Rajmohan Pillai to help transform Indian start-ups to global brands

The Kerala-based global businessman Rajmohan Pillai, the younger brother of the late Biscuit King Rajan Pillai, is embarking on a new initiative to create international brands from India.

His company Beta Group will incubate 25 start-ups which can come out with products that can compete at the international level. “The idea is to empower aspiring entrepreneurs and thereby create global bands from India”, he told BusinessLine.

Pillai, the chairman of Beta Group, said all support would be given to start-up ventures engaged in IT, sports, food and cluster of business. The company has already invested more than ₹100 crore in 60 start-ups, and most of them have grown to international standards.

The start-ups should come out with ideas that are competent at the international level. Beta Group will support them by providing mentorship, advice, and resources to succeed on the international level. The project will help develop a start-up from the idea stage to its transformation to an international brand, he said.

The selected start-ups will receive help, right from validating business plans, mentoring and finally attracting investors. Those who wish to be part of the project can register at www.betaproject25.com.

Pillai noted that the aspirational levels of many CEO's are very low at present. They are satisfied with whatever funds they received and do not want to grow. They consider start-ups just as a normal business for making money and providing jobs. But the whole concept of start-ups is changing in the way that the economy or the industry is thinking. Their thinking has to be fueled, funded or nurtured, he said.

Beta Group also plans to get educational institutions, industry and the government to work together to create a favourable environment for growing ventures that could go global from India.

The start-up initiative – Beta Project 25 will be implemented under Rajan Pillai Foundation’s banner, he said.