Start-up drive from ‘biscuit king’ Rajan Pillai’s group

Kerala-based Beta Group, comprising multi-product companies and a purveyor of multi-dimensional activities and a legacy of late ‘Asia biscuit king’ Rajan Pillai, has announced the launch of the ‘Beta Project25’ offering world-class incubator support to 25 new start-up ideas in the country.

Launched in 1947, the Beta Group has a presence in the entrepreneurial space ranging from food products to services, entertainment, social commitments and heath research. It has won 27 awards internationally and 11 from the President of India for excellence in export performance.

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Indian start-ups as world beaters

The Beta Group has already promoted more than 60 start-ups and co-working space across IT and sports, a spokesman said here. Now, it is offering three plans as part of 'Beta Project25' with an investment of ₹100 crore to help the next 25 to match with the best in the global space.

The group will undertake this project to mark the birthday of late Pillai, its former chairman and founder, who passed away in 1995 at the age of 48. Beta Project25 is an attempt to transform 25 start-up ideas from India to become world beaters over the next 25 years, said Mahesh Nair, who heads it.

Celebrating the legacy

Nair is also Director, NetObjex Inc., the parent company of Servntire Global, a first-mover in blockchain technology in India, which later joined hands with California-based NetObjex.

“This is a project to mark the birthday of pioneering entrepreneur and visionary leader who rose from a small village in Kollam to head the largest food company in South-East Asia. He wished to make Britannia one of the largest food companies before his life was cut short. We want to make 25 global brands to celebrate his life,” said Nair.

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Reaching out to major brands

The Beta Group has reached out to senior Indian executives associated with international brands such as Fedex, Coke, IBM and Nabisco to be on its advisory board. It has called upon potential entrepreneurs and start-ups to register on its website http://www.betaproject25.com/.

There are two separate application forms for start-ups to apply online, the spokesman said. While one caters to potential entrepreneurs who have new ideas, the other is for existing units. Those wanting to apply need to enter all details in either of the forms which have space for uploading one’s profile links or pitch decks.

Range of support on offer

Beta Project25 will provide a variety of support to the 25 start-up ideas. The support ranges right from validating one’s ideas to helping create an incubator route that could finally culminate in attracting investments.

The group would handhold 'out-of-box ideas' till they are commercialised as viable business plans. Required mentoring services are also at hand with veteran mentors on standby. Start-ups would also benefit from robust valuable resource-sharing and co-working spaces made available at low costs, the spokesman said.

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