Fintech, edtech, health-tech: 30 quotes on the startup opportunity from TechSparks 2021

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our recent articles. Share these gems and insights from the TechSparks 2021 speakers with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights.

In this special collection of quotes from YourStory’s TechSparks 2021 coverage, we present insights and tips on business opportunities in the fintech, education and health sectors. See our earlier quotes compilations from conference editions in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

Check out our profiles of the Tech50 startups of 2021, and Tech30 startups over the years: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011.

The use of tech is for making a level playing field for credit, which will see the light of day finally. - Rajat Verma, HSBC

In this battle between banks, NBFCs and fintechs, the customer is going to be a clear winner. - Rakesh Bhatt, Bajaj Finserv Markets

The pandemic acted as a turbo engine to wealth as it fundamentally changed the way people look at money. - Mukesh Kalra, ET Money

There is stickiness in credit, great repeat in credit and margin in credit. - Vasant Sridhar, Ofbusiness

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Dealing with brokers is a pain point for everyone. You need to pay a high interim fee for a small value add. - Akhil Gupta, NoBroker

It’s time to move from financial well-being to financial resiliency. It means that beneficiaries also take ownership of the flexibility and the liquidity which is given to them. - Reetu Raina, Quick Heal

There is tremendous opportunity all across. New industries such as financial services, hospitality and even education are seeing the adoption of SaaS platforms. - Harshjit Sethi, Sequoia Capital

Trends like open banking are dominating globally and have had a significant impact on India as well. - Ajay Rajan, YES Bank

Don’t be surprised if six months to a year from now, our coffee, groceries, hotel bills, and everything are paid on a recurring basis instead of the one-time debit based payment that we’re all very used to. - Shobhit Mohan, PayU India

India remains at a nascent state of insurance penetration in the country. - Harsh Vardhan Masta, PolicyBazaar.com

Today, small merchants are accepting digital payments without hesitation. They didn’t see the full value earlier but today, every merchant is starting with a simple QR and eventually upgrading to other solutions. - Anirban Mukerjee, PayU India

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People are not wanting to spend a large amount of money upfront so they are going for the buy now pay later option. - Akshay Mehrotra, EarlySalary

Compliance in fintech has become an increasingly frictionless and low cost. - Nitya Sharma, Simpl

Whenever money is involved, it can get emotional. - Lizzie Chapman, ZestMoney

There has to be more wealth creation in public markets than in private markets. - Nithin Kamath, Zerodha

Going forward, we see innovation continuing in payments and rising focus in face recognition and voice-based commerce. - Sanket Deodhar, SAP India

Technology can play a big role in making schools disruption-free. - Sumeet Mehta, LEAD

Anyone can become a teacher, you can teach anything you want to, whether it's math, science, or even something which you are very passionate about. - Byju Raveendran, BYJU'S

There is no better time for entrepreneurs who want to start up -- whether in educational or healthcare sector. - Dr Ramesh Byrapaneni, Endiya Partners

Teachers have realised that using technology can make their life easier. - Amit Kapoor, Eupheus Learning

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What we are seeing in the last 18 months or so is that students are not missing one day or one week, but there is a multi-year gap of concepts missed, and that learning loss is taking a stronghold. - Harsh Kundra, LEAD

People have generally confused technology with making education cheaper and more accessible. - Mayank Batheja, Credenc

The learning of tomorrow is not about content; it is peer-to-peer learning that is going to make a big difference. - Ronnie Screwvala, upGrad

Cheaper hardware and data will further accelerate the growth of edtech in India. - Divya Venkatavaraghavan, Lightrock

This (edtech) will be one of those sectors which will be defined and hopefully owned by Indian startups. - Byju Raveendran, BYJU'S

The pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, doctors, healthcare providers – all are in conflict with the patient's well-being, which is why we know that the trust in healthcare is at an all-time low. - Vishal Gondal, GOQii

It is actually becoming paramount now for the healthcare players to make sure they are not only providing healthcare when people are sick, but also providing all the tools and resources that are required for a person to stay healthy. - Manoj Kapoor, Optum Global Solutions India

So far, we've addressed affordability as an unmet need, but now we need to look at novelty and innovation as an unmet need of addressing many unmet medical conditions. - Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biocon

Managing people from a preventive perspective and creating a preventive infrastructure is better than creating a sick care infrastructure. - Amitabh Nagpal, ASIPL

Consumers now want to be in control of their health. - Vishal Gondal, GOQii

YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).