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<ul><li>Zone <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">Startups</keyword> India recently concluded the empoWer accelerator program saw 18 <keyword id="74945" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Women-Entrepreneurs">women entrepreneurs</keyword> get seed funding for their business. </li><li>7 of them will go for a 1-week market access trip to Montreal by Government of Quebec.</li><li>The selected startups work on areas of Deep tech, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning among others.</li></ul>After a 6-month accelerator program, 18 female entrepreneurs got a seed funding of ₹5 lakh each at the concluding demo day of Zone Startups India empoWer accelerator program. An accelerator program is a cohort-based one which helps entrepreneurs find their way into the startup world through mentorship, networking and funding. The empoWer accelerator program’s 3rd cohort concluded on March 29 and saw women in <keyword id="6355118" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology">technology</keyword> take a leap in business. Over the course of 3 years, through three cohorts 24 women have got equity free seed funding from the program. "Till date we have invested just about INR 2 Crores through empoWer but, the 2 past cohorts have cumulatively raised in excess of INR 40 Crores and there have been 3 acquisitions. Being through such a program and getting grant funding, definitely puts theses entrepreneurs in good stead while pitching to other investors. It is also 'validation capital' from the program,” said Ajay Ramasubramaniam director India, Zone Startups. Of the 18 winners from the latest cohort, 7 were further awarded a 1-week market access trip to Montreal by Government of Quebec. Focusing on areas such as Deep Tech, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Enterprise Mobility, Search &amp; Feedback Engines, Enterprise Software, over the 6-month program, the founders were introduced to over 90 mentors and industry leaders. From startups that are working on a device that will analyse soil health to give a quantitative estimate of nutrients present in the soil to ones that focus on women health and hygiene and even a startup that simplifies manufacturing of steel alloys, aluminium alloys etc., there was a varied range of innovation seen as a part of the accelerator program. India is the world’s third largest startup ecosystem and still sees that <a href="https://scroll.in/article/887200/india-the-worlds-fastest-growing-startup-ecosystem-has-little-space-for-female-entrepreneurs">only 9%</a> of the startup founders in the country today are women. The Indian government has introduced several schemes like Mudra Yojana Scheme For Women which provides loans to women entrepreneurs. Recently, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had decided that from the government’s<a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/more-women-take-to-entrepreneurship-launch-businesses/article26636158.ece"> Fund of Funds</a> of ₹10,000 crore, one-third of the amount will be allocated for women-led startups. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/google-will-groom-these-10-indian-startups-that-use-ai-and-machine-learning/articleshow/68384856.cms">Google will groom these 10 Indian startups that use AI and machine learning</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/google-91springboard-launch-entrepreneurship-program-for-women-in-tier-ii-cities/articleshow/65337077.cms">Google, 91Springboard launch entrepreneurship program for women in tier-II cities</a>

18 Indian women just got funding for their technology startups

One of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship initiatives, Startup Standup India has got a lot of press over the last 12 months. The programme is looking to build a strong technological eco-system for nurturing innovation and startups in the country. 
 
Officially launched on January 16, 2016, the action plan charts a way to generate new employment opportunities and a more fertile ground for entrepreneurs across the length and breadth of the nation. 
 
So what’s in it for startups/entrepreneurs? 
· It’ll bring more Women and SC/ST entrepreneurs onboard. Over 2.5 lakh people would be helped with Bank loans. 
· PM Modi even said there will be no income tax on startups’ profits for three years 
· One can register a start up in a day using the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.narendramodiapp&amp;hl=en">Narendra Modi app</a>. Just fill a small application, and voila! 
· Filing startup patents would be a lot easier 
· More freedom to entrepreneurs 
· No tax from any startup for three years 
· Startup India Fund for Startups 
 
The promises seemed really good on paper. So much so, that the current generation of startup entrepreneurs went gung ho over the proposed regulations. 
 
Now let’s have a look at the current status of some of the above. You’re in for a ride! 
 
Status: 
· While a total of 728 applications were received, the government has recommended only one for tax benefits 
· A total of Rs 1360.11 Crores were disbursed in loans till July 15. Out of this, Rs 179.15 Crores, or 13% was to Scheduled Castes, and the rest went to women and Scheduled Tribes. 
· Only 180 applicants have been ear-marked as startups, and a mere 16 applicants had been incorporated after April 1, 2016. 
· Till now, only three start-ups have received equity-free seed funding from the Department of Science and Technology. EmpoWer, a Zone Startups India accelerator for women entrepreneurs is in the list. 
· While the government says they are currently working on minimizing the time spent in licensing process, nothing has been announced. 
· The Startup helpline has received over 200 calls a day. 
 
Ummm…What do you think now? Does it cut it? Tell us in the comments below! 
 
Image source: Indiatimes

Startup Standup India – a LOT of promise, but…

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Alyson Shontell/Business Insider</div></div></div>Uber, the on-demand ride service valued at $3 billion, has been experimenting with on-demand deliveries. For Valentine's Day, the startup delivered on-demand roses. On hot summer days, it brings on-demand ice cream to users. 
Now, Uber is launching a package delivery service called RUSH in New York City. It appears to be a long-term extension of its offering, not a one-day experiment. RUSH uses bike and on-foot messengers to get your belongings from Point A to Point B.
Other Uber competitors are already working on courier services. Gett, a service that's a lot like Uber, recently partnered with delivery startup WunWun to deliver packages as well as rides to its users.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Uber</div></div></div>Uber has a blog post explaining how the service works. It's similar to it's car-hailing service in that you open up the app and pinpoint your location. RUSH is now the option on the far right, alongside its Uber Taxi, UberX, Black and SUV car offerings. 
Here's how RUSH works:
<ul>
<li>How To Hail: Request a messenger at your location. The delivery person will arrive to collect your delivery instructions either on bike or foot, then whisk your package away to its destination. Both the sender and the recipient can track the location of the package on Uber's app.</li>
<li>The Catch: Uber's messengers won't conduct transactions on your behalf. So if you want an item purchased at a store and delivered to you, or if you need a package returned to a store and signed for you, Uber's service won't work. But if you borrow a friend's sweater and don't want to trek up town to return it, then hail an Uber bike. Also, large packages will be a struggle for Uber's messengers.</li>
<li>Pricing: RUSH pricing is different than Uber's car pricing and it's based on zones. If a package is delivered within the same zone of Manhattan (Upper West, Upper East, Midtown, Downtown or Lower Manhattan), then your delivery will cost a flat $15. If the package needs to go through another zone, it's $15 plus $5 for each additional zone the biker travels through.</li>
</ul>
Here's a map of the Uber RUSH zones:<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">Uber</div></div></div>Uber says its new service will work best for Manhattaners between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on week days. Current wait times for a RUSH are about five minutes. It also says its messengers go through a rigorous background check before they're allowed to deliver packages.
For more information on the service, head over to <a href="http://blog.uber.com/RUSH">Uber's blog.</a>

Uber Now Lets New Yorkers Hail Bikers To Deliver Packages - Here's How RUSH Works

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Loren Elliott/ReutersSen. Cory Booker was one of the main backers of the Opportunity Zone tax breaks.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Venture capital firms are starting to launch and raise funds to invest in companies located in designated Opportunity Zones, where investors can get protection from certain taxes.</li><li>So far, most of the money pouring into Opportunity Zones has been from funds looking to purchase real estate, but recent regulatory guidance from the Internal Revenue Service states that it's also possible to invest in businesses.</li><li>The Opportunity Zone tax break, pushed through Congress by Senators Corey Booker and Tim Scott, defers taxes on the sale of a stock, bond, property, or business if an investor places the money into a fund that invests in a low-income area.</li><li>Venture capital funds that have been set-up are targeting companies in Scranton, Brooklyn, Newark, and Provo, Utah.</li></ul>Venture capitalist Dan Borok didn't set out to create a fund that would benefit from Internal Revenue Services' Opportunity Zone tax break. He was trying to invest in new businesses in Newark. But when the IRS placed Newark among the neighborhoods eligible for tax-deferred funds, it was a no-brainer for Borok: He was going to a run an Opportunity Zone fund now.Newark Venture Partners' $40 million fund is one of several VC funds that aims to benefit from the new tax law, which allows investors to sell an asset and within 180 days reinvest those profits into opportunity-zone-focused investments. The profits are later taxed at various levels depending on how long the capital is invested.Ever since Senators Tim Scott and Corey Booker, who is from Newark, pushed the Opportunity Zone legislation through, real-estate investors have been preparing funds to invest in building projects across the country.See more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-be-cautious-around-opportunity-zone-funds-2018-12">Big-money investors are piling into 'opportunity zone' funds in lower-income neighborhoods, but there are a bunch of reasons to be cautious</a> But only with a recent regulatory update from the IRS has venture capital started looking at the space. Millions of dollars in VC money is now being pulled together to invest in companies in Scranton, Brooklyn, Newark, and Provo, Utah."People call me all the time and say 'Hey, I was just talking to my accountant, is this real?'" said Brian Phillips, who runs the $25 million Pearl Fund that will invest in businesses in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn. <h2>Potential of big returns</h2>Troy Gayeski, co-CIO of fund-of-hedge-funds SkyBridge Capital, called opportunity zones the "emerging markets of the United States," in terms of the potential investment return. Gayeski was speaking on a panel at the SALT Conference last week in Las Vegas. For an investing community starved of yield, the chance to get exposure to venture capital-level returns is enticing.Estimates vary widely on how much money could be pumped into Opportunity Zones funds; the main lobbying arm that pushed to include them in 2017 tax reform, the Economic Innovation Group, has it projected as high as $2 trillion. Sen. Scott has floated a $100 billion figure.The newest update from the IRS gives venture capital funds more wiggle room to find attractive start-ups to invest in while also getting the tax benefits from the regulation. The original legislation stated that half of the taxable gross income must be made in an Opportunity Zone to qualify, but the most recent regulatory update stated that companies can also qualify if half of the total hours worked by employees or total dollars paid to employees were in an Opportunity Zone tract.See more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scaramuccis-salt-conference-expands-2019-5">In its return to the Bellagio, Scaramucci's SALT conference shuns hedge funds for political pros</a>The new guidelines from the government were "more generous than many practioners expected," and it has spurred "immediate interest" in venture capital funds aimed at the more than 8,000 qualified neighborhoods, John Lore, managing director at Capital Fund Group, said in an interview. One last hurdle venture capital funds getting into the space need to be aware of is the timeline required by the tax break, Lore says. To get the tax break, all funds must invest their capital within 30 months after fundraising ends - "a shorter timeframe than usual," he says."The structuring needs to reflect that," he says. There is a chance that regulation is lessened after a comment period. A statement from Scott's office said "it is critical that we make certain the regulations will work for operating businesses and job creators, and I look forward to hearing from these folks during that process."Venture capital might be more attractive for investors than real estate. While real estate can be the safer call, venture capital returns have more potential. Thompson Reuters Venture Capital Index has returned 31% over the last five years, compared to 7.9% by Vanguard's Real Estate index fund. <h2>'Not mom-and-pop businesses' </h2>Phillips, who has been the CEO of several tech start-ups that were then purchased by larger companies, said his fund is targeting young companies with big growth potential, "not mom-and-pop businesses."While the Opportunity Zone tax break has been met with enthusiasm in the investing world, community advocates have been vocal about protecting against gentrification and displacing long-time residents. Despite a focus on companies that could change the fabric of many towns, Phillips and Borok both believe that venture capital is more community friendly compared to real estate funds, which require rents and real estate prices to increase to make money. Both funds have been geared to focus on communities they know - Borok grew up near Newark, while Phillips said he splits his time living in the communities in Brooklyn and outside of Scranton. Borok also said some big-name employers in Newark - like Prudential - have supported the work his firm has done bringing start-ups to the city. "I don't want to be invested in companies all over the country, we want to roll our sleeves up and get to work with our investments," Phillips said. "Our dream is that other people across the country, in Oklahoma and Iowa and everywhere else, see what we are doing and decide to set up something similar in a community they know." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gary-shilling-legendary-economist-trade-war-outlook-says-us-will-win-2018-10">The legendary economist who predicted the housing crisis says the US will win the trade war</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

The next big venture-capital gold rush may be in Opportunity Zones, dubbed the 'emerging markets of the United States'

When it comes to startups in India, you'll find many of them thriving in popular areas of <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> where they can work. live and create a business easily. Startup garages are usually prized landmarks in any neighbourhood where the future is being built. Unless they cluster by the dozens in residential localities which then could become irksome because of impending commercialisation threats and a likely cause of fight between residents and entrepreneurs. That’s exactly what is beginning to happen in Bengaluru’s micro startup hubs of <keyword id="6405428" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="koramangala">Koramangala</keyword>, HSR Layout and <keyword id="6357350" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="indiranagar">Indiranagar</keyword>, with vexed residents voicing their displeasure against startups joining forces with swarms of restaurants and pubs in redefining their once-residential localities. India’s startup capital is home to nearly 5,000 emerging businesses and many of them function out of the three hubs which is a violation of the city's zoning rules. An example would be the 10th Main street in <keyword id="5983174" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="indiranagar-2nd-stage">Indiranagar 2nd Stage</keyword> has a road width of less than 30 ft. Perpendicular to this road is 4th Cross, which is as narrow. Both are categorised as ‘Residential Main’ in <keyword id="116823" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bangalore-development-authority">Bangalore Development Authority</keyword>’s (BDA) Revised Master Plan-2015. But the two roads have more than 20 startups functioning out of independent houses-turned-offices. One solution may be co-working spaces, which are becoming popular among young startups in the city. The state government is also creating affordable spaces for startups but these three areas remain the startups favorite places to reside.

Bengaluru residents complain of Startup hubs disrupting their lives

As more millenials are foraying into the workforce with digital and tech skills, India has emerged as a strong Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) talent pool. India has seen exponential growth in coworking spaces over the last 12 months with the top global workspaces established in India, which has fueled the expansion of Fintech hubs in India. According to<a href="https://fintegrate2019.gomedici.com/india-fintech-report-2019"> India FinTech Report 2019</a> by a global innovation platform MEDICI, India is now the world’s second biggest FinTech hub, after the US — with over 2,000 startups nourishing in the zone. As Maharashtra has become the first state in India that announced FinTech policy, Mumbai has emerged as the leading FinTech hub in India — with Mumbai and Bangalore being a home to nearly <a href="https://www.inventiva.co.in/2019/03/04/india-worlds-second-biggest-fintech-hub-with-mumbai-and-bengaluru-leading-the-charge-study/">42%</a> startups. Here are the top FinTech hubs housing most of India’s startups: Mumbai <div type="image" title="itzcash" tempid="11549" msid="68882666" hostid="261"></div>

 Bangalore <div type="image" title="Capitalfloat" msid="68882651" hostid="261"></div>

 Delhi <div type="image" title="paytm" tempid="11593" msid="68882667" hostid="261"></div>

 Gurugram <div type="image" title="MobiKwik" msid="68882652" hostid="261"></div>

 Hyderabad <div type="image" title="paynear" msid="68882653" hostid="261"></div>

These are the top Fintech hubs in India — Bangalore, Mumbai leads the race

New Delhi, Nov 17 () The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed significant cut in the compliance time to just one hour per month for start-ups as part of measures to ease regulatory requirements for budding entrepreneurs, an official said.
 The proposal is part of the Start-up India Vision 2024, prepared by the department to promote the growth of budding entrepreneurs.
 Under this vision document, the department has also proposed several other measures such as facilities of debt financing, setting up of 500 new incubators and accelerators, creating innovation zones in urban local bodies, deployment of entire corpus of Rs 10,000 crore fund of funds, operationalise credit guarantee scheme, and establishment of a seed fund.
 The department has floated a note seeking views of different ministries on this document.
 Currently, start-ups comply with a plethora of requirements such as GST filings, tax returns and other local laws every month, the official said. Compliance to these processes takes a lot of time and cost.
 Further, it has proposed providing work orders and pilot projects from the government, ranking of ministries and central public sector undertakings for their increased engagement with start-ups, and organising a global start-up event in the country.
 Startup India is the flagship initiative of the government, launched in January 2016, which intends to build a strong ecosystem for the growth of start-ups, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate employment opportunities. The Startup India action plan provides tax and other incentives.
 So far, over 24,000 start-ups have been recognised by the department. They are eligible for various tax incentives. RR HRS

Startup India Vision 2024: DPIIT for cutting compliance time to just 1 hour per month for start-ups

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image">Google Maps/Screenshot285 Alabama St.</div></div>You know what's worse than a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-bus-protests-demands-2014-1">Google bus</a> in the middle of San Francisco's Mission District?
A Google-owned building in the middle of San Francisco's Mission District.
And now Mission residents can look forward to just that: Google plans to take over a 35,000-square-foot building in the heart of the Mission, at <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/JeD4Y">285 Alabama St.</a>, <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/ab00362c-9739-11e3-a274-00144feab7de.html#axzz2tcBw07Bj">according to the Financial Times</a>.
Sources who spoke to the Financial Times say that the space will be used to house startups that the company has acquired, and will be a "cool" space for employees to work.
"When Google is buying companies, they don't want to work in the big corporate building in San Francisco or Mountain View. So they are acquiring something cool in the Mission where engineers want to work," a source from the neighborhood told the Financial Times.
<a href="http://www.vcpost.com/articles/21670/20140217/google-to-house-startups-in-san-franciscos-mission-district.htm">According to the VC Post</a>, the building is also zoned for manufacturing.
Hardware firms could utilize the site for gadget and device development since the building which was constructed in the 1920s is zoned for manufacturing. With the leasing of the space, Google could be thinking of acquiring more startups focused on making hardware as it grows from web search and dips its hand into other markets like wearable technology, robotics and the Internet of Things, the report said.
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-buying-nest-for-35-billion-2014-1">Google recently purchased Nest Labs</a>, as well as Bot and Dolly, a San Francisco-based company that makes robotics for films. Google also recently acquired <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-buys-slicklogin-2014-2"> Israeli-based SlickLogin, </a>which develops security technology.
Another day, another example of Google's push to expand.

Google Is Going To Take Over A Building In San Francisco's Mission District

Jonathan Schwartz, former CEO of Sun Microsystems, has a new startup called CareZone.
CareZone helps you manage a family member's medical information. It makes it a snap to keep track of medications, doctor appointments, and emergency contact information.
It also has an interesting feature which is meant to help people, but in the hands of a prankster could be super annoying.
With a feature called Broadcast, you can record a voice message and then robo-dial it to 100 phone numbers. The idea is that you can tell friends and family members that everything is okay if you're having a health procedure without having to individually dial them.
With great power comes great responsibility.
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/carezone-mobile/id552197945?mt=8">Check out the app here &gt;</a>

This App Can Call Up To 100 Phone Numbers At Once

The Co-working spaces have been on the rise dominantly in <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> and have largely developed as a culture across the globe with companies like <keyword id="2918346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="WeWork">WeWork</keyword> also entering Asia. 
 
Witnessing the rise, the start-ups and even corporates are succumbing to the affordable and creative offices that break the monotony and confines of cubicles. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/bi-investigation-business-models-akin-to-amazon-and-ubers-arent-working-for-indian-startups/articleshow/57287190.cms">ALSO READ: BI Investigation: Business models akin to Amazon and Uber’s aren’t working for Indian startups</a> 
 
To evangelize the generation of start-ups and freelancers and upbeat their creative quotient, a co-working space startup- Innov8 brings aesthetically and ergonomically designed Co-working spaces that help uplifts productivity and creativity of employees. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/shervin-pishevar-talks-about-indian-startups-and-hyperloop-one-which-propel-india-to-become-the-next-superpower/articleshow/57428216.cms">ALSO READ: Shervin Pishevar talks about Indian startups and Hyperloop One, which can propel India to become the next superpower</a> 
 
Innov8’s new workspace is home to an environment of motivational artwork, nutrition-focused cafe, the rooftop terrace and recreational zones that will exponentially increase employee satisfaction and happiness. 
​ Keeping the uniformity with its Delhi and Chandigarh centers, the new Co-working space under the brand will also be centrally located in Bengaluru at 3, 20 Main Rd, <keyword id="6405428" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Koramangala">Koramangala</keyword>, in walking vicinity of <keyword id="23897" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="forum">Forum</keyword> mall and diagonally opposite to <keyword id="6377922" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Starbucks">Starbucks</keyword>, Koramangala. 
 
Take a virtual tour of the newly opened space.

This Y-combinator backed co-working space is changing the workplace set-up in Bengaluru now

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Patrick Ryan was a sophomore at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York sitting in his dorm room between classes as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 unfolded.
"Someone yelled 'turn on CNN,'" Ryan said. He flipped on his TV and saw what was happening just 45 miles down the Hudson River from where he was sitting. 
As a high school senior in Kingston, New York, Ryan's mom had insisted he apply for a few other colleges. But as a kid, family visits to West Point for college football games just an hour's drive away had convinced him that the Academy was the only fit for him - even though he didn't come from a family with a deep military background.
At a memorial the night of the attacks, Ryan was struggling to put the day's events together in his mind just as everyone else in the country was. It dawned on him that his West Point education would have immediate real-world relevance. "I remember thinking: Yeah, we're gonna go to war here," Ryan said after a pause.
Today Ryan is 32 and lives in Manhattan with his fiancée; they got engaged last month, and are considering buying an apartment somewhere uptown.
Transitioning into civilian life, Ryan is making a career promoting startups that develop the powerful and specialized software he wishes he'd had as an intelligence officer in Iraq - programs that can map and visualize useful information like casualties from IEDs, the market price of flour at a local bazaar, or the tribal affiliations of local townspeople. He spends half his time in Washington, DC for his current venture, <a href="http://www.secondfront.com/">Second Front Systems</a>, which sells cybersecurity software to mostly federal clients.
After 9/11, West Point's curriculum and course offerings changed to suit and shape the challenges of the fight against terrorism. West Point's Combating Terrorism Center was founded in 2003 to teach and study everything from extremist groups' root motivations and grievances to their operation, recruitment, and financing.
"I took a whole bunch of classes that they created basically on the fly to help us understand what was happening," said Ryan.
As Ryan continued his studies, some of those in the cohorts ahead of him were already deploying. "If any of them were hurt or killed we would hear about it, so it became pretty real, pretty fast," Ryan said.
He also described "an intimidating moment" as a newly-minted officer at Fort Carson in Colorado, where he met and worked with some of the Iraq War's very first veterans. "You're supposedly in charge as an officer, but you're in charge of a bunch of folks who have already done what you haven't."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>That would soon change. Ryan has spent 27 months over two tours in Iraq. He oversaw 20 analysts charged with intelligence efforts in the eastern half of Mosul - Iraq's second-largest city, now under ISIS control - during his second tour in 2008, one of the conflict's bloodiest years.
His job was to understand "who are the key political leaders, what are the tribal dynamics, who are the bad guys, how effective are the police, how effective are the army."
Often that meant identifying potential allies among Iraqis, a mission which rested on learning more about the backgrounds of the people in the conflict's environment. They had potentially checkered pasts "which we never knew," said Ryan. "We often didn't have a lot of context."
The US military only gained a better understanding of Iraq as the war trudged on, nuance that would have helped at the fight's outset. "Most people that were in their 40s and 50s fought in [the Iran-Iraq War in the '80s] and really hated Iran and were very concerned that Iran was now going to take over Iraq, basically."
Ryan's take on recent events in the country lead him to believe the average Iraqi's fears were justified, at least in part.
"I was mostly in a Sunni area, so they were concerned that the Shia would come take power, become a proxy for Iran, and persecute the Sunnis," he says, "which is basically what has happened since we left. Their concerns were accurate. And when we invaded I really don't think many people thought about that."
Ryan was never convinced the US invasion of Iraq was justified, he said. His means to help the US make the best out of a problematic situation in the country were limited. He was using Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Earth to help map his team's sense of interpersonal and tribal relations, learn where local favor could be won, and try to predict where and when the next deadly attack might unfold.
But several companies were then in the process of creating better battlefield software that was attuned to the challenges of the post-9/11 period. It was an an emerging corner of the tech industry, and one that Ryan has now found success working in.
One of its earliest big players was Palantir Technologies, founded in 2004. A <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/palantir-the-vanguard-of-cyberterror-security-11222011.html">profile</a> of the organization in Bloomberg Businessweek explains how "The Digital Revolution dumped oceans of data on the law enforcement establishment but provided feeble ways to make sense of it." This was arguably part of the reason that the US law enforcement and intelligence community had missed so many warning signs of the coming 9/11 attacks. 
In late 2010, after his military career had concluded, Ryan traveled back to a conflict zone to help Palantir implement its new platforms. This time it was in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and he was working as an unarmed contractor rather than a member of the military.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Ryan said his past experience on the ground colored his work for Palantir. "When I was in the Army I would've been a user of these technology tools, so I deeply understood what the arc of the possible was, and I understood which data sets we needed to have pulled into the tool to make it effective."
As an entrepreneur, he now hopes to cut through the bureaucratic morass that prevents his and other talent-filled startups from competing for government work against entrenched clients like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
Ryan said the work is often tough, "but then we have some wins which kind of makes it worth it. Level the playing field, let the best technology win."

This West Point-Trained Intelligence Officer Went Through Two Conflict Zones To Reach The Startup Scene

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image">ClinkleClinkle CEO and founder, Lucas Duplan, just raised the largest seed round in Silicon Valley history.</div></div>Clinkle, the stealth payment startup founded by 20-something Lucas Duplan, is losing the COO it hired five months ago from Netflix, Barry McCarthy.
McCarthy will no longer hold his day-to-day role at the company. Duplan says he'll remain an advisor to Clinkle and that his decision to depart was "a very mutual" one.
The departure is one of many for the startup in the past few months. Duplan spoke candidly about the hiring mistakes he's made as a first-time CEO. 
"Last summer I hired in anticipation of very quick scale," says Duplan. "I snapped up the sales team and managers, and some of those hires were outside our core strike zone." The "strike" zone, according to Duplan, are things most startups prioritize - engineers, support, and legal teams. Sales and finance executives often come after the product is fully developed and launched.
"I've certainly made mistakes, no doubt about it," Duplan says. "My job is to get the right people on the bus. And once they're on the bus, to get those people in the right seats. This is my first bus. Figuring out who we need and where they fit in is a very tough exercise...I'm young and this is my first time as CEO. If someone older was running this, would it have been a straighter shot? Maybe."
Part of the reason Duplan made hiring mistakes may be because he had a lot of money to play with. A strapped-for cash startup might have been more diligent about hiring, but Clinkle emerged last summer with $25 million, the largest seed round ever announced in Silicon Valley history. It's since gone on to raise $10 - 15 million more. Virgin's Richard Branson is an investor. Stanford University also invested a few million more dollars late last year through a partnership between the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University and the school's StartX program. All in, Clinkle has raised $30 -40 million; Duplan says there is more than $20 million left in the bank.
Clinkle is still testing its product although it's starting to let more users into its system. Duplan says he still isn't sure when the app will be ready for mass consumption, but right now family and friends are using it to send live transactions.

The Adult Supervision Clinkle Hired To Be Its COO Leaves After 5 Months

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This story was delivered to Business Insider Intelligence Digital Health Pro subscribers earlier this morning.</li><li><a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/products/digital-health-pro-membership?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=top_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-alto-pharmacy-raises-250-million-from-investors-including-softbank-2020-2">To get this story plus others to your inbox each day, hours before they're published on Business Insider, click here.</a></li></ul>The San Francisco-based pharmacy startup raised $250 million from investors including SoftBank's second Vision Fund, <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25iYy5jb20vMjAyMC8wMS8zMC9hbHRvLXJhaXNlcy0yNTAtbWlsbGlvbi1mcm9tLXNvZnRiYW5rLXZpc2lvbi1mdW5kLTItb3RoZXJzLmh0bWw/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB36b88c3f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> CNBC.And this isn't global investment titan SoftBank first vote of confidence in a digital health firm: For example, SoftBank looked to <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3Zlcml0YXMtc2h1dHRlcnMtdXMtb3BlcmF0aW9ucy1zb2Z0YmFuay10by1wdW1wLTE1MG0taW50by1ob21lLWhlYWx0aGNhcmUtdXBzdGFydC1wYWlnZWFpLWxpbmtzLXdpdGgtcGhpbGlwcy0yMDE5LTEy/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB011fd4dc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invest</a> $150 million in home healthcare startup Honor in December 2019 and led a funding round in which health benefits startup Collective Health <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2NvbGxlY3RpdmUtaGVhbHRoLWxhbmRzLTIwNW0taW4tc29mdGJhbmstbGVkLWZ1bmRpbmctcml0ZS1haWQtZG9lcy1zb21ldGhpbmctd2l0aC1hZG9iZS11cy1oZWFsdGgtYnJlYWNoZXMtbmVhci1yZWNvcmQtbGV2ZWwtaW4tbWF5LTIwMTktNg/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBb2ce60ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bagged</a> $205 million in June of the same year. However, SoftBank's investment in Alto represents its first pharmacy play - and the market opportunity is huge, with the US alone <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY21zLmdvdi9SZXNlYXJjaC1TdGF0aXN0aWNzLURhdGEtYW5kLVN5c3RlbXMvU3RhdGlzdGljcy1UcmVuZHMtYW5kLVJlcG9ydHMvTmF0aW9uYWxIZWFsdGhFeHBlbmREYXRhL05IRS1GYWN0LVNoZWV0/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBa2ac7178" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spending</a> $335 billion on prescription drugs in 2018, per CMS.Despite the hurdles dotting their path to success, we've seen a string of pharmacy startups gain steam as of late. The pharmacy space is a complex one to enter, as a number of established players like pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and traditional retail pharmacies are standing in the way of tech-focused entrants' success.For context, PBMs <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2hvdy1vbmUtc3RhcnR1cC1wbGFucy10by1kaXNydXB0LXRoZS00MjMtYmlsbGlvbi1wYm0tbWFya2V0/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB39b6afe0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">act</a> as the middlemen of the pharmaceutical industry and are tasked with negotiating the costs of drugs for payers - and we've seen them lock horns with pharmacy startups in the past: For example, PBM Express Scripts <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25iYy5jb20vMjAxOC8wNi8xOS9leHByZXNzLXNjcmlwdHMtYm9vdHMtYW5vdGhlci1vbmxpbmUtcGhhcm1hY3ktLWNhcmV6b25lLS1mcm9tLWl0cy1uZXR3b3JrLmh0bWw/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBf2dbb226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed</a> startup CareZone from its nationwide network after claiming CareZone misrepresented itself as a retail pharmacy, per CNBC.And on top of contentious relationships with PBMs, pharmacy startups are also entering a firmly <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2N2cy1hZXRuYS11bnZlaWxzLWxvdy1jb3N0LWhlYWx0aC1zZXJ2aWNlcy1mYWNlYm9vay1zdHJ1Z2dsZXMtdG8tYXNzZXMtaGVhbHRoLXRvb2wtZWZmaWNhY3ktZmVtdGVjaC1tYXJrZXQtZXhwYW5kaW5nLWJ1dC1kYXRhLXNoYXJpbmctY291bGQtbGltaXQtZ3Jvd3RoLTIwMjAtMQ/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBc0bb5a21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entrenched</a> space: As of 2017, retail pharmacies Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid controlled over two-thirds of the US pharmacy market. But despite these hurdles, pharmacy startups have managed to see some recent success: For instance, NYC-based Capsule <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2NhcHN1bGUtc2NvcmVzLTIwMG0tcHJlcHMtZm9yLXJhcGlkLWdyb3d0aC1sYXJrLWZsYXVudHMtc3VjY2Vzcy1vZi1kaWdpdGFsLXRvb2wtZm9yLWh5cGVydGVuc2lvbi10cmlhbGNhcmQtcHVyY2hhc2VzLW1hbmdvLWhlYWx0aC0yMDE5LTk/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB7e35e883" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nabbed</a> $200 million in its latest funding round and plans to expand its same-day prescription delivery services beyond NYC, while direct-to-consumer pharmacy Hims &amp; Hers <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2xhcmstcm9sbHMtb3V0LXByZXZlbnRhdGl2ZS1oZWFsdGgtdG9vbC12ZXJpbHlzLW5ldy1zdHVkeS13YXRjaC1mZWF0dXJlLXJlY2VpdmVzLWZkYS1jbGVhcmFuY2UtamotYnVsbGlzaC1vbi1zdXJnaWNhbC1yb2JvdGljcy0yMDIwLTE/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBfc28dddd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans to roll out its offerings nationwide.But pharmacy startups are also facing off against fellow upstart PillPack, which comes with the Amazon brand attached - and this brand power, along with several other advantages, could put less established pharmacy startups at risk. PillPack could benefit from Amazon's massive customer base and brand power to rope in convenience-hungry customers: Amazon could, for instance, target ads to is massive Prime subscriber base of <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3RhdGlzdGEuY29tL3N0YXRpc3RpY3MvNTQ2ODk0L251bWJlci1vZi1hbWF6b24tcHJpbWUtcGF5aW5nLW1lbWJlcnMv/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBdfd75aa6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">105 million</a> US consumers to convert some of those users into PillPack users.And this may not be a difficult task, considering those who use PillPack are <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2FwcGxlcy1oZWFsdGgtbW92ZXMtaW4tMjAxOS1hbmQtd2hhdHMtdG8tY29tZS1pbi0yMDIwLWFtYXpvbnMtcGlsbHBhY2stdG8tbGVuZ3RoZW4tbGlzdC1vZi1wYXllci1wYXJ0bmVycy1zZW5zeW5lLWhlYWx0aC1pbmtzLWFpLWRlYWwtd2l0aC1yb2NoZS0yMDE5LTEy/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB0d354d90" target="_blank" rel="noopener">satisfied</a>: In late 2019, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2dvb2dsZS1zd2lwZXMtYWxpdmVjb3ItY21v/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB750851bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">integrated</a> with PillPack - and it later <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/19322710.4/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm9yYmVzLmNvbS9zaXRlcy9icnVjZWphcHNlbi8yMDE5LzEyLzMwL3doeS1hbWF6b24td2lsbC1tYWtlLWEtYmlnLXBoYXJtYWN5LW1vdmUtaW4tMjAyMC8jNTRmOTgyZTgyYjU0/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBa775c5b4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relayed</a> to Forbes that among its members, PillPack had a higher "net promoter score," which indicates the likelihood a consumer would recommend a product or service, than other pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens.So, while pharmacy startups like Capsule and Hims &amp; Hers have experienced recent wins, Amazon's backing of PillPack - and the resources and mindshare that Amazon holds - could be a hurdle that is too high for competing startups to clear.Want to read more stories like this one? Here's how to get access: <ol><li>Sign up for Digital Health Pro, Business Insider Intelligence's expert product suite keeping you up-to-date on the people, technologies, trends, and companies shaping the future of healthcare, delivered to your inbox 6x a week. &gt;&gt;<a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/products/digital-health-pro-membership?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-alto-pharmacy-raises-250-million-from-investors-including-softbank-2020-2"> Get Started</a></li><li>Check to see if you already have access to Business Insider Intelligence through your company, or inquire about access if you don't. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/corporate-check?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=enterprise_text_link-alto-pharmacy-raises-250-million-from-investors-including-softbank-2020-2">Check If You Have Enterprise Access</a></li><li>Explore related topics in more depth. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/collections/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=enterprise_text_link-alto-pharmacy-raises-250-million-from-investors-including-softbank-2020-2">Visit Our Report Store</a></li><li>Current subscribers can log in to read the briefing <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/post/pharma-startup-nabs-250m-from-softbank-ai-generated-drug-to-enter-clinical-trials-how-predictive-analytics-could-help-hospitals-avoid-cms-penalties-2020-1">here.</a></li></ol><a href="/intelligence/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_subscription&amp;itm_content=health&amp;itm_campaign=digital-health"></a>Featured Digital Health Articles: - <a href="/telehealth-industry-explained">Telehealth Industry: Benefits, Services &amp; Examples</a> - <a href="/value-based-care-pay-for-performance-healthcare-model">Value-Based Care Model: Pay-for-Performance Healthcare</a> - <a href="/senior-care-market-trends">Senior Care &amp; Assisted Living Market Trends</a> - <a href="/wearable-technology-healthcare-medical-devices">Smart Medical Devices: Wearable Tech in Healthcare</a> - <a href="/artificial-intelligence-healthcare">AI in Healthcare</a> - <a href="/remote-patient-monitoring-industry-explained">Remote Patient Monitoring Industry: Devices &amp; Market Trends</a>

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