Latest news with #SanketS
India Gazette
08-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
TiE Mumbai to Host another Edition of TiE Food Network - Food Founders Catchup; Where Foodpreneurs Taste, Talk & Thrive
TP Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 8: TiE Mumbai in partnership with Annapoorna Inter Food, present the TiE Food Network Mixer -- a curated evening designed for F&B founders to connect, collaborate and cook up new ideas. This exclusive industry meet-up curated for food entrepreneurs is slated for 24th July 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, in Mumbai. This mid-week gathering brings together innovators, investors and leaders shaping the future of the food and beverage (F&B) ecosystem in India. TiE Food Network Mixer is designed for founders stirring up the future of food--from kitchens to kiranas to the cloud. It is a platform for candid conversations, high-impact networking, and peer-to-peer learning. 'The TiE Food Network played a pivotal role in bringing together the entire food service ecosystem during the challenging COVID period. It was heartening to witness how generously senior ecosystem partners supported the next generation of foodpreneurs--with empathy, collaboration, and guidance. Since then, the network has only grown stronger, with members actively engaging, collaborating, and expanding the community.' said Sanket S, Founder- Scandalous Foods and Lead- TiE Food Network. He added, 'At both our online and offline events, we've seen members discover co-founders, mentors, business opportunities, ecosystem enablers, and even connect with VCs. This clearly underscores the importance of having sector-specific interest groups like ours that drive real, tangible value for their industries.' 'The TiE Food Network Mixer is more than just a networking event--it's a curated space for India's most driven foodpreneurs to exchange ideas, explore synergies, and inspire each other,' said Naveen Raju, Executive Director, TiE Mumbai. 'Given the incredible response we received at our last event, we're excited to welcome an even more diverse mix of founders, restaurateurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers this time around.' The past event saw over 35+ founders, investors, and industry leaders come together within just 24 hours of the event announcement. The energy was electric as representatives from across the F&B spectrum--aggregators like Swiggy, consulting firms such as KPMG India, celebrated culinary professionals from Turban Tadka Hospitality, iconic brands like Idly Vidly, Bhagat Tarachand, and SpiceKlub, along with players from vegan food, backend logistics, QSR, cold-pressed juices, and food auditing--shared insights and explored emerging trends. Participants can expect an engaging and informal atmosphere, where they'll get to taste, talk, and thrive--true to the theme of the event. From cloud kitchen pioneers to legacy restaurateurs, from direct-to-consumer disruptors to backend logistics innovators, the event is poised to offer something valuable for everyone in the F&B landscape. The event is expected to draw some of the most influential voices and bold new thinkers in the food industry. To participate in this dynamic foodpreneur networking event please register here About TiE The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE : mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE's focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs. Media Contact Jacqueline Patel 9967040369 [email protected] (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by TP. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
They paid Rs 50 lakh for MBA, tech degrees but only 'polished skill' is PPT: Entrepreneur after hiring 3 students
When Sanket S, founder of Scandolous Foods, decided to hire fresh graduates from some of India's most prestigious private colleges, he expected talent that could keep up with the demands of his growing startup. Instead, what he found was disheartening. In a viral LinkedIn post, Sanket shared how hiring three students—an MBA graduate, a hotel management student, and a tech degree holder—left him more concerned than optimistic. 'These kids paid ₹40–50 lakh for degrees from India's top private MBA, food, and hospitality colleges,' Sanket wrote. 'But they walked out knowing… nothing that actually matters.' What was meant to be an onboarding of future industry shapers quickly turned into a revelation about the stark mismatch between academic credentials and workplace readiness . The Only 'Polished Skill'? Making PowerPoint Slides Sanket explained that the MBA graduate couldn't grasp basic financial concepts like profit and loss or cash flow. The hotel management student had never been inside a food processing facility. Even basic knowledge about precision fermentation—vital in a food-tech startup—was missing. 'All of them are brilliant at making PPTs. That too, stuff Gemini or ChatGPT can do in seconds now,' he added, expressing how automation had surpassed the one skill they came equipped with. You Might Also Like: Hotmail cofounder Sabeer Bhatia blasts Indian education system: 'We are producing an army of useless kids' A Broken Pipeline, Not a Broken Batch The reaction to Sanket's post underscored a wider problem—India's education system, not its students, may be failing the job market . Netizens argued that graduates aren't inherently lacking, but are products of outdated curricula that prioritise rote learning over real-world application. One user called the system 'a bottleneck,' especially in emerging sectors like food tech and biotech, where theory-heavy teaching leaves students unprepared for practical challenges. Another pointed out the mismatch in expectations, noting, 'Most of these graduates are fit for Fortune 1000 companies, not startups that demand flexibility and critical thinking.' Several commenters also criticised how both schools and colleges suppress creativity and curiosity in favour of memorisation. 'There's little focus on inventions, discoveries or deep research,' one said, while another called for a bottom-up overhaul through a robust STEAM education strategy. The consensus is clear: India may be producing degrees, not doers. Unless systemic reforms take place, young professionals will continue entering the workforce ill-equipped—not because they lack talent, but because they were never trained to apply it where it matters. You Might Also Like: Choosing Computer Science in college? Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Hinton has a stark warning for aspiring coders Startups Want Builders, Not Bookworms For startups, the gap between a glowing résumé and on-ground ability comes at a cost. Founders who are trying to build cutting-edge ventures in medtech, biotech, and climate tech need team members who can hit the ground running—not those who need to be trained from scratch. 'Train them from scratch, then I'm not running a company, I'm running a classroom,' Sanket wrote, highlighting the dilemma founders face—whether to invest time in training underprepared local talent or look abroad, betraying their 'Make in India' dreams. A Call for Urgent Reform The post has also reignited the conversation around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) education and the need to shift from outdated curricula to skills that matter in the modern world. One commenter emphasized that unless India builds a bottom-up education strategy rooted in innovation, 'we will lose the global innovation competition.' Sanket ended his post with a strong cautionary note: 'At this rate, we're not just 10 years behind—we're raising a generation that doesn't even know what the world looks like today.' You Might Also Like: Schools and universities to go obsolete? Godfather of AI, Greoffrey Hinton says 'we won't need them' As the debate rages on, one thing is clear—India's talent pipeline might need more than a polish. It needs a full-scale reboot.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Running a classroom, not a company': Startup founder reveals the harsh realities of building a business in India
A pointed LinkedIn post by Sanket S, founder of Scandolous Foods, has sent ripples through India's startup ecosystem, sparking a flurry of reactions from entrepreneurs and professionals who say it highlights deep flaws in the country's talent pipeline. Check full text of the post here I hired 3 people from one of India's best tech colleges and honestly…it scared me. I'm not talking about some no-name college. These kids paid ₹40–50L for degrees from India's top private MBA, food, and hospitality colleges. But they walked out knowing… nothing that actually matters. No idea what precision fermentation is. MBA grad didn't understand P&L or cash flow. Hotel management kid had never seen a food processing line. And all of them are brilliant at making PPTs. That too stuff Gemini or ChatGPT can do in seconds now. What are we training kids for?? Because it's clearly not for work. It's to memorise outdated textbooks and polish case studies from 2012. And I'm sitting here, trying to build a 'globally competitive company' and this is the talent I get access to? What am I supposed to do? Train them from scratch, then I'm not running a company, I'm running a classroom. Or hire from abroad and feel like a traitor to my own 'Make in India' dreams? Honestly, I've spoken to so many founders, and this is not just MY problem. This is India's problem. And it pisses me off because founders can hustle, investors can bet big but if the talent pipeline is broken, the whole system crumbles. You want India to lead in food tech, biotech, climate tech, medtech? Then stop producing talent that's outdated before it even hits the job market. Because at this rate, we're not just 10 years behind, we're raising a generation that doesn't even know what the world looks like today. What did people say? "Yes it's every founder's problem. Need to train them from scratch and no guarantee that they stay with the company and can quit at any time. There's a huge gap in the education system which needs to be addressed immediately," said one user. "The situation is alarming. Sanket S you have raised a very valid point. In fact, many of us as an academician also find it in the same way. Institutes compete against peers in showcasing their highest placement packages; Similarly, students also want to be assured of getting a good placement and hence evaluates the institute on this one and only criterion. In this kind of transactional approach, intellectual resource, skill building, and many more things of utmost importance takes the back and many a times it results into something that disappoints practitioners like you at the end," said another user.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Degree. Yes. Employable? Not quite
Rajesh Kalra is a journalist for almost three decades and has also tried his hands at entrepreneurship in between. Although he has written on several subjects, he has a weakness for IT, telecommunications, sports and developmental issues. He is an avid sportsman, a trained high-altitude mountaineer, a passionate mountain biker and a marathoner. He is on the PM's Olympic Task Force and a member of the All India Council of Sports. His blog, Random Access, will cover issues that take into account these varied interests. Follow @rajeshkalra on Twitter LESS ... MORE A post by a LinkedIn user, Sanket S, has been doing the rounds, almost going viral: He recently hired three graduates from top-tier private Indian institutions—specialising in business, food, and hospitality. Each had spent Rs 40–50 lakh on their education. All three were excellent at making PowerPoint presentations—something even AI can now do. But when it came to core, real-world skills, they fell dramatically short. The MBA graduate didn't understand P&L or cash flow. The hotel management graduate had never seen a food processing line. None of them understood precision fermentation—a core capability in modern food-tech. Let's not act surprised. This isn't new. This problem has been festering for decades. I had once written a piece where I described India's talent output as 'Educated Unemployables.' That unfortunate phrase continues to define our system. Degrees, yes. Skills, no. From schools to engineering colleges to competitive exams, the rot is wide and systemic. What Sanket experienced is just the tip of a very large iceberg. Degrees ≠ Knowledge Think back to the IT boom of the 1990s and 2000s. Hundreds of computer training institutes sprang up overnight. Families broke FDs and took loans to enroll their children, hoping they'd become coders and land jobs abroad. But what did most students actually learnt? Basic computer literacy — Word processors and spreadsheets — while believing they were mastering programming. Even respected engineering colleges weren't spared. A decade ago, an IT honcho interviewed Computer Science graduates from a prominent REC in North India. None could answer basic questions. One student finally admitted: 'We have no faculty. No real tests. Everyone is promoted at the end of the year.' Officially, we produce X number of engineers. But what do those numbers even mean? They just add up to the statistics that show this many computer graduates produced by the country. And the rot doesn't start in college. It starts much earlier, in school. In the name of progressive policy, we decided not to fail any child till Class 8. In practice, this has been disastrous. Students who can't cope with Class 5 content are pushed up to Class 8. When higher-level academic rigour begins, the foundation is too weak. They're set up to fail quietly — or worse, coast through the system without ever knowing what they missed. Of course, then there is the great scam involving several exams for jobs except, perhaps those conducted by the UPSC. The way the system is gamed, is well, systemic. Even competitive exams — supposedly sacrosanct — have been compromised. The process looks secure: A sealed question paper packet from a bank locker Invigilators, videography, independent observers Surprise checks by flying squads And yet: Over 50% of candidates in some centres are impersonators with fake IDs. Some already know the questions — in the right sequence — before the exam begins. In extreme cases, teachers dictate answers to paid candidates. The flying squad? Often tipped off well in advance. When results come out, the best scores go to those who paid for their place. The sincere, hardworking candidates — the ones who actually deserve it — are shown the door. How do you fix a system where every layer — policy, teaching, exams, oversight — can be manipulated? Yes, we can frame bulletproof policies. But unless they're implemented with integrity, we're just papering over deep cracks. India aspires to be a global leader. But how will that happen if our talent supply chain is fundamentally broken? Worse still, our youth — the supposed beneficiaries of this system — are being consumed by distractions. TikTok, reels, addictive apps. The ability to focus, reflect, grasp depth? Rapidly vanishing. And yet, society seems eerily comfortable with this decline. We're not just facing a crisis of education. We're looking at a future where mediocrity wears the mask of merit. Where shortcuts triumph over substance. Where effort is no longer rewarded — and that should scare us all. We're not staring at a crisis. We're already in it. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Scandalous Foods raises Rs 2 crore in ongoing seed+ funding led by New Age India Fund
Scandalous Foods has secured Rs 2 crore in an ongoing seed+ funding round. The capital will be strategically invested in expanding production capacity and strengthening its SME HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering) distribution network, fueling the company's next phase of growth. With 50 percent of the funds allocated to scaling production, Scandalous Foods is gearing up to meet the rising demand that has driven consistent month-on-month growth. The remaining 50 percent will focus on expansion efforts, with 30 percent dedicated to building a robust SME HoReCa distribution network—targeting smaller restaurant chains with fewer than five outlets—and 20 percent directed toward online and offline marketing initiatives, stated a release issued by the company. "At Scandalous Foods, we're not just selling Indian sweets —we're working towards becoming the biggest mithaiwala in the unplanned post meal impulse purchase space. This funding is a massive leap forward in our journey to make our sweets a staple in restaurants and catering menus across India. With bigger production, a stronger distribution network, and new products in the pipeline, we're gearing up to bring our bold, delicious creations to even more people. The love we've received so far has been incredible, and this is just the beginning! Also, we truly appreciate the promptness and professionalism shown by New Age India Fund in transferring the funds. It's a great start to what we believe will be a strong and supportive partnership.' said Sanket S ., co-founder of Scandalous Foods. The company has experienced 7x growth in calendar year 2024, selling over 2 million cups of Indian sweets across nine cities. With a reach of nearly one million unique consumers through its 27 B2B clients and 1,500+ distribution points, Scandalous Foods is quickly becoming a go-to name in the industry, the release added. Avinash Kalia , chief investment officer, New Age India Fund explained 'At our fund, we actively seek out founders with the vision and capability to execute and scale in unique, high-potential niches. Sanket and the team behind Scandalous exemplify this perfectly. With prior experience in the food industry, they've identified a compelling niche and are poised to capitalize on it. Sanket is a driven entrepreneur with a clear roadmap for where Scandalous is headed, and his infectious enthusiasm makes it easy to believe in that vision. We're excited to partner with them on this journey.' Beyond scaling its footprint, the brand is introducing 2-3 new products and expanding into new sub-channels within existing markets. Initially focused on key account HoReCa clients, Scandalous Foods will now target SME HoReCa and caterers, further strengthening its presence in India's evolving F&B landscape, said the release. Looking ahead, the company is focused on achieving INR 20 crore+ revenue within the next year, while also preparing to expand into the Middle East by 2026. Additionally, Scandalous Foods will introduce branded Indian sweets under its B2B2C label, FAAD, within the HoReCa channel, reinforcing its long-term vision for growth, it added.
