.S or the Chinese trail. However, it is very important to make a note that the Indian market is at a nascent stage and is still emerging. It has its own complexities and unique needs. Something that works in U.S.may not works here, so the startups who do not offer any Indianized solution or product differentiation leaves the race immediately. Perhaps, extrapolating lessons from a mature U.S market can be risky, as the two markets function in a completely different manner.
The Need of the Hour
Firstly, it is very important for B2B players to understand that disruption is not just about bringing an abrupt change in the system. But it is about adding more value to the system by bringing a permanent solution to the problem that enables the smooth functioning of the business.
While B2B space still has several unexplored challenges that can be transformed into opportunities, it is a known fact that Indian Wholesale Distribution System still largely functions under the complex network which can be greatly eased with the help of digitization. In future Business Intelligence will come from data transparency and analytics and the first step in this direction is the digitization of the inventories and processes.
Manufactures, Distributors and Retailers cannot work in isolation, they are all important nodes of the supply chain so a system, that can connect all of them and everyone in between, empowering them to share, connect and transact seamlessly, will be a true disruption. A system that works with the entire general trade network and not just between individual nodes will be the real winner in this race.
