Coolest Start-ups 2011

EKO India founders Abhishek Sinha and Abhinav Sinha

Updated : Jul 11, 2011

BT's fifth annual listing of new companies that may shine

With venture capitalists lining up outside the offices of anyone with what seems a good, bankable idea or product for a start-up, here is the fifth annual list of new companies most likely to shine in the coming years.

IHO founders Sikand (lying); (in black suits) Sen (L) and Ahluwalia

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

IHO aims to offer affordable health services

IHO offers health services packages at premiums much lower than the mainstream insurance firms - and still manages to make a healthy profit.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Peppermint Hotels: Perfect deal for a cool stay

While working at his family-run Royal Orchid chain of luxury hotels, Arjun Baljee, realised there were hardly any budget hotels in the country that would appeal to young people. He decided to launch his own chain to fill the gap.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Druva inSync provides data back-up services

It did not have a single customer for a year after it started in 2007. But today Druva has around 650 customers, including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank in India, and NASA in the US.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

EKO India makes banking easy for poor

Abhishek and Abhinav Sinha's  EKO India Financial Services enables its 150,000 customers to save and transfer money through their mobiles.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Taxspanner makes filing tax returns easy

Within a year of its start, over 25,000 individuals had filed their returns through Taxspanner. The number has been doubling every year since then and currently stands at 250,000.

Chai Point founder Amuleek Singh Bijral (left) with his colleagues in Bangalore

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Chai Point brews a new format

Amuleek Singh Bijral started Chai Point in Bangalore in April 2010 to serve tea in clean and congenial surroundings. The single outlet has grown to nine.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

The promising start-ups

Incipient, promising start-ups to keep an eye out for.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

StaffOnContract provides hiring solutions

StaffOnContract is just what its name signifies - the first job portal in the country devoted exclusively to those who want to work - or hire - on contract.

ZipDial founders Valerie Rozycki and Amiya Pathak

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

ZipDial makes the most of missed calls

Valeric Rozycki teamed up with Sanjay Swamy, and Amiya Pathak to launch ZipDial Mobile Solutions in mid 2010, which uses missed calls as a marketing tool.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Attero Recycling makes a business opportunity from e-cycling

Attero Recycling processes over 300 tonnes of e-waste every month at its two-acre recycling facility in Roorkee, Uttarakhand.

Updated : Jun 23, 2011

Global Talent Track makes students employable

Global Talent Track, run by Uma Ganesh and Ganesh Natarajan. has tied up with over 800 colleges across the country from which it draws candidates and trains them.