Fostering Entrepreneurial Spirit and Uniting Stakeholders for a Thriving Startup Ecosystem
Organized by industry stalwarts such as ASSOCHAM, Nasscom, Bootstrap Incubation & Advisory Foundation, TiE, and Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), the Startup Mahakumbh took place from March 18-20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The aim was to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit nationwide and convene all stakeholders within the startup ecosystem.
The event, proudly presented by GeM (Government eMarketplace), revolved around the central theme ‘Bharat Innovates’, showcasing indigenous innovations poised to impact the global arena positively. It aimed to nurture creativity and ingenuity within India while embracing a global outlook.
Drawing participation from over 1.3K exhibitors representing 26+ states, alongside 14+ international delegations and more than 48.5K business visitors, the three-day affair also featured 10+ thematic pavilions. These pavilions played a pivotal role in catalyzing interactions and collaborations within the startup ecosystem.
Moreover, the event was in sync with the Indian government’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, aiming to propel India towards developed status by 2047. The inaugural panel discussion, featuring luminaries such as Rikant Pittie from EasyMyTrip, Debjani Ghosh from Nasscom, Anil Kumar Sagar representing the Uttar Pradesh government’s IT department, and Ranjan Anandan from Peak XV Partners, explored the pivotal role of startups in realizing this ambitious vision. Moderated by Arvind Gupta from the Digital India Foundation, the discussion delved into various strategies and insights.
During the discourse, Pittie emphasized the transformative potential of travel technology, envisioning a significant shift in travel planning paradigms. He underscored the need for India to ascend the global rankings in tourism, aligning with the aspirations of Viksit Bharat.
A significant highlight was the address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the event’s final day, lauding India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem, which ranks third globally, nurturing around 1.25 Lakh startups and providing employment to nearly 12 Lakh individuals.
The event’s agenda encompassed a diverse range of topics, including empowering startups for sustainable growth, the role of regulatory sandboxes in fintech, and insightful discussions on founders’ experiences in fundraising endeavors.
In a fireside chat with Prashanth Prakash from Accel, Ashish Hemrajani of BookMyShow shared valuable insights, advocating for a focus on resilience and adaptability, akin to ‘cockroach startups’. He highlighted BookMyShow’s transformative journey during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of innovation and agility.
The event witnessed the launch of pioneering initiatives like the Global eCricket Premier League (GEPL) by JetSynthesys, alongside the showcasing of innovative offerings by startups such as Noccarc, Dhruva Space, ShramIn Jobs, Enkrypt AI, Portkey.ai, AdagioVR, and Chargeup.
In discussions with stakeholders, including Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, DPIIT Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and industry veterans like Kris Gopalakrishnan and Sandeep Aggarwal, the event underscored the transformative potential of entrepreneurship across diverse sectors.
With Startup Mahakumbh serving as a pivotal platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, it reaffirmed India’s position as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, paving the way for a vibrant and prosperous future.
