08: Kula Connect Digest April '24
Kula Connect Digest covers Kula progresses, news, events and jobs in the Indo-European space
Hello Kula Community! 👋
Welcome to the second Kula Connect Digest, a monthly recap newsletter to help you navigate the Indo - European landscape and make you actively involved in Kula’s progresses.
You’re new to Kula? Learn more about us here
What can you expect from Kula Digest?
💡 Kula Connect Progresses: We'll make you part of our journey building Kula
🚀 What’s next: Insights on our future plans
🤓 March Newsletters Recap: Highlights from our past three newsletters
🚨 Top Headlines: Selction of news regarding Europe and India
📊 Interesting Reads: Articles and reports worth to read not strictly realted to the newsletter
📅 Upcoming Events in the Indo-EU space
👩💻 Kula’s Jobs Recommend [NEW]: Open positions at companies we've interacted with
Kula Progresses (Build in Public) 🚀
Kula is on a mission to establish a community of professionals, companies and institutions to foster collaboration and innovation at the crossroads of Europe and India.
We decided to start with a newsletter, which you can see as our MVP, our first product, or simply as a newsletter. Through it, we are:
Building our community (you!)
Meeting incredible people, learning from them about business in India and Europe, while also gaining valuable tips for our project.
Making initial impacts, creating new knowledge and raising awareness on Indo-EU topics
Establishing our brand.
In a few words, we talk and write. A lot.
And, hopefully, also someone outside us benefits from it.
“Why are you doing this?”
.. is probably the question we get asked the most.
The answer is as simple as it can be: we do it because we enjoy it, and we believe in the growing potential of business relationships between India and Europe. We aim to have an impact in this space, facilitating value creation and spreading awareness on these topics.
We are making small steps every day towards our goals 🚀
+200 subscribers and 55% Open Rate
Within two months of our launch, we've reached the milestone of 200 subscribers and have over 300 followers on LinkedIn.
Our content got interaction from over 3,000 people, and we are maintaining an open rate of 55%. This indicates to us that our articles are indeed valuable to our audience. Tell us if we are wrong!
Encouraging Feedback
We receive encouraging feedback from our subscribers and interviewees, thank you! So, if you have any feedback to share, please don't hesitate to reach out! We greatly appreciate hearing from our community!
Growing the team 🎉
Anyway, we are just at the start and we want to achieve much more!
That is why we are enlarging the team and we are super excited to onboard Francesco Bocchi and Riccardo Ramisch! 🎉
Francesco and Riccardo did a double degree at Bocconi (Italy) and IIM Bangalore (India). During their time there, they also completed an internship program learning about Indian business environment and fostering their interest for the market. As Silvia and Giuseppe, they want to learn more and do not lose the connection.
A brief introduction
Francesco: Hi Kula Readers, I’m Francesco. Milan native, global explorer. I have lived in United States, India and now I’m back to Italy. With a degrees from Bocconi and an MBA IIM Bangalore, I’ve worked in Milan and Chennai with projects focused on Finance, Consulting, and Sales. In love with India, both personally and professionally, I never want to lose sight of the moments I've shared there. That's why I see Kula Connect as a vital tool for maintaining my connection to India.
Riccardo: Hi, I'm Riccardo! Originally from Lake Como, Italy, I've explored Germany, India, and Luxembourg. I studied at Bocconi University and spent an exciting year at IIM Bangalore. My career spans internships in investment funds and dynamic SMEs. India holds a special place for me; it's where my parents met. Living in Bangalore immersed me in its culture and business scene. From Kashmir's peaks to Kerala's beaches, India has my heart.
In India, we had an amazing year together, diving into a culture we knew little about. Our strong motivation for this project stems from those experiences. We're fully committed to growing Kula. Here's a photo from one of our best moments: trekking the Kashmir Great Lakes.
With their strong passion and enthusiasm for the project, they will support us in expanding Kula in Italy and beyond!
Would you also like to contribute actively to Kula? Continue reading 😉
What’s next 🚀
Ambassador Program 👏: The subscription to the Kula Ambassador Program is now open! Details will come out soon 😎 Would you love to support us in our mission? Meeting other people interested in bridging Europe and India? Apply!
Meet-up 🍻: We are thinking of organizing a small meet-up in Paris on Sunday, June 9th. Would you like to join? Click here.
Social Media 📲: We aim to strengthen our presence on Social Media, especially on LinkedIn and Instagram. We would love to explore new content formats, like reels. Reach out if you could help us on this project!
PS Did you know that TikTok is banned in India?
Setting goals and saying no 🎯: We aim is to reach 1,000 subscribers by the end of July 2024 and to organize our first events. While we have many other exciting ideas, we are learning that we must prioritize and say no to most of them in order to truly achieve something 😁
People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. - Steve Jobs
March Newsletters Recap 🤓
05: Building Sarla Aviation: Adrian Schmidt's Venture in Democratizing Urban Air Mobility in India
Adrian, founder of Sarla Aviation: Adrian Schmidt 🇩🇪 recently moved to Bangalore to democratize Urban Air Mobility in India. Alongside his co-founders Rakesh Gaonkar and Shivam Chauhan, he is building Sarla Aviation, with a vision to develop India's first eVTOL aircraft.
Strategic Decision to Establish Sarla in India: The decision to found Sarla in India stems from the country's growing strategic importance, rising need for alternative transportation solutions, increasingly supportive regulatory environment, and the significant gap in the Indian eVTOL market.
Competitive Strategy and Market Positioning: Sarla distinguishes itself by prioritizing affordability and catering to the Indian market's needs. Leveraging existing technologies and focusing on streamlining operations, Sarla aims to offer cost-effective eVTOL solutions without compromising safety or quality.
06: Exploring the Indo-Italian Business Landscape through Piero Guizzetti's eyes
Italy-India Relationships: Italy is the 17th largest foreign investor in India, with strong bilateral trade and diplomatic ties dating back more than 70 years. Over 600 Italian companies are currently operating in India.
Future of India: Piero highlights India's consumer-driven economy, with 60% of GDP coming from local private consumption. India's young population and improved execution capabilities make it an attractive destination for investments.
Shift in Italian Companies' Investment Strategy: Italian companies increasingly view India as a foreign direct investment market rather than just an arbitrage for cheap labor. The decoupling from China and India's rising GDP rank further contributes to this shift.
07: Insights into Indo-French Trade Dynamics from the Former IFCCI President, Sumeet Anand
An exclusive interview with Sumeet Anand, the former president of Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI). Through his extensive experience and close involvement with top management, Sumeet sheds light on the transformation of India's global perception and the flourishing trade relations between India and France over the past decade
India's Transformation: The key catalysts are: a strong government , reformative changes (GST), and a proactive dialogue with international leaders.
Indo-French trade evolution : Doubled of trade due to huge domestic demand, ability to procure locally, availability of human labor and strategic partnerships (space, defense, and sustainability…)
Challenges and Opportunities for SMEs: Enhanced collaboration and capacity-building initiatives particularly tailored to the needs of SMEs
Top Headlines 🚨
Blackstone announces a $25 billion investment strategy in India's 🇮🇳 private equity assets over the next five years, signaling confidence in the Indian market. 💰 [Bloomberg]
Germany 🇩🇪 is targeting Indian students 🇮🇳 to fill critical labor shortages, aiming to bolster workforce development and bilateral relations, as highlighted by DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee. [The Pie News]
Revolut India has received a PPI license 🪪 from the RBI and is preparing to launch its app, offering integrated local and international payment solutions on a single platform. [The Economic Times]
BMW Group and Tata Technologies have partnered to develop automotive 🚘 software in India, focusing on automated driving and dashboard systems. The joint venture will operate from Chennai, Bangalore, and Pune with an initial team of 100 employees. [Reuters]
Prime Minister Modi inaugurates construction of three major semiconductor projects, aiming to position India as a key player in the global semiconductor industry. 👩🏽💻[Agenzia Nova]
French 🇫🇷 venture Starburst Accelerator partners with IIT Madras 🇮🇳 to establish a $100 million startup hub, boosting India's tech ecosystem. [Times of India]
Interesting Reads 📊
Top 10 international brands making their debut in India in 2024/2025 [India Retailing]
India's Election Impact: A dual-phased economic forecast for FDI? [Goldman Sachs]
Upcoming Events 📅
Unlocking the Luxury Market in India | Webinar | April 26
Mentorship for Indian students/graduates in France | Paris | April 27
Compliance & Fraud Risks for French Companies in India | Mumbai | May 08
Choose France Summit | Versailles | May 13
Afterwork networking cocktail around Emile Moulard | To be announced | May 24
VivaTech Paris | Paris | May 22- May 25
Do you know any more events in the Indo - European business environment? Please write them in the comments so that our community can thrive
Kula’s Jobs Recomm [NEW] 👩💻
Curious about the companies we've spotlighted in our latest interviews? Dive into our dedicated selection of thrilling job opportunities below! Seize the chance to apply and play your part in strengthening the connection between India and Europe!
Network Planning Manager at Flix - Gurgaon (IND)🇮🇳
Intern- Business Support Services at IFCCI - Mumbai (IND)🇮🇳
Assistant – Events & Membership at IFCCI - Mumbai (IND)🇮🇳
Chemical Engineer at Renaissance Fusion - Grenoble (FRA)🇫🇷
Finance and Commercial Operations Manager at Sarla Aviation - Bangalore (IND)🇮🇳
Design Engineer – Mechanical / Electro-Mechanical at Sarla Aviation - Bangalore (IND)🇮🇳
Native Speaker from India Jobs:
Generalist Analyst - Tamil / Urdu / Hindi / Bengali Speakers at Resolver - Leeds ****(UK)
Generalist Analyst - Hindi, Spanish, Russian Speakers at Resolver - Leeds (UK)
Please let us know if you appreciate this new format and add any feedbacks in the comments