The 2024 Hurun India Under35s List celebrates the remarkable achievements of young entrepreneurs who are making significant contributions across various industries. This list not only highlights individual accomplishments but also emphasizes the impact of their alma maters. Below, we explore the top universities that have nurtured these innovators and the standout alumni who are leading the charge in their respective fields.
Top Universities and Their Notable Alumni
| Rank | University | No. of Entrepreneurs | Name | Company Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IIT Madras | 7 | Raunak Bhinge | Infinite Uptime |
| 2 | IIT Kharagpur | 6 | Rahul Raj | FloBiz |
| 3 | Cornell University | 3 | Darryl Dias | Magenta Mobility |
| 3 | Harvard Business School | 3 | Nirav Bajaj | Mukand |
| 3 | IIT Bombay | 3 | Saurav Swaroop | Velocity |
1. IIT Madras: A Leader in Innovation
Overview
IIT Madras continues to be a powerhouse of innovation and entrepreneurship, with seven alumni recognized in the 2024 Hurun India Under35s List. This institution fosters a culture of creativity and technical excellence.
Notable Alumni
- Raunak Bhinge
Company: Infinite Uptime
Position: Managing Director
Contribution: Raunak leads Infinite Uptime, which specializes in predictive maintenance solutions for various industries, including cement, steel, and pharmaceuticals. By leveraging advanced analytics, the company aims to reduce unplanned downtimes, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability across manufacturing sectors.
With a commitment to leveraging advanced technologies and a digital-first approach, Infinite Uptime develops responsive maintenance strategies tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse manufacturing sectors.
The company serves a wide range of industries, including cement, steel, metals and mining, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), chemicals, oil and gas, power, pharma, tire, automotive, construction, pipes, and more. Under Raunak’s leadership, Infinite Uptime is revolutionizing the maintenance landscape, ensuring efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in operations.
As a global provider of Predictive Maintenance Services and Plant Reliability solutions, Infinite Uptime helps maintenance and manufacturing teams achieve the highest levels of plant reliability. The company focuses on reducing unplanned downtime, mitigating operational risks, and improving overall efficiency.
With its advanced analytics and real-time industrial diagnostics, Infinite Uptime empowers plant maintenance leaders and condition-based monitoring teams to accurately predict failures, enabling them to avoid potential downtime and enhance operational productivity.
2. IIT Kharagpur: Nurturing Future Leaders
Overview
IIT Kharagpur is another prominent institution, boasting six alumni on the Hurun list. This university is known for its rigorous academic programs and a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.
Notable Alumni
- Rahul Raj
Company: FloBiz
Position: Co-Founder
Contribution: Rahul co-founded FloBiz, a neobusiness platform that empowers small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with digital tools for efficient business management. The platform enables small business owners to handle operations directly from their smartphones, simplifying processes like accounting and invoicing.
FloBiz offers meticulously designed mobile-first solutions that empower small business owners to manage their operations directly from their smartphones. This innovative approach reduces the time and money spent on decision-making and provides access to well-curated value-added services based on the rich data generated through regular business activities.
The FloBiz platform instills a data-driven growth mindset in entrepreneurs, helping to create coherence and context across various disconnected functions such as accounting, invoicing, inventory management, banking and payments, budgeting and planning, forecasting, and more. Through FloBiz, Rahul Raj is driving the transformation of small businesses into efficient, data-driven enterprises.
3. Cornell University: A Beacon of Innovation
Overview
Tied with three alumni, Cornell University has a global reputation for fostering innovative leaders who excel in various fields.
Notable Alumni
- Darryl Dias
Company: Magenta Mobility
Position: Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer
Contribution: Darryl plays a pivotal role at Magenta Mobility, which focuses on electric mobility solutions. His commitment to advancing sustainable transport has led to innovative products that address urban mobility challenges, aligning with global sustainability goals.
With a diverse career background, Darryl has held various roles, including Maintenance Engineer, R&D Engineer, Product Engineer, and Sales & Customer Success Lead. This extensive experience equips him with a unique ability to manage, lead, and navigate multidisciplinary projects and complex challenges effectively.
As the second-in-command at Magenta, Darryl oversees a wide range of business operations, showcasing exemplary work ethics and excellent business acumen. He demonstrates proficiency in strategic planning, business development, and setting comprehensive goals for performance and growth. His ability to marshal limited resources for maximum productivity aims to create significant value for the company and its stakeholders.
4. Harvard Business School: Cultivating Business Excellence
Overview
Also featuring three alumni, Harvard Business School is renowned for its rigorous business education and its emphasis on practical experience.
Notable Alumni
- Nirav Bajaj
Company: Mukand Ltd.
Position: Director
Contribution: Nirav directs operations at Mukand Ltd., a leader in specialty steel and industrial machinery manufacturing. Under his leadership, the company has maintained its commitment to quality and innovation, serving diverse sectors such as automotive and engineering.
Founded in 1937, Mukand operates through two key divisions: Steel and Industrial Machinery.
The Steel Division focuses on the production of Alloy Steel and Stainless Steel long products, including wire rods, bars, wires, and bright bars, primarily serving the automobile and engineering sectors. Meanwhile, the Industrial Machinery Division is dedicated to the design, manufacture, assembly, and commissioning of heavy-duty cranes, bulk material handling equipment, process plant machinery, and turnkey projects.
Mukand’s manufacturing facilities are strategically located, with alloy steel produced in Hospet, Karnataka, and stainless steel fabricated in Thane, Maharashtra. Renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovation, Mukand has built a rich heritage over several decades, solidifying its position as a leading player in the manufacturing and engineering sectors. The company is dedicated to delivering exceptional products and services to a diverse clientele across various industries worldwide.
5. IIT Bombay: Shaping Financial Futures
Overview
IIT Bombay rounds out the top universities with three notable alumni, known for its vibrant campus and entrepreneurial spirit.
Notable Alumni
- Saurav Swaroop
Company: Velocity
Position: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Contribution: As CTO of Velocity, Saurav drives the development of revenue-based financing solutions tailored for e-commerce businesses. His innovative approach offers an alternative to traditional funding methods, enabling businesses to scale sustainably.
At Velocity, he leads a talented team of over 50 professionals, driving innovation and technical excellence within the company’s product and technology departments.
Before founding Velocity, Saurav honed his engineering skills as a lead engineer at HackerRank and as the founding engineer and CTO at Taskbob, a series A-funded home services company that ultimately closed in 2017. These experiences were pivotal in shaping his approach to product development, instilling a deep understanding of the importance of rapid iteration and innovative solutions.
Saurav is particularly passionate about the 0-1 phase of product development, where he excels at transforming ideas into tangible products. With a strong focus on product design and solution architecture, he ensures that Velocity’s offerings are not only functional but also user-centric and efficient. In addition to his technical expertise, Saurav brings sharp business acumen, making him an eager collaborator on startup strategy and leadership discussions.
Velocity operates a unique revenue-based financing platform aimed at e-commerce and direct-to-consumer businesses in India. Instead of charging traditional interest on loans, Velocity imposes a low standard fee, allowing businesses to repay based on their revenue. This innovative model seeks to provide a reliable alternative to venture capital and traditional bank debt for brands in the rapidly growing Indian e-commerce landscape.
Conclusion
The 2024 Hurun India Under35s List highlights the vital role that educational institutions play in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. From IIT Madras to IIT Kharagpur, Cornell University, Harvard Business School, and IIT Bombay, these universities are breeding grounds for innovation and entrepreneurship. Their alumni, including Raunak Bhinge, Rahul Raj, Darryl Dias, Nirav Bajaj, and Saurav Swaroop, are not just contributing to their respective fields; they are also paving the way for future generations of entrepreneurs.
By continuing to invest in education and entrepreneurship, these institutions are fostering a vibrant economic landscape that is crucial for India’s growth and development.
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📧 Email: sharma.maayank@yahoo.com
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