Atypical Advantage: Bridging the Employment Gap for the Disabled Community

Atypical Advantage: Bridging the Employment Gap for the Disabled Community

Atypical Advantage, founded by Vineet Saraiwala, a visually impaired entrepreneur from Jamshedpur, is making waves in India's startup ecosystem. The company, established in 2020, aims to provide employment opportunities to disabled individuals in a country where the employment rate for people with disabilities is only 0.4%. With a vision to promote inclusivity and address the massive problem of employment for the disabled, Atypical Advantage has partnered with over 100 companies and more than 100 NGOs, generating over 1000 job opportunities for disabled individuals.


USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

Atypical Advantage stands out in the startup landscape with its unique value proposition. The company has three distinct verticals that contribute to its success. The first vertical is focused on performing artists, including dancers, singers, musicians, motivational speakers, voice-over artists, and more, who can be booked for various functions. This provides a platform for disabled individuals to showcase their talents and earn a livelihood. The second vertical is atypical art, which features 140 disabled artists with over 1100 artworks displayed on their website. This creates a platform for disabled artists to showcase and sell their creations. The third vertical is inclusive hiring, which offers freelancing and full-time job opportunities for disabled individuals, with Amazon being one of their top clients. Atypical Advantage charges a monthly retail fee for the services offered, which includes disability sensitization, post-placement support, job mapping, consulting interview scheduling, and sign language support.


Business Model

Atypical Advantage operates as an inclusive platform that connects disabled individuals with employment opportunities. The company has three verticals to its business model:

Performing Artists: Atypical Advantage represents and promotes disabled performing artists such as dancers, singers, musicians, motivational speakers, voice-over artists, and more. These artists can be booked for various events and functions, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and earn income.

Atypical Art: Atypical Advantage features the artwork of disabled artists on its website, providing a platform for them to showcase and sell their creations. Currently, the platform has over 140 disabled artists with more than 1100 artworks live on the website. This vertical not only generates income for the artists but also raises awareness about their talents and abilities.

Inclusive Hiring: Atypical Advantage connects disabled individuals with freelancing and full-time job opportunities. The company partners with over 100 companies and NGOs, providing them with a talent pool of disabled individuals for recruitment. They also offer services such as disability sensitization, post-placement support, job mapping, consulting, interview scheduling, and sign language support to the companies, creating an inclusive work environment.

The company generates revenue through various channels, including subscription fees from associated companies, placement fees for job opportunities, commissions from bookings of performing artists, and a percentage of sales from the artworks of disabled artists.


Target Market

Atypical Advantage's target market includes three key segments:

Disabled individuals seeking employment: With a population of 7 crores (70 million) disabled individuals in India and a low employment rate of 0.4%, there is a significant untapped market for Atypical Advantage. The platform aims to provide equal opportunities for disabled individuals to access employment opportunities and improve their livelihoods.

Companies and NGOs: Atypical Advantage partners with more than 100 companies and NGOs to connect disabled individuals with job opportunities. These companies and NGOs form a crucial part of the target market as they seek to promote diversity and inclusivity in their workforce.

Event organizers and art enthusiasts: The platform's performing artists and atypical art verticals cater to event organizers, art collectors, and enthusiasts who are interested in booking unique talents and purchasing artwork created by disabled artists. This segment represents a niche market that values inclusivity and supports the empowerment of disabled individuals through their talents.


Gross Sales

Atypical Advantage reported a revenue of ?6.5 lakhs on July 22nd, and the revenue increased to ?10 lakhs on August 22nd. This demonstrates the company's ability to generate revenue and meet its sales targets within a short span of time since its establishment in 2020.

Atypical Advantage operates on a subscription model for some companies, while also charging a placement fee for others. This diversified revenue stream has contributed to the company's overall gross sales. Additionally, the company's association with more than 100 companies and over 100 NGOs has further helped in expanding its sales and revenue.

Furthermore, Atypical Advantage's inclusive hiring vertical, which provides freelancing and full-time job opportunities to people with disabilities, has been successful in securing partnerships with notable companies like Amazon, where over 60 people have been employed. This has resulted in additional revenue through placement fees and monthly retainer packages that include disability sensitization, job mapping, consulting, and sign language support.

It's worth mentioning that Atypical Advantage had previously raised ?1 crore at a valuation of ?7 crores on December 3rd, indicating positive investor sentiment and market traction. The projected annual revenue (AR) of ?2.4 crores for March also reflects the company's strong growth trajectory and potential for further increase in gross sales.


Journey on Shark Tanks India

Atypical Advantage's founder, Vineet Saraiwala, took his entrepreneurial journey to the popular television show, Shark Tanks India, to seek funding for his startup. He made an ask of ?30 lakhs for 1% equity of the company at a valuation of ?30 crores.The pitch generated significant interest from the panel of esteemed investors, known as "sharks," who evaluated the business proposition and asked probing questions. Vineet showcased the different verticals of Atypical Advantage, including performing artists, atypical art, and inclusive hiring, highlighting the potential and impact of the business model.

After careful deliberation and negotiation, Vineet received investment offers from multiple sharks, including Namita, Aman, Anupam, and Peyush. The sharks presented different investment offers, valuations, and equity percentages, each vying for a stake in Atypical Advantage. Vineet navigated the offers with strategic thinking and business acumen, considering the financial investment, expertise, and strategic value each shark could bring to the table.

After evaluating the offers, Vineet accepted a deal from Namita and Aman, who offered ?30 lakhs for 3% equity, valuing Atypical Advantage at ?10 crores. This strategic partnership with Namita and Aman was seen as a significant achievement for Atypical Advantage, as it provided the necessary funding and expertise to support the company's growth and social impact goals.

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