Join eChai's Startup Growth Meetups
This week
-
Nov 21
Thu07:30ameChai's Founders Walk in Ahmedabad
AhmedabadMonte Carlo Oxygen Park -
Nov 21
Thu06:00pmGlobal Market Entry 101: Insights for INDIAN Startups Entering Japan
BengaluruBangalore International Center -
Nov 21
Thu06:30pmD2C Startups Meetup in Ahmedabad
AhmedabadGVFL Ahmedabad -
Nov 22
Fri06:30pmBuilding Food Brands: Insights from top founders and operators
AhmedabadVentureStudio -
Nov 23
Sat10:30amProduct Growth Playbook: Insights from Top Product Leaders
MumbaiDevX Andheri East -
Nov 23
Sat11:00ameChai Women Founders Initiative Invite OnlyeChai Social
AhmedabadVenue will be shared with confirmed guests. -
Nov 23
Sat04:00pmStartup Growth Social Meetup in Pune
PunePRIMUS HeadQuarters -
Nov 23
Sat06:00pmeChai AI Day in Bengaluru
BengaluruDraper Startup House Koramangala -
Nov 23
Sat06:00pmBengaluru Startup Meetup: HSR Layout edition
BengaluruUrbanVault HSR Layout 477 -
Nov 23
Sat06:00pmFinternet Meetup in Hyderabad
HyderabadDraper Startup House Hyderabad -
Nov 24
Sun11:00ameChai's Startup Open House in Bengaluru
BengaluruDraper Startup House Koramangala
Latest eChai Startup Feed
A to Z on PR (Press Release)
----
Founders, Managers, Directors, and CXOs often get asked, "Can we publish you in the newspaper?" That's what we call a ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐.
Here are key insights and notes from yesterday's eChai Ventures session on "๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฒ":
1) What makes newsworthy Press Release content?
โด Instant news like Product Updates
โด Funding announcements
โด New location launches
โด Award recognition
2) What channels are available for Press Releases?
โด Newspaper articles, Featured sections, Website blogs, Videos, Podcasts, and more
3) What types of Press Releases exist?
โด Paid: Working with PR agencies for guaranteed features
โด Earned (DIY): Securing coverage through relationship building and valuable content
4) How to start with Earned Press Releases?
โด Connect with journalists to share industry opinions
โด Consistently provide valuable industry insights
โด Build and nurture media relationships - they matter immensely!
5) What to look for in PR Agencies (Paid)?
โด Strong media connections
โด Content SEO authority
โด Proven track record
6) Should you choose an Agency or DIY approach?
โด Agencies work best for occasional releases (saves relationship-building time)
โด DIY approach builds long-term authority through regular PR stories
โด Start by offering expert opinions to newspapers
๐ Remember: Credibility is currency!
7) Limited budget dilemma: Regular small news vs. one big story?
โด Consistency wins - regular small news shows better results
8) Does publishing across multiple media houses create issues?
โด No problems! Different websites mean no duplicate content concerns
โด Media houses generate hundreds of pages daily, ensuring quick Google indexing
9) How do service-based organizations benefit from Press Releases?
โด Builds thought leadership for attracting talent and clients
โด Enhances societal credibility
โด Makes you a preferred business partner
๐ฅ Virality Hack
โด Leverage community connections through groups and meetups
โด Mention and tag participants to tap into their networks
Special thanks to Shrijay Sheth and Mukul Goyal for sharing these valuable insights, and to Manoj Adwani for organizing this eye-opening session on ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ - a topic that is unknown to many!
----
Founders, Managers, Directors, and CXOs often get asked, "Can we publish you in the newspaper?" That's what we call a ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐.
Here are key insights and notes from yesterday's eChai Ventures session on "๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฒ":
1) What makes newsworthy Press Release content?
โด Instant news like Product Updates
โด Funding announcements
โด New location launches
โด Award recognition
2) What channels are available for Press Releases?
โด Newspaper articles, Featured sections, Website blogs, Videos, Podcasts, and more
3) What types of Press Releases exist?
โด Paid: Working with PR agencies for guaranteed features
โด Earned (DIY): Securing coverage through relationship building and valuable content
4) How to start with Earned Press Releases?
โด Connect with journalists to share industry opinions
โด Consistently provide valuable industry insights
โด Build and nurture media relationships - they matter immensely!
5) What to look for in PR Agencies (Paid)?
โด Strong media connections
โด Content SEO authority
โด Proven track record
6) Should you choose an Agency or DIY approach?
โด Agencies work best for occasional releases (saves relationship-building time)
โด DIY approach builds long-term authority through regular PR stories
โด Start by offering expert opinions to newspapers
๐ Remember: Credibility is currency!
7) Limited budget dilemma: Regular small news vs. one big story?
โด Consistency wins - regular small news shows better results
8) Does publishing across multiple media houses create issues?
โด No problems! Different websites mean no duplicate content concerns
โด Media houses generate hundreds of pages daily, ensuring quick Google indexing
9) How do service-based organizations benefit from Press Releases?
โด Builds thought leadership for attracting talent and clients
โด Enhances societal credibility
โด Makes you a preferred business partner
๐ฅ Virality Hack
โด Leverage community connections through groups and meetups
โด Mention and tag participants to tap into their networks
Special thanks to Shrijay Sheth and Mukul Goyal for sharing these valuable insights, and to Manoj Adwani for organizing this eye-opening session on ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ - a topic that is unknown to many!
This Saturday at Draper Startup House India , we discussed about Building Startup teams and culture. Mohit Sharma spoke about an ai powered automated food making device that chops cuts sautes weighs boils steams and cooks all in one with step by step procedure with video guidance!! by upliance.ai. we debated about โjain briyaniโ No we wont tell you what is it, ask Ashfin Francis if want to know ๐
I am super impressed with the composed passionate and sincere founder in Mrinal Rai who was very kind and humble with every soul who meets him !! he felt like a dream founder to me and loved to know the culture they strive to build in his company Intugine - Logistics through Innovation , that makes supply chain movements predictable and has latest updates at all times and effectively improve gdp itself if implemented at country level!! massive respect to the startup. he talked about the importance of PMF ( product market fit )
His advice
- treat first customers as team members, they offer a lot
- Team and problem statement is important
- Market pulls product out of the starup rather than startups pushing them ( they do push a bit initially)
- No Super star engineers needed, bad for company in long run
and the mystery Satya Bar , i didnt know until today ๐
the session was well hosted by Wanderfly.in founder Penchala Tharun ๐
this is the first session i was fully attentive without active effort as it was super entertaining, the host and the guests were super entertaining!!
thank you eChai Ventures
I am super impressed with the composed passionate and sincere founder in Mrinal Rai who was very kind and humble with every soul who meets him !! he felt like a dream founder to me and loved to know the culture they strive to build in his company Intugine - Logistics through Innovation , that makes supply chain movements predictable and has latest updates at all times and effectively improve gdp itself if implemented at country level!! massive respect to the startup. he talked about the importance of PMF ( product market fit )
His advice
- treat first customers as team members, they offer a lot
- Team and problem statement is important
- Market pulls product out of the starup rather than startups pushing them ( they do push a bit initially)
- No Super star engineers needed, bad for company in long run
and the mystery Satya Bar , i didnt know until today ๐
the session was well hosted by Wanderfly.in founder Penchala Tharun ๐
this is the first session i was fully attentive without active effort as it was super entertaining, the host and the guests were super entertaining!!
thank you eChai Ventures
Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start." โ Simon Sinek
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending an eChai Ventures event at IIMA Ventures , and it was an inspiring experience as always!
Every time I attend these events, I come back with a renewed sense of motivation and invaluable insights into the world of entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by passionate entrepreneurs constantly reminds me that if they can achieve their dreams, why canโt I?
A heartfelt thank you to Bhavesh Patel sir, the founder of Brands.live , for not only sharing his profound knowledge but also for personally advising me as I work on building my own SaaS company for financial advisory and algo trading services. His insights completely shifted my perspective and left me recharged to take on new challenges.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending an eChai Ventures event at IIMA Ventures , and it was an inspiring experience as always!
Every time I attend these events, I come back with a renewed sense of motivation and invaluable insights into the world of entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by passionate entrepreneurs constantly reminds me that if they can achieve their dreams, why canโt I?
A heartfelt thank you to Bhavesh Patel sir, the founder of Brands.live , for not only sharing his profound knowledge but also for personally advising me as I work on building my own SaaS company for financial advisory and algo trading services. His insights completely shifted my perspective and left me recharged to take on new challenges.
I had the pleasure of speaking at eChai Ventures AI Day
Weekend is always a preferred time for socializing, but when socializing happens along with learning with like-minded people, it is super awesome. Glad to share our journey from using tools to discovering use cases and finding the product-market fit for AiVANTA in our AI video space.
It was insightful to listen to Udit Goenka, who has done the journey of zero to one multiple times. Plus, his way of approaching building a product is something every aspiring co-founder should listen to.
Shubham Dumbre and Aanchal Verma๐ made sure that the entire session was not just well managed but also very interactive. This structure gave participants the chance to ask their questions, and even we got to learn from them.
I request all of you reading this to follow eChai Ventures for such events in the near future and do attend them โ definitely a great way to socialize and learn with like-minded people on a Saturday!
Weekend is always a preferred time for socializing, but when socializing happens along with learning with like-minded people, it is super awesome. Glad to share our journey from using tools to discovering use cases and finding the product-market fit for AiVANTA in our AI video space.
It was insightful to listen to Udit Goenka, who has done the journey of zero to one multiple times. Plus, his way of approaching building a product is something every aspiring co-founder should listen to.
Shubham Dumbre and Aanchal Verma๐ made sure that the entire session was not just well managed but also very interactive. This structure gave participants the chance to ask their questions, and even we got to learn from them.
I request all of you reading this to follow eChai Ventures for such events in the near future and do attend them โ definitely a great way to socialize and learn with like-minded people on a Saturday!
"Launching a business is tough. Getting traction is tougher. Growing a business is toughest."
When I met some of the entrepreneurship students last week at the privilege to meet curious students of entrepreneurship at the prestigious Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI India), I realized majority of family businesses are stuck at a fulcrum and finding it tough to achieve massive scale.ย
The topic was 'Startup Growth Conversations', steered by flag bearers ofย
When I met some of the entrepreneurship students last week at the privilege to meet curious students of entrepreneurship at the prestigious Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI India), I realized majority of family businesses are stuck at a fulcrum and finding it tough to achieve massive scale.ย
The topic was 'Startup Growth Conversations', steered by flag bearers ofย
#entrepreneurship in India - eChai Ventures and EDII Ahmedabad. Achieving hypergrowth is a challenge I'm glad we at MeDigit Advertising Private Limited excel in doing so. Loved interacting with students to understand their growth challenges.
Panel:
Hardik Manwani from Mind Alcove
Paresh Mayani from SolGuruzยฎ
Vaibhav Shitole from IOTA DIAGNOSTIC
and moderated by Koumal Kalantry from Ankk Cares.
Thanks, Jatin Chaudhary for putting together an impeccable panel. Awesome hospitality, Dr. Kirtika Chhetia & CrAdLE - Centre for Advancing and Launching Enterprises.
Panel:
Hardik Manwani from Mind Alcove
Paresh Mayani from SolGuruzยฎ
Vaibhav Shitole from IOTA DIAGNOSTIC
and moderated by Koumal Kalantry from Ankk Cares.
Thanks, Jatin Chaudhary for putting together an impeccable panel. Awesome hospitality, Dr. Kirtika Chhetia & CrAdLE - Centre for Advancing and Launching Enterprises.
Thatโs a wrap on the D2C Mixer!
What an incredible evening of insights, connections, and real conversations with Akshay Gulati (Slikk), Srinivas Sarkar (Couplยฎ (YC S22)), and Nischal Sharma (Minicult.in)! A big thank you to our speakers for their candid sharing.
Thank you eChai Ventures and Jatin Chaudhary for co-hosting the mixer.
Key takeaways from our power-packed evening:
๐ธ You canโt hire rockstars every day, but you can build processes that help average people create extraordinary results
๐ธ Build what customers want, not what you think they want
๐ธ Master one niche before expanding to others
๐ธ Donโt raise capital just because you can - look for strategic value
๐ธ Own customer relationships, even on marketplaces
๐ธ Partner strategically - understand both user and buyer
๐ธ Women drive shared purchase decisions for Coupl - crucial for D2C targeting
๐ธ Focus on processes that make success repeatable
๐ธ Create frameworks where anyone can deliver quality
Thank you Vishnu Chowdhary ๐ฅ (D2C Simplified) for being a part of this and keeping it super engaging!
Special shoutout to our community partners: Razorpay Rize, Recur Club, Entrepreneur's Cafe, The Ecosystem Community
Stay tuned for more such events!
What an incredible evening of insights, connections, and real conversations with Akshay Gulati (Slikk), Srinivas Sarkar (Couplยฎ (YC S22)), and Nischal Sharma (Minicult.in)! A big thank you to our speakers for their candid sharing.
Thank you eChai Ventures and Jatin Chaudhary for co-hosting the mixer.
Key takeaways from our power-packed evening:
๐ธ You canโt hire rockstars every day, but you can build processes that help average people create extraordinary results
๐ธ Build what customers want, not what you think they want
๐ธ Master one niche before expanding to others
๐ธ Donโt raise capital just because you can - look for strategic value
๐ธ Own customer relationships, even on marketplaces
๐ธ Partner strategically - understand both user and buyer
๐ธ Women drive shared purchase decisions for Coupl - crucial for D2C targeting
๐ธ Focus on processes that make success repeatable
๐ธ Create frameworks where anyone can deliver quality
Thank you Vishnu Chowdhary ๐ฅ (D2C Simplified) for being a part of this and keeping it super engaging!
Special shoutout to our community partners: Razorpay Rize, Recur Club, Entrepreneur's Cafe, The Ecosystem Community
Stay tuned for more such events!
We got featured on CNBC ๐
Our journey to revolutionize the 100-year-old market research industry is now going to reach millions of people ๐
When Somsubhra and I started the Ai Palette journey six years ago, the vision was clear: a future where AI powers the market research in the CPG industry and makes research faster, smarter, and more accessible. Fast forward to today, being recognized for disrupting such a legacy space is both humbling and exhilarating.
This recognition isnโt just about our technology โ itโs a testament to the incredible team of Paletteers behind it, the clients who believed in our vision, and the investors who invested in us.
๐ From a small cafรฉ in Singapore to scaling across 6 continents, our mission has always been about driving innovation and delivering real value. This feature is a reminder that with the right focus and determination, bold ideas can reshape industries.
Thank you to CNBC and Enterprise Singapore for spotlighting our work in the EDGE Series. Thanks to Conor Delahunty for being an early adopter of AI technology and supporting us since the early days.
Hereโs to challenging the status quo and building the future, one insight at a time ๐ฏ
Our journey to revolutionize the 100-year-old market research industry is now going to reach millions of people ๐
When Somsubhra and I started the Ai Palette journey six years ago, the vision was clear: a future where AI powers the market research in the CPG industry and makes research faster, smarter, and more accessible. Fast forward to today, being recognized for disrupting such a legacy space is both humbling and exhilarating.
This recognition isnโt just about our technology โ itโs a testament to the incredible team of Paletteers behind it, the clients who believed in our vision, and the investors who invested in us.
๐ From a small cafรฉ in Singapore to scaling across 6 continents, our mission has always been about driving innovation and delivering real value. This feature is a reminder that with the right focus and determination, bold ideas can reshape industries.
Thank you to CNBC and Enterprise Singapore for spotlighting our work in the EDGE Series. Thanks to Conor Delahunty for being an early adopter of AI technology and supporting us since the early days.
Hereโs to challenging the status quo and building the future, one insight at a time ๐ฏ
๐ Thrilled to Have Been a Speaker at the โProduct Growth Playbookโ by eChai Ventures!
I had the incredible opportunity to join the amazing event hosted by eChai Ventures, where I shared the stage with Kush P. and Darshan Suthar to discuss some of the most critical aspects of product management.
We dived into:
- Getting started with AI as a Product Manager
- Defining Product-Market Fit (PMF) and frameworks to achieve it
- Common mistakes and how to carefully avoid them
- Tips for PMs working at a startup competing with industry incumbents
A huge thank you to the organizers especially Jatin Chaudhary and the host for creating such a vibrant platform to exchange knowledge and experiences and to everyone who made the time to attend.
Looking forward to many more such thoughtful conversations!
I had the incredible opportunity to join the amazing event hosted by eChai Ventures, where I shared the stage with Kush P. and Darshan Suthar to discuss some of the most critical aspects of product management.
We dived into:
- Getting started with AI as a Product Manager
- Defining Product-Market Fit (PMF) and frameworks to achieve it
- Common mistakes and how to carefully avoid them
- Tips for PMs working at a startup competing with industry incumbents
A huge thank you to the organizers especially Jatin Chaudhary and the host for creating such a vibrant platform to exchange knowledge and experiences and to everyone who made the time to attend.
Looking forward to many more such thoughtful conversations!
Sales is easy?
Thanks Jatin Chaudhary for organising an event on the Sales Playbook at GVFL.
It was a pleasure sharing the stage with incredible fellow entrepreneur friends Pramesh Jain , Hemal Patel , Mitesh Shethwala , Hardik Manwani.
Key Takeaways of the event:
1) Know your ICP (Ideal Client Persona): Knowing whom to sell is half the job done.ย
2) Respect Time: Time is the ultimate currency in sales, use it wisely. Wasting customers' time and vice versa will end up losing credibility.ย Do your due diligence before approaching anyone.ย
3) Value >> Price: Easier said than done.ย
Communicate Value
Deliver Value
Money will follow!
4) Movement of Truth: Sales is the moment of truth - Each sales interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, build trust, and deliver an exceptional customer experience.ย
How you handle these moments can make or break the relationship.
At last, Sales is Easy if you focus on understanding your customers, respecting their/your time, communicating and delivering exceptional value, and treating everyย
Thanks Jatin Chaudhary for organising an event on the Sales Playbook at GVFL.
It was a pleasure sharing the stage with incredible fellow entrepreneur friends Pramesh Jain , Hemal Patel , Mitesh Shethwala , Hardik Manwani.
Key Takeaways of the event:
1) Know your ICP (Ideal Client Persona): Knowing whom to sell is half the job done.ย
2) Respect Time: Time is the ultimate currency in sales, use it wisely. Wasting customers' time and vice versa will end up losing credibility.ย Do your due diligence before approaching anyone.ย
3) Value >> Price: Easier said than done.ย
Communicate Value
Deliver Value
Money will follow!
4) Movement of Truth: Sales is the moment of truth - Each sales interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, build trust, and deliver an exceptional customer experience.ย
How you handle these moments can make or break the relationship.
At last, Sales is Easy if you focus on understanding your customers, respecting their/your time, communicating and delivering exceptional value, and treating everyย
Startup folks from various eChai meetups
eChai Partner Brands
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner, helping them expand market reach, drive revenue growth, amplify brand visibility, and strengthen hiring efforts.
Climate Tech
Legal
Marketing Tools
Coworking Spaces
Cloud Telephony
Creative and Marketing Agencies
Customer Engagement Platform
D2C Brands
Marketing Automation
Blockchain Development
Investment Banking
Healthcare
Developer Tools
IT Hardware
FMCG Food and Retail
CoLiving
Event Marketing
HR Tech and Agencies
Web and Mobile Development
Climate Tech
Legal
Marketing Tools
Coworking Spaces
Cloud Telephony
Creative and Marketing Agencies
Customer Engagement Platform
D2C Brands
Marketing Automation
Blockchain Development
Investment Banking
Healthcare
Developer Tools
FMCG Food and Retail
Event Marketing
HR Tech and Agencies
Web and Mobile Development
About eChai Ventures
eChai Ventures is a global startup network connecting entrepreneurs through local meetups in 20+ cities worldwide, enabling cross-border collaborations via startup panels, demo days, cricket, and pickleball leagues.
Make the most of eChai Ventures network:
- Complete Your eChai Profile It's key for others to discover you.
- Join eChai's Startup Meetups: Register for relevant eChai events happening across cities. Each event will have specific instructions on how to join.
- Discover Startup Folks: Explore and connect with other participants.
- Stay Updated: Follow the eChai feed for the latest updates from our community.
- Explore eChai Partner Brands: Check out our partner brands and how they can support you.
- Showcase Your Startup: Get opportunities to present your startup.
- Get Involved: Engage more and get a chance to volunteer or host meetups.
- Attend Global Events: Participate in events across different cities and countries.
- Find Collaborators: Discover co-founders, collaborators, talent, and business opportunities.
- Build Friendships: Make meaningful connections with fellow startup enthusiasts.
Join the meetups that interest you and start making the most of the community.
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out at [email protected].