EMLYON MBA Rohan Lunawat co-founded Script Lanes, which counts KPMG and airline KLM among its clients!
Rohan Lunawat put risk aversion on the backburner when he returned to his home country India to enter the fiercely competitive mobile apps market. He talks to us about the experience of working in a start-up environment and whizzing through the city of Pune on a scooter.Rohan, 29, got together with three partners to create the Pune-based mobile apps development company Script Lanes in January 2011. The company has now grown to an 11-person team and has plans for further expansion.
Rohan took the decision to dive into Indian entrepreneurship after completing the full-time MBA at EMLYON Business School, France, in 2010. Prior to the MBA, he had worked as Product Manager for Honeywell, the Fortune 100 company that invents and manufactures technologies from domestic thermostats to cluster bombs.
This role gave Rohan the opportunity to live and work in places as diverse as Singapore, Australia, and South Africa but Rohan’s priority on completing the MBA was to give something back by contributing directly to the economy of the city he had been brought up in.
At Script Lanes, Rohan is the Director of Business Development, making sure all their projects run smoothly. Having gained his BEng Instrumentation and Control from Pune Institute of Computer Technology, Rohan wanted an MBA to build his strategic and finance skills. During the MBA programme, Rohan spent three months on exchange at Cass Business School, and also competed in two business plan competitions during the year; experiences that have been helpful in running Script Lanes.
He says, "The business plan competitions were the best part of my MBA. I worked with two colleagues to present our venture Anastom Technologies at the European Business Plan Competition and at the Mootcorp Business Plan Competition in Austin, Texas. I still employ the entrepreneurial exposure of these experiences on a daily basis".
Rohan tells us that Script Lanes is self-funded with the four partners putting up their own money to engage their skills and expertise when designing and delivering mobile apps that can be used across all major platforms including Apple products, Google’s Android and Microsoft Windows Mobiles.
“We’re big fans of smart phones. One of our partners worked in apps development and has extensive knowledge of the apps industry. We know that in the next ten years everything will be mobile and we want to have a hand in that”, says Rohan.
Rohan admits that deciding to set up on his own rather than going to work for someone else has been extremely challenging. “The opportunity cost is huge. If I had stayed in Europe, I would have lots of money and an easy life.
"It’s also extremely challenging to find the right resources especially human resources; there are not many like-minded people for start-ups. I got married in the same period... and I’m glad to have the level of family support I do”, he says.
Thus far, life in a start-up has been exciting for Rohan. When he's not whizzing through the streets of Pune on a scooter, the company is getting a lot done. They have already built apps for several firms including management consultancy KPMG, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and international learning solutions provider Cengage.
"We can make any app. If a client tells us what they would like, we suggest the right way to develop it, make a mock-up of it and then the real thing. Depending on the functionality required, we can do this in as little as a month and a half", he says.
Rohan says that Script Lanes has also sustained good links with associates in the US, UK and Japan. Script Lanes is currently working on a product launch for the education sector. The interactive learning product will first be considered in the Indian market says Rohan.
They also have an office capacity of 25 people and Rohan says they are planning to make more hires in the near future.
He says, "I'm glad we're all doing this now. We've come a long way from our cash flow issues and now our expansion plans are huge."
Read more about students doing an MBA in Europe here
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Intense courses, helpful professors
I am an international student in my 3rd year and I love going to this school and do not regret chosing it for my BBA.
The classes are helpful, professors are always there to help as well and we have a very understanding administration.
Leadership in an amazing city
I decided to do my exchange in Emlyon because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and I found a space with very capable People.. participatory, empathetic and full of leadership. I will never forget Lyon, apart from giving me an unforgettable experience, he gave me great friends
A lot of opportunities professionally and socially. A unique program in France.
You can choose your courses and do your internship, exchange whenever you want. It's flexible and adapted to the needs of each student. A great program and a great city! Professionally, it opens a lot of doors for you to find internships or jobs in France or abroad thanks to the network and career events.
MSc in Digital Marketing
Combining both worlds into one, this course gave me all the on-demand technical skills in data science while maintaining a business-oriented approach. Thanks to the strong academic profile of this university I was able to secure an internship and full-time job at Amazon.
Top Business School fostering innovative entrepreneurs
EMLyon is one of the best business schools. The campuses, associations and courses offered provide the students with the best options to build the future they have chosen. The various opportunities to study and work abroad also offer a deeper understanding of the world, not only economy-wise but social, which helps the student become as well a better individual and not only a pre-formated business school student.
Emlyon campus in Paris
It has a great international community and you have access to many international tools, courses and professors. I had many networking events and workshops for students. Campus and some details of the program could have been improved or need to be bigger in order to have a better student life.
Entrepreneurship
Overall good content and good activities.
Lack of administration but still ok.
Good flexibility and liberty offered to the students. Finally, the amount of internship is also a good way to improve qualifications.
Good Reputation and International Business School
The course was not well adapted but it was up to the mark.
The professors are very well experienced and their experience comes in handy while working on assignments.
The facilities on the campus are top class. Truly professional. I really like spending time in the learning hub and using all the available resources.
Lyon is an amazing city. You will never get bored.
MSc International Hospitality Management
The best educational experience of my life so far!
It’s been full of exposure and great connections. From Lyon to London, Paris, Los Angeles and Las Vegas! Truly an exceptional way to discover the world of hospitality.
Real networking opportunities
- meeting new people, specially professionals during seminars or evening meeting at school.
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white baccalaureate in the world of work
I really appreciated the MS SDAI as a whole. The teaching staff, the different subjects, the university exchange, TEM... I started my internship in a consulting firm having acquired a solid foundation. Downside for CentraleSupélec, which I found far too academic for a program such as this.
Great
Pretty great !
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