Interview with Shweta Chaturvedi, Director- Volttic

Q1. A woman entrepreneur in electric vehicle segment! Would you like to share with our readers how this journey of yours started and what propelled you to dive in this segment?  

As you know that Volttic provide complete end to end EV Charging solution where one core area is IoT based platform for commercial operation.

Since I am software professional with development back ground so this was something very new and challenging for me to think and start.
Same time it helps us to control the dependency on third party services on these development.

So I decided to quit from previous work and get involved in Electric mobility and really I am enjoying it as entrepreneur and most important as technocrat.

Q2. Automobile industry has always been viewed as men’s domain, though now we see more women participating…what has been your experience and how the industry reacts seeing woman entrepreneur?  

Yes you are very much true on this as automobile is purely a mechanical domain but now technology is changing and these are lots of inclusion of telematics and other software base value addition and where I believe Women are equally participating.

Automobile industry with ICs are prevailing from last 100 years so there is male dominance but since EVs are very new so its nothing a ball of only Male dominated era.

It is giving opportunity to every one.

Q3. Please share what were (are) the challenges you had to face and how did you overcome them? 

As you know we are purely operating on EV charging side. At start nothing was clear on business model ,charging standard so as reference. So it took us time to understand the concept and standard.

During development as well we did not succeed in first attempt but after hard work from whole team we succeed and I can proudly say that Volttic has develop in in house made in India where many other companies either still struggling or tie up with any foreign company.

Q4. Does your company have women employees too? If yes, what is the ratio of men to female employees? 

Yes we do have other female workers. Right now its 30 % of total but we are ensuring to get of 50-50 % as you know this industry is new to we have to get talent supporting our business models.

Q5. We have only handful of woman entrepreneurs today, what do you think can help equalize these numbers? And how long will it take to reach such a statistics? 

But its far better then last many years and with start up India program lots of Women are now joining this foray.

What we need to give them proper platform, technology support and most important funding support to their ideas.

I do not believe in the numbers to make equal to Men. What being Women we need equal opportunity, respect and pay no matter its job or any entrepreneurs.

We want to get equal in sports,politics, research or any stream which help us as Women to grow.

Women Entrepreneurship will automatic comes visible once we start equal contribution in other fields as most of these Women first come from these back ground.

I am not supporter of number at any area. I support the work freedom and self dependency.

Q6. What is the biggest hurdle today that is stopping a woman to be an entrepreneur? 

As above mentioned What we need to give them proper platform, technology support and most important funding support to their ideas.

Being women we are daughter,sister,wife and mother so we have to take care of every role of life as those are also now days challenging so we need proper support from Family first thing.

Second mentor who understand our idea and give us wings to flourish.

Unfortunately these supports are not available to each part of country so we need to work on this.

Q7. Anything you would like to say to those women who are aspiring to become entrepreneur. 

Do not be afraid of your any idea. Its either on your job or your own startup, share it,shape it and try to give it practical approach.
Share it with your father,brother,husband or even your boss at job.

If required stand firm and fight for it. There is always someone who understand and stand behind you to get it proper ways.

Challenges are every where and when we overcome the challenge then only we called true entrepreneur.

Q8. It would have been quite a journey to become an entrepreneur, would you like to mention some women colleagues who have been a constant source of support and helped you reach your goal.

I am very lucky that I have very strong support from all of my family either male or female as we all are from working background so that was very supportive environment.

My mother is taking care of us from last 12 years after passing of my father so we are even mentally more stronger as we all are daughters to my parents.

So these things help us to take own decision and make balance on each approach.

I am thankful to all my friends as well who always been with me for all the time.

Q9. Finally, how the global outbreak of coronavirus is affecting Indian EV segment?  

Yes we are expecting a slow down because of coronavirus as its impacted all the industry from tourism, share market so as EVs.

Last 5-6 months suddenly EVs started getting momentum and people started taking it very seriously and we started good response.

But now since its global impact so we are expecting this might affect this momentum and it will take us to recover 6-8 months time if we able to control right now.

EV component major part are imported from china so that also get affected but we are sure that EVs are going to change the world and its long term transition journey so there will be for sure lots of ups & down as well.

So we have to ready with proper strategic plan on sustainable model.