In a significant development for India’s burgeoning startup landscape, the country is poised to host its first-ever ‘Startup Mahakumbh’, a colossal celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment set to take place from March 18-20, 2024, at the esteemed Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This monumental event, driven by collaborative efforts from ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, Bootstrap Incubation and Advisory Foundation, TiE, and Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), aims to solidify India’s standing as a global hub of innovation and magnify the nation’s startup prowess.
With a primary objective of fostering connections between startups and a spectrum of investors, including VCs, angel investors, family offices, and HNIs, alongside potential corporate partners, the event is anticipated to host over 1000 startups, 10 thematic tracks, 1000 investors, 500 incubators and accelerators, 5000 conference delegates, 10 country delegations, 5000 future entrepreneurs, and 40,000 business visitors across three dynamic days.
Government bodies such as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Department of Commerce (DoC), India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Government-e-Marketplace (GeM), Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC), and Zomato are actively supporting the event.
The curtain raiser for Startup Mahakumbh, held at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, witnessed the presence of Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, underlining the government’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, and Shri Prashant Kumar Singh, CEO, Government e-Marketplace, were also present during the curtain raiser.
Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles said, “Throughout the three days of Startup Mahakumbh, the startups will be able to engage with investors, and relevant stakeholders and create a sub ecosystem to support each other with ideas and learn from the experience of others….We will also see participation from students to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship, spirit of inquiry in them and help them go back with confidence and talk about the New India and the story of emerging India.”
Towards the end of his keynote, Hon’ble Minister added that, “A great India story is unfolding in front of each one of you (young India) and you will be the flag bearers of the story in Amrit kaal, that is moving towards Viksit Bharat.”
Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, “We are hoping to see 1000+ startups, 1000+ investors, 500+ incubators at the event. We have also invited 21 startup bridges countries to actively participate and engage with startups and inspire them during Startup Mahakumbh.”
The curtain raiser witnessed the participation of prominent figures from the organizing committee and key stakeholders of the startup ecosystem, including Prashanth Prakash, Executive Council Member – IVCA, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Info Edge, Archana Jahagirdar, Founding and Managing Partner, Rukam Capital, Nivruti Rai, MD and CEO, Invest India, and Sanjay Nayar, Sr Vice President, ASSOCHAM, and Founder and Chairman, Sorin Investments.
“We are really excited to meet the startup ecosystem at the Startup Mahakumbh and they can count on Invest India to be their support. We are here to support and reiterate on how Invest India can help in development and flourishment of the Indian startup ecosystem. I believe that entrepreneurship and policy is the way for us to grow,” remarked Nivruti Rai, MD and CEO, Invest India.
Sanjay Nayar, member, Organising Committee, Startup Mahakumbh said, “There is no better time to position India as the startup hub in the global map. We hope that March 18-20 will be pretty historic. We will 100s of startups across states and districts, with an international touch. During Startup Mahakumbh, our efforts are to ensure focus on everything starting from B2B SaaS to pharmacy, agritech and everything.”
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, member, Organising Committee, Startup Mahakumbh said, “Startup Mahakumbh will provide the right platform to showcase the pace at which the Startup ecosystem in India is evolving. From enabling handshakes to help build the right network, we expect more than 1000+ startups, 1000+ investors, 500+ incubators and accelerators, 5000+ conference delegates, 10+ country delegations, and 40,000+ business visitors to be a part of the event. These three days will be a big showcase and reflection of India’s innovating and growing startup ecosystem and will bring the right mindsets, ideas and energies in one place.”
Prashanth Prakash, member, Organising Committee, Startup Mahakumbh said, “The Indian startup ecosystem has grown significantly in the past decade, however there is not a single unified platform that brings all aspects of the ecosystem together to showcase the scale and magnitude of the startup industry. Startup Mahakumbh is the conglomeration of startups across sectors, be it agri, biotech, climate tech or manufacturing and brings the right leaders and stakeholders to connect and engage with each other’s to further propel the growth of the industry. I believe Startup Mahakumbh will act as a platform that will bring real innovators together in front of founders and funders both who have succeeded and failed and learn from each other.”
Archana Jahagirdar, member, Organising Committee, Startup Mahakumbh said, “It is imperative to come together and converge and bring the strength of each person and entity to this ecosystem so that we can bring the four I’s and the power of I’s together- Intellectual convergence, Investment for growth, Innovation showcase, and International outreach.”
Startup Mahakumbh aims to spotlight unparalleled innovation, featuring transformative products, cutting-edge technologies, and revolutionary business models across diverse sectors. The event provides an opportunity to interact with top voices in the startup ecosystem and connect Indian startups with international networks, paving the way for collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions that showcase India’s dynamism in entrepreneurship.
At the core of Startup Mahakumbh are multiple thematic pavilions, each highlighting sector-specific innovation and trends. These pavilions, dedicated to AI + SaaS, D2C/Consumer brands, Agritech, Fintech, Deep Tech, Biotech and Pharma, Incubators, Climate Tech, E-sports, and B2B Manufacturing, are designed to facilitate engaging conversations and connections among startups, investors, and industry stakeholders, fostering innovative collaborations and showcasing the diversity and potential of India’s startup ecosystem.
