Hyderabad-based startup ‘Vaave’ making alumni connect easy
Platform helps provide new connections, referrals and finding talent for new business opportunities
Hyderabad: What is the best way to connect with your alumni? Maybe a WhatsApp chat or Facebook group are the possible answers.
However, one Hyderabad-based startup has developed a single platform wherein current students, faculty and alumni can come together to network, connect and grow. Founded by Paresh Masade, a student of a rural school in Adilabad, the platform – Vaave – helps educational institutions use the power of alumni. The alumni not only help the current students in career guidance, placements, and mentoring entrepreneurs, but also look to provide funding for infrastructure and research project development.
Previously part of T-Hub, the startup helps the institutions launch an exclusive alumni website, and through this portal, it builds and manages an updated alumni database, organises successful reunions and alumni meets, involve alumni in student development and raise funds.
“After completing my schooling in Adilabad, I moved to Mumbai to pursue my higher education that is where I realised the role of the alumni in shaping a student and institution’s life. I had always wanted to give back to my school and these groups on WhatsApp and Facebook were not serving the purpose. That is when the idea of Vaave was born in 2014,” said Masade claiming that the platform is not competing with WhatsApp and Facebook groups but is an add-on to these groups.
Masade said the platform provides an exclusive alumni website for the institution through which most of the activity happens and it can be accessed only by the current and former students, and the institution members. Masade is supported by Yasaswy Peesapati, director, sales, and Jaipal Reddy Kadari, director, finance and operations.
Not just for students, the platform also proves helpful for the alumni wherein it provides connections and referrals while switching jobs, helps them find talent while pursuing new business opportunities, and also helps them connect with other alumni for any professional need. Having worked with 1,000-plus institutions so far in the country and other nations, the platform has connected close to 10 lakh-plus alumni, helped institutions raise Rs 5 crore, and has got 1,000-plus job posting listed on the platform.
“We are completely bootstrapped and have invested Rs 2 crore so far from family and friends. We also raised Rs 60 lakh from our alumni and are looking to raising $2-3 million in the pre-Series A round in the next financial year. While currently, we focus on management, engineering, and medical colleges, we are looking forward to on-board a few schools and are developing products for the same,” Masade added.
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