Bhubaneswar, Aug. 19: Youngsters big on ideas are taking up a range of start-up ventures.

Biplab Kar, 25, has started a venture that involves supplying medicines on peoples' doorsteps. "After completing my graduation, I was looking for a job but did not get the kind of jobs that I wanted. So, I decided to start a business that involves supplying medicines on people's doorsteps," he said, adding most of his clients were pensioners.

"Although most pharmacies supply medicines on people's doorsteps, I procure rare medicines for diseases such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease," he said.

Biplab said that he stumbled on the idea after talking to some elderly people at a park in Saheed Nagar. "I charge just five per cent of the medicine cost from my clients," he said, adding his venture was not quite that profitable at the moment. "I am also preparing for competitive examinations. This venture has taught me some basics of business that can be put to good use for a larger venture in future."

Three youngsters - Santosh Kumar Sahoo, Amit Kumar Samal and Bhagirathi Panda - have started another venture called BookAWash. It involves washing cars at the customers' homes with as little as 70-80 litres of water. Their start-up, BookAWash, already has 250 dedicated customers. Sahoo said the venture was aimed at customers who wanted to get their cars washed at their convenient location.

"A complete wash for a small car such as Hyundai Eon and Maruti Alto costs Rs 299 and involves both exterior and interior cleaning of the vehicle," he said.

Gulshan Kumar Rohilla, 33, an MBA, used his contacts to start a soft skills and placement service for college students.

"Most graduates from less popular professional colleges lack the required soft skills that hinder their employment prospects. I contact principals of such colleges and provide the students training on soft skills development," he said.

Gulshan, who used to work for a firm here that suddenly shut down, decided to start the venture because it involved no investment. "I had made some contacts while studying MBA and decided to put them to good use," he said. Rohilla, who has been in the business for the past three years, said he has been instrumental in getting students from the city placed in reputed organisations, such as Deloitte and TCS.

"The business has taken me places and provided an opportunity to interact with not only students but also human resource executives of top-notch companies," he said.