Indian startup ecosystem comes together to support during covid-crisis

Bengaluru: As covid-related cases surge in the country, with several health institutions running out of beds and oxygen supply, the Indian startup ecosystem has taken on the challenge to help during these testing times.

On Saturday, Delhivery co-founder Sahil Barua posted on Linkedin that the company will be flying charters with its airline partners to provide the country with oxygen concentrators and other essentials, to build more capacity.

“We're flying charters into India with oxygen concentrators and other essential supplies and can build more capacity on demand. If you need help with logistics or wish to collaborate with us on this please reach out to me immediately (ceo@delhivery.com),” read Barua’s post on professional networking site LinkedIn.

Mint reported on Saturday that India has reported 6,991 deaths and nearly 1 million new coronavirus cases in the past 72 hours alone, as India’s healthcare system continues to be under pressure.

While, managing director of Sequoia Capital, Shailendra Singh, on Saturday tweeted that the team is looking at ways to import oxygen concentrators, and had gotten a dozen of leads which they will be pursuing.

Meanwhile, payment gateway provider Razorpay announced that it will be supporting NGOs to accept donations through digital payments, by allowing them to set up payment pages on its platform and supporting them with instant, same day settlements.

The company also stated that it will look to activate payment pages for registered NGOs within 24 hours and won’t be charging any transaction fee on donations up to Rs10 lakh.

ACT Grants, an organization founded by more than 40 mainstream venture capital funds, and supported by donations from Indian startup founders, is also raising more than Rs75 crore for home health management, oxygen solutions, and to supplement the country’s medical workforce.

Even founders of startups Designhill, Cuttlfish, Satvacart, TrulyMadly, Heart On My Sleeve, Crush Fitness India, among others, launched a fundraiser named ‘Mission Oxygen’ to provide for 3,000 oxygen concentrators to 14 hospitals along with Maharashtra and Delhi government.

These healthcare institutions include Sri Ganga Ram hospital, Delhi, Hearts and Lungs Institute, and Fortis, among others.

The group claims that it has already procured 500 concentrators from China, which will be made available in hospitals by 28 April and another 500 are expected to be ordered by Saturday evening.

While social networking platform, Sheroes, along with citizen volunteering platform, Project StepOne has been onboarding volunteers to help amplify the requirements of patients and families affected by the covid pandemic.

Logistics platform Porter on the other end is also looking to leverage its hyperlocal fleet to help volunteers deliver food and other essentials to families affected by covid and under home quarantine.

Even HRTech startup Springworks has been serving more than 200 meals to daily wage labourers and their families in Bengaluru, while investing its profits in the cause and being supported by volunteer group, Robinhood Army.

Several other startup founders have launched fundraisers and have been actively working on ground in their personal capacities to solve the needs of individuals affected by covid-19.

According to the government, India reported 2,624 deaths on Friday. The numbers were 2,263 and 2104 on Thursday and Wednesday, respectively.