Mind it! the story gets reel in

1. MIND IT! The Story
Gets Reel in the
Startup World
A new kind of angel network has taken root
to funnel capital into creative projects

2. Contd…
A new kind of angel network has taken root to funnel capital into creative projects
like films and documentaries, providing an alternate asset class to high net worth
individuals. Mumbai-based Idyabooster, founded in 2013, has a network of 40
members who come together to look at projects that span the gamut of feature
films, TV series, documentaries, music videos, theatre and live events. “We are a
network that wants to invest in all forms of digital content,“ said Cofounder Nandini
Mansinghka. A former investment banker, she helped set up the firm after having
worked at the telecom, media and technology vertical at JP Morgan. For investors,
this is different from startup investing as there is no concept of an `exit' here.
Typically, investors exit a company and encash their returns when the company
goes public or is sold to another firm. In this case, every time a licence to the
copyright is sold, the project makes some money , a part of which is returned to the
investors. So in a sense, there is always a recurring payout. “There is sufficient
liquidity and interest among high net worth individuals to invest in something
different. As long as it is 1-2% of their wealth, they are all willing,“ said Srikanth
Bhagavat, managing director and principal advisor at Hexagon Capital Advisors.

3. Contd…
So far, Idyabooster has copro duced Ludo, a Bengali thriller. The network operates as a
quasi fund, with seven or eight investors putting no more than a total of Rs 1 crore into a
project after delib erating on it.
Globally , there are a few prece dents. New York-based firm Slated, which connects
filmmakers with investors, has so far con tributed to movies such as The such as The Wolf
of Wall Street, Dark Knight Rises and Pulp Fiction. With 15,000 produc rs, 10,000 writers
and several distributors, sales agents and actors on a single platform, Slated scored 18
Oscar wins and funnelled $322 million nto projects last year.
Alternatively , money for creative projects is also being channelled by crowdfunding
platforms such as Wishberry and Catapooolt. But the difference between crowdfunding
and investing lies in what investors can expect by way of returns. Crowdfunding usually
involves a donation for a cause that people believe n, with expectations that go no fur her
than a token of gratitude from he fundraisers. But given the unpredictable nature of the
film industry , dyabooster plans to take several steps o hedge its risk.

4. Contd…
One of them is to set up a marketplace that buys and sells ights for digital
content just as San Francisco-based Digital Content Film Network currently
does. Secondly , the irm said it will put in money at a time when the project
is completed and invest in its marketing and distribution.
“If they are investing at post-production stage a good amount of risk is
removed,“ said Bhagavat, “It is not a very transparent indus ry . There are
some people who are experts at it, but even then it is a bit of a high-risk
game.“
Mansinghka said the Indian market still has to evolve for her to execute her
original goal. “We have to wait for some more time before this market
matures, to be able to invest at production stage,“ she said.

5. For details and bookings contact:-
Parveen Kumar Chadha… THINK TANK
(Founder and C.E.O of Saxbee Consultants & Other-Mother
marketingandcommunicationconsultants.com)
Email :-saxbeeconsultants@gmail.com
Mobile No. +91-9818308353
Address:-First Floor G-20(A), Kirti Nagar, New Delhi India Postal Code-110015