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E-commerce players’ 2015 ad spends in India pegged at Rs 3900+ crore: NASSCOM
BENGALURU: E-commerce players would have spent approximately Rs 3900 crore (or $600 million) in India on advertisement by the end of 2015, as per the second edition of the start-up report released by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and Zinnov.
The report titled “Start-up India – Momentous Rise of the Indian Start-up Ecosystem” was released on the side-lines of NASSCOM Product Conclave 2015 in Bengaluru.
As per the report, the total funding in the India based start-ups is estimated to be nearly $5 billion by 2015.
With 100 per cent growth in number of private equity, venture capitalists, angel investors along with a 125 per cent growth in funding over last year, the Indian start-up ecosystem has risen to the next level says NASSCOM. Various central and state government start-up initiatives are further supporting this progressive phase of start-ups in India.
The Indian technology start-ups landscape has seen tremendous growth in the emergence of innovative start-ups and creative entrepreneurs. In terms of providing a conducive ecosystem for the start-ups to thrive, India has moved up to third position and has emerged the fastest growing base of start-ups worldwide. India is one amongst the first five largest startup communities in the world with the number of start-ups crossing 4,200, a growth of 40 per cent, by the end of 2015.
NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar said, “The maturing Indian start-up ecosystem is now contributing to the Indian economy in many ways. Apart from positively impacting the lifestyles of citizens involved, start-ups are now creating innovative technology solutions that are addressing the key social problems that India is facing and creating significant growth opportunities for every stakeholder.”
Some of the key highlights of the report are as follows:
India is the youngest start-up nation in the world- 72 per cent of the founders are less than 35 years old.
More than 50 per cent of the 1200 startups focus on e-commerce, consumer services and aggregators.
Nine per cent female founders and co-founders in startup ecosystem.
Number of accelerators grew by 40 per cent from approximately 80 in 2014 to approximately 110 in 2015.
Total funding in 2015 saw a growth of approximately 125 per cent over 2014.
Number of PE/VCs investments have grown by 100 per cent over 2014.
80,000 jobs created by startups.
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Zoff Foods extends Shilpa Shetty partnership into ninth year
Spice brand reinforces trust-led positioning amid growth and funding push.
MUMBAI: Nine years, one flavour and the recipe clearly still works. Zoff Foods has extended its long-running association with Shilpa Shetty, marking nine consecutive years of her as brand ambassador as the company scales its presence across Indian households. What began as a digital-first collaboration has gradually evolved into a defining element of the brand’s identity. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has mirrored Zoff’s own journey from an emerging challenger to a fast-growing FMCG player with a widening footprint across e-commerce, quick commerce and offline retail channels.
The logic behind the continuity is straightforward. In a category where trust and familiarity drive purchase decisions, particularly in spices and ready-to-cook segments, long-term associations tend to carry more weight than short bursts of visibility. Shetty’s positioning as a fitness-conscious, health-aware public figure aligns with the brand’s emphasis on purity and quality factors that are increasingly shaping consumer choices in modern Indian kitchens.
The extension also comes at a time when Zoff Foods is entering a more aggressive growth phase. The company recently raised $2 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by JM Financial Private Equity, with participation from Aman Gupta, signalling a push towards expanding distribution, product innovation and market reach.
Company executives have positioned the continued partnership as a strategic anchor amid this expansion, reinforcing brand recall while entering new markets. For Shetty, the association remains rooted in shared values around authenticity and ingredient integrity attributes that resonate strongly with increasingly mindful consumers.
In a market crowded with new-age brands and shifting loyalties, Zoff’s approach suggests a different playbook: build slowly, stay consistent, and let familiarity do the heavy lifting. Because sometimes, in both branding and cooking, it’s not about reinventing the dish, it’s about perfecting it over time.
