Ather Energy, India’s third-largest electric scooter maker by volume, was founded in 2013. Five years later, the start-up launched its first electric scooter, Ather 450, which was powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), to navigate India’s chaotic traffic and road conditions. The start-up had a single-product focus: Ather 450, a high-performance scooter targeting millennials and EV enthusiasts. Ather analyzed user data to improve the product and enhance customer experience. The data-driven, customer-focused strategy helped Ather 450 to secure a unique position in the market and enabled the company to garner around 13% of the market share in less than five years. To sustain future growth in the presence of rising competition, co-founders Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain debated several strategies, including widening their single-product portfolio and targeting a different customer segment. Would pursuing a mass market strategy by launching lower-end products impact Ather’s brand equity? Amid increasing competition and market saturation, it was crucial the founders made the right decision.
Shantanu Gaur had built Allurion into a formidable business internationally, providing obesity patients with a less invasive option long before GLP-1 drugs became the latest craze. Selling Allurion's medical device across 60+ countries, he awaited FDA approval to bring his technology to patients in the US. As time ticked by, GLP-1 drugs came like a tsunami, seemingly conquering the weight-loss market. With approval seemingly coming soon, Gaur had to decide what his strategy should be in continuing to grow Allurion, dealing with the challenges of the GLP-1 craze, and preparing for long term success.
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Anjali Raina is the Executive Director of the Harvard Business School India Research Centre. In her leadership role at the IRC, Anjali focuses on building and maintaining relationships with senior business leaders in the region to facilitate the work of the center in research, educational programs, community building and faculty development.
Under her leadership, the IRC has facilitated the writing of over 168 case studies on Indian Business Practice and supported half a dozen research projects. Anjali has co-authored several case studies such as Aadhaar: India’s ‘Unique Identification’ System, TeamLease: Putting India to Work (II) Legally; Pratham – Every Child in School and Learning Well; Naina Lal Kidwai: Investing in Her Country; Tech Mahindra and the Acquisition of Satyam Computers (A); HN Agri Serve : Growing Prosperity as well as an HBR Article on The Ordinary Heroes of the Taj.
Anjali wears several additional hats. She is a Director on the Board of Harvard Business Publishing, India, the Regional President (Western Region) of NHRDN, an Advisor to The Akanksha Foundation, Trustee to LIFE Trust, an Advisory Member on the Board of HBS Club of India, and on the Advisory Board of the Indian Business School.
Prior to joining HBS IRC Anjali spent 15 years with Citigroup India, most recently as Country Director, before which she worked for more than a decade with ANZ Grindlays Bank PLC. Anjali holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, a bachelor's degree (Eng. Hons) from Loreto College and is an alumnus of HBS having completed the Advanced Management Program.