Tech adoption across sectors; startups helping to expand markets: Report

Amid technology adoption across the board, startups in most sectors are helping to expand markets bringing new customers into the fold, instead of disruption of existing companies, according to a latest report.

BofA Securities note described India as a supply constrained market (rather than demand constrained), and said Jio's launch of 4G services at affordable prices had underlined that at a 'value for money' proposition, consumer uptake picks up.

Past calls and meetings with India's leading experts and top startups in the unlisted space had fortified the view that India internet sector is at an inflexion point to witness hyper-growth in the coming years, the report 'Internet - India and ASEAN: Disruptive Tech' said.

"Our calls indicated that we are seeing tech adoption across sectors – with both consumers and merchants adopting tech. Uptake is also seen in vernacular markets," it added.

Overtime, it sees India's unorganised market reducing, and rather than consumer moving to organised market, it expects them to leap-frog to online.

"In a majority of the sectors, instead of seeing disruption of existing/traditional companies, we are seeing the startups help to expand the markets, that is these companies didn't poach customers, but help bring new people into the market," it pointed out.

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Rather than replicating US/China's models, Indian founders are solving domestic problems by launching unique India specific models.

"We found quality of founders to be top class with bigger/bolder issues targeted," the recent report added.

Amongst key takeaways, it observed that COVID-19 had accelerated the path towards profitability as demand pull has helped companies reduce discounts, and structurally reduce costs.

It contended that food-tech, fintech, software as a service, gaming, and ed-tech better placed. Business to business is a new theme picking led by small and medium enterprises digitisation and make in India push.

E-commerce, mobility are some time away from positive unit economics, and regulation and data privacy are the key risks.

"...from 5-10 year perspective, we find India well positioned to benefit from 4th industrial revolution (fusion of physical, digital and biological trends), subject to execution/macro," it said.

It found telcos better placed to leverage their 300 million plus subscriber base to upsell wealth-tech, online insurance and offer credit and in-process earn commission.

"We find RIL's (Reliance Industries) approach of being the pipe and content on the pipe to be unique," it added.