Interview with Ankit Sharma | Aurdinate Global
About Aurdinate Global
Keeping this as core to our business principle, Aurdinate Global Group of Companies was established in 2017. We are a diversified business organization focusing on Renewable Energy. The Group has an education and training vertical in form of SWIEC Initiative that focuses on training & developing renewable energy experts and engineers to support tomorrow’s need. The Incubation Centre within this initiative provides support and guidance to new business ideas making them marketing ready.
Aurdinate Global Group is also actively working to develop India’s most energy efficient electrical appliances and make India energy independent through IGC Energy Limited (A wholly owned subsidiary of Aurdinate Global). Under the Solar For All initiative, we are making solar electricity affordable and available to all. It is our endeavour to make our ecosystem a better place.
So basically we are working on 3 verticals that are:
Consulting: Helping our clients to venture into the new and emerging markets.
SWIEC: An integrated platform to connect the innovation in the renewable energy sector with the industry and making people ready for the upcoming jobs in solar energy sector.
IGC Energy (Indian Green & Clean Energy): Working in the field of energy efficiency and coming up with the most energy efficient products, using them the consumer can cut down to their monthly electricity bill by 40%-45%. Which also includes our initiative of Solar-for-All. Everyone have the right to have the access of energy.
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankit-sharma10/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aurdinate/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AurdinateGlobal
Website: www.aurdinate.com
1.What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
Well to be true,, there is not just one thing that motivated me to venture into this energy sector. Seeing our country, reading about the social entrepreneurs who are working constantly for the betterment of the society and the wording of my Mentor “India does not need the advance technology, what it needs is the appropriate technology. A technology simple enough to be understand its value, cheap enough to reach everyone solving their problems”
Every morning I wakeup with a very simple thought that the source of life on this planet “The Sun” give equal amount of light to everyone. For Sun, everyone is equal. So it means everyone on this planet have the right to have the access of energy.
2. Why should people choose your product/services?
Our products are tested and verified by the government of India (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) in terms of the energy efficiency. They consume 45% less power than the same products present in the market also seeing the shift in the consumers behaviour, we have the EMI and micro financing options as well. Our products are:
-Solar products
-Energy Efficient Celling fans
-Energy Efficient Exhaust Fans
-LED lights
With on-site replacement and other consumer beneficial policies, our products are showing the positive signs in the market.
3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
Well since we are the manufacturer of the technology and other companies (a few of them who are there in the market) either procure from us or from china which further restrict them to cut down the prices. So Whatever price they are quoting to the consumers, our pricings will always be 25%-30% less. And I believe this is a massive advantage we are having till some other manufacturer does not come in the market.
4. What risks are you facing?
Awareness is the biggest risk we are facing. India is doing a lot of things in the renewable energy sector but one thing we are lacking behind is the awareness. Its very hard to explain people why they must go for solar or energy efficient products.
Lets take an example of fans. A normal fan cost in between INR 1400 to INR 1800 while an energy efficient fan cost INR 2400 to INR 2800. By replacing one fan a person saves INR 1500 per year on their electricity bill but a normal person does not want to see the bigger picture. They see that they have a fan which they bought at INR 1500 now when its working fine, someone is asking them to buy another fan in INR 2500 just to save INR 1500 in one year.
5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
We are just on the very early stage and to sustain in the market we need the financial support so yes we are looking for those support and we are reaching out to the different VC firms for the same.
6. What are your cash flow projections? When will you break even? How much will you need in investments?
If we look just for now what we need to sustain is the proper manufacturing unit. For now all I can say is the investment we need is a very good amount. About cash flow projection all I can say is that Indian Energy Efficiency market has grown to 1.6 Lakh Crore from 74,000 crore in last 2 years. And for now, we just have 4-5 organizations combinedly able to capture only 8% of the entire market. Rest you can assume the possibilities if properly worked.
7. What comes first for you money or emotions?
That’s a very amazing question and may be my answer will not the one you would be expecting. My dad served in the Indian Army. I did all of my schooling in Kendriya Vidyalaya (4 KV’s I have studied in) Living in cantonments so you can understand the level of emotional affection I have raised towards the others. But what I learned in last 3-4 years is money can take the guarantee of sustainability of anything or any relationship. So yes for me money comes first.
8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
I would say writing and consulting are my strength. When I was in college, I use to work as remote assistant for different business persons. Most of them were consultant. My job was to help them manage their emails, meetings and their travels. After some time I started writing blogs on emerging technologies in solar energy sector, wind energy sector and Electric Vehicles. From 2015-2016 I wrote around 80 articles and blogs and by 2017 I started getting calls, emails regarding the technologies I have written. Most of them were asking me for my assistance to procure that technology. Form there my consulting career started.
About the weakness, I would say on personal level is the people management, till now but I am learning to manage the same.
9. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Well it happen recently, When I started my career after completing my college in 2015. I was working as an intern in a consulting firm. It was more of a R&D consulting firm. Helping companies like Toshiba and other with their R&D projects. I worked there for 5 months and then left and joined another startup. Now After 3 years my company partnered that Consulting firm. We are working together. This I believe is one of my biggest accomplishment till now.
10. How do you handle pressure?
This can make you laugh. I love poetry and mostly hindi poetry. So whenever I feel low or depressed or I am under pressure, I read or listen to the poetries. Most of time I read or listen to the VIR-RAS and get the motivation and get back to work. Sometimes I also write poetries, just to let my emotions go so that I can concentrate on the work properly.
11. If you sold your company today, what would be the tone of the conversation? What would you want to gain? What would you want to avoid losing?
Well to be true, I haven’t thought of it a bit. So I cannot answer that.
12. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
I would advise them to start with blogging. Start blogging in the field you are wiling to start. Blogging helps you to gain certain skills like research, presentation and also will help you get noticed in the market. All the top personalities of any sector read blogs. They read and seek out the blogger for further information. I made a lot of contacts just by blogging. Here I am talking about the directors, CEO’s and CTO’s of top renewable energy companies of the country. A good network is the must have thing for the business. And by blogging actively, one can create their own network.
