At a crowded conference, most people play it safe. Navy suits, black blazers, muted tones—they blend in because blending in feels comfortable. It’s predictable. But predictable doesn’t get remembered.
Then there’s
Umesh Uttamchandani
, Founder of DevX, at the India Global Forum in Dubai. He walks in wearing a pink blazer. Not because he has to. Not because it’s expected. He does it because it’s a signal. It says, “I’m here. I’m confident. I’m worth noticing.” And people notice. They always do. Someone compliments the blazer. Someone else starts a conversation. The door opens, and suddenly, the pink blazer isn’t just fabric—it’s the beginning of something.
And then there’s
Koumal Kalantry
, Founder of BigNano Ventures, at the eChai Startup Conference in Bangalore. She’s on stage, wearing a red blazer—bold, unmissable, deliberate. In a room where most people fade into the background, Koumal owns the spotlight. Her choice of red isn’t an accident. It’s strategy. Eyes turn. Attention follows. And before a single word is spoken, she’s already set the tone.
Here’s the thing: Umesh and Koumal didn’t just choose colors. They chose to stand out. They chose to be memorable. Because at a conference, being invisible is easy. It’s what most people do. But the ones who make an impact? They don’t wait to be noticed—they demand it.
Your wardrobe isn’t just clothing. It’s a story. A statement. A signal. When you dress with intention, you’re not just wearing a blazer. You’re giving people a reason to stop, look, and listen. And that’s how you turn a moment into a connection.
so this happened yesterday, one of the big camera accessory brand came to visit us and asked for whole India distributionship of 58Miles camera bags.
While we are in the journey of building 58Miles, and going very slow initially on every mile, this happened suddenly. Ofcourse we are not ready for this mentally and operationally as well, but this gave us a good happy day. We discussed some numbers and other B2B aspects , and concluded with planning to look in to this in future, and they left.
But then I asked my team for celebration, and they were surprised that deal didn't go through to fir party kaahe ki , I said "Bhai koi itna bada offer le ke aaya apne liye, wo bhi to badi baat hai".
Why I am sharing this story here, because we all hear stories of all successful startups , funding rounds, awards and recognition and that's the time people say thank you. What if we don't make it, what if we fail, what if we can't make it large, kya pata "Kal ho na ho" ! what if we miss the chance to thank everyone because the contribution of people is still there , the efforts are still there , the support from friends and family is still there and that shall be recognized, they shall be thanked. So 58Miles goes million of miles or not, Here I like to thank everybody who have been great support, help and guidance.
I give up on thinking I know everything about marketing.
I give up on believing that sticking to what’s familiar will take me further.
And most importantly, I give up on underestimating the power of new ideas.
Attending this event completely flipped my perspective. Here’s why:
My way of thinking
I always thought marketing was about strategies, numbers, and perfect campaigns. But this event? It showed me it’s so much more than that.
It’s about people, relationships, and how you evolve your thinking to match the ever-changing world around you.
The Founder’s Touch is Crucial ↳ The team behind simply Salads shared how staying connected with your business as a founder can create trust and authenticity. ↳ It’s a reminder that your unique touch is what sets your brand apart in a crowded market.
Lesson? People connect with people, not just products.
Traditional Marketing Still Has Power ↳ Koumal Kalantry taught us that while digital is booming, traditional marketing strategies can still create a lasting impact. ↳ Combining the old with the new can future proof your brand while keeping it relatable. Takeaway? The medium might change, but the message stays timeless.
Think Bigger, Dream Bigger ↳ Meeting founders (some who’ve been featured on Shark Tank!) showed me the importance of pushing past limitations and broadening your perspective. ↳ Innovation happens when you challenge yourself to think beyond what’s possible.
If you’re a small founder or business owner, here’s the truth: your success isn’t about doing what’s trendy—it’s about doing what’s authentic to you.
Learn from the past, innovate for the future, and never stop building meaningful connections.
A heartfelt thanks to all the incredible founders I met for broadening my perspective and reminding me why I started this journey
Yesterday, I attended eChai Ventures event at Venture Studio on Building Food Brands: Insights from Top Founders and Operators: Hosted by Jatin Chaudhary , Speakers at the event were: Mr. Sai Sumanth (Radhika’s), Sahil Shah (Hungrito), and Dharmarajsinh Zala (UFC), who shared their invaluable experiences in the food industry.
Sai offered a fascinating glimpse into the operational challenges and opportunities in the food industry and in navigating online platforms. Sahil Shah impressed us with his innovative marketing strategies used for Hungrito, showcasing how creativity can connect brands with their audience.
The event provided actionable insights into building a food brand, from effectively leveraging online platforms to mastering seasonal marketing and creating impactful audience engagement through creative campaigns.
A heartfelt thank you to Sai, Sahil, Dharmarajsinh, and the eChai community for such an inspiring and enriching session!
Let's meet & discuss the latest marketing trends, strategies, & Techniques to make a difference.
This is your opportunity to connect with fellow marketers who are passionate about making a real impact in the industry.
Know someone who would love to be part of this dynamic conversation? Tag your colleagues, business partners, or friends who are as passionate about marketing as you are!
These personal stories are something you can't read in a novel!!
We shared our challenges and the stories behind them—experiences that can directly or indirectly help us in our work. Honestly, I haven't faced significant challenges as a working woman, but I recognize that others may have different experiences. In the end, the support women need starts with standing up for themselves. Once that foundation is established, everything else will fall into place.
I was truly inspired by the stories shared by women founders; they touched my heart. Of course, not everything you learn can be expressed on LinkedIn. However, one thing remains true: women can do wonders—on their own, together, or with the support of their families. The one thing they truly need is confidence.
When you connect with someone on a personal level, you’re more likely to reach out to them when you need help, whether it's professional or personal.
So, let's pour confidence into the women around us!
Last week, we hosted a Round Table in Pune for CallHippo on “The Future of Business Communication.” The room was packed with folks from big call centers and IT giants, all trying their best to look very futuristic 😁 .
The hot topic? AI. And somewhere between the coffee breaks we collectively coined a term: The Fear of the Nokia Fate.
Here’s the gist: Every organization is throwing money at AI like it's a Black Friday sale. Why? FOMO. Everyone’s terrified of missing out on the next big thing, even though most of them don’t have a clue what they’re actually trying to achieve.
Now, here's the kicker: Every time someone in the organization dares to ask, “Hey, should we maybe figure out our goals before burning more money on AI?” another person stands up and dramatically says, “Remember Nokia?” Cue collective gasps.
The Nokia legend goes like this: Nokia didn’t embrace smartphones fast enough and poof!—they vanished into the corporate Bermuda Triangle. Never mind that the story is oversimplified; it’s the mic-drop moment in every AI debate. Nobody argues after the Nokia card is played.
And that’s how we arrived at The Fear of the Nokia Fate—the corporate boogeyman ensuring that AI budgets stay bloated and slightly aimless. Because nobody wants to be the next Nokia.
Here are the people who were there at the round table and contributed to coining this term:
Today, we’re bringing together some of Ahmedabad's top D2C founders to share their journeys.
What does it really take to scale a direct-to-consumer business? How do you build a brand that customers love? And what lessons do founders wish they had learned earlier?
I’ll be hosting eChai's D2C Startups Meetup in Ahmedabad at GVFL, featuring an incredible lineup of speakers:
I was honoured to deliver a speech at an Event organized by Tally Solutions Pvt Ltd. The event theme was Founder's Day. I tried to inspire the fellow entrepreneurs with 5Es of Entrepreneurship.
1. Educate : We educate our clients and our team about what we have been doing, what we can do and what is the best suitable path for them in terms of technology adoption. This approach has established a good relationship between our clients and our team with a clear communication about each other's expectations.
2. Empower : We have been empowering our team to achieve their best so that our clients can get the desired results against their investment in technology. The empowerment is a continuous process where we, our clients and our team all participate equally.
3. Empathy : We are all human beings, we understand the cost of mistakes and we also know that things can be better if appropriate time and resources are applied. Our empathetic approach towards the team and clients have helped us develop sustainable solutions.
4. Execute : Our excellence is the result of our execution. The execution comes with a great responsibility and ground level planning with all resources engaged in the projects.
5. Ethics : Our ethics are our culture, whatever we do in business, the first thing we talk and insist is that is this Ethical? Our relationship with our clients and our team has been stronger and positive because of our ethics in business
What are your thoughts on the Gujarat ecosystem for startups ?
Gujarat is Home to >12000 startups & having studied in Mumbai , worked in Delhi & natively coming from Rajasthan here is my thought on Ahmedabad as a city :
1. Quite economical in terms of rentals & manpower costs for sure 2. Super infra & govt support with places like Ihub by Guj Gov offering coworking starting at just 3k per person which is like 4x in Mumbai. Alongside a lot of fund support also with Schemes like Srujan 3. Very safe & better quality of life (specially Space :)) than both the cities. With the recent new Delhi AQI at dangerous level, I feel Ahmedabad might emerge as a good option (although AQI here is sometimes at dangerous levels too) 4. With the biggest stadium & project like Gift cities some of the best events like Cold play , probably Olympics & recent Diljit show happen here too. For Tea totallers what else would they need :)
Of course there are a lot of challenges in terms of finding the right people to work or also concerns about rapid urbanization but I think Ahmedabad will be able to retain its charm !
If I missed any point do add in comment below 😊
Ps : let's discuss more in depth today in the sessions by one the most active folks in this ecosystem Jatin Chaudhary !
Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start." – 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 can’t 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.
"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.
The topic was 'Startup Growth Conversations', steered by flag bearers of
1) Know your ICP (Ideal Client Persona): Knowing whom to sell is half the job done.
2) Respect Time: Time is the ultimate currency in sales, use it wisely. Wasting customers' time and vice versa will end up losing credibility. Do your due diligence before approaching anyone.
3) Value >> Price: Easier said than done.
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.
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 every
Accel has launched the fourth edition of its pre-seed scaling program 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝟒.𝟎 offering up to USD 1 million in funding.
To know more about this program, eChai Ventures and Accel is hosting this session with - *Vishal Virani*, founder of DhiWise (backed by Accel) - *Sarthak Singh* from Accel Partners
Real-world solutions driving impactful change through technology and collaboration.
On September 27th, I had the opportunity to speak at the ClimateTech Startups Meetup, hosted by eChai Ventures at AIC GUSEC - Atal Incubation Center, Gujarat University. This event brought together some of the most innovative minds in sustainability, including @Ashit Chandaria (Belgrey Waters) and Dr. ANSHU KUMAR (AirX Purifier), to tackle pressing environmental challenges with cutting-edge solutions.
It was an exciting moment to showcase how Oizom is transforming air quality monitoring across 70+ countries. The discussions were not just insightful but action-oriented, highlighting the power of partnerships in driving meaningful, lasting change.
A big thank you to eChai Ventures and GUSEC for creating this platform. Together, we’re not just talking about the future—we’re building it.
Success Story: Celebrating Partnerships with eChai
Over the years, we have had the privilege of meeting some truly remarkable people, thanks to the various programs and events organized by Jatin and the team at eChai. The eChai community has been instrumental in helping us (IndiaBizForSale) build valuable relationships with founders and entrepreneurs, and this ecosystem has played a significant role in our growth. Our journey with eChai began in early 2014 when we first met Jatin at CIIE (now IIM A Ventures).
I still remember how, without hesitation, he recommended that we meet six individuals who could help us. That kind of easy access, with no expectations, really highlighted the essence of eChai: the power of paying it forward. Fast-forward to 2024, and I’m glad to share that we (IndiaBizForSale and now also IBGrid) have closed several successful transactions through connections made in the eChai community.
One standout example is the recent funding secured for DevX, facilitated by investors from the IndiaBiz network. Our initial introduction to the founders of DevX came through Jatin, and over the years, we strengthened this relationship through multiple interactions at eChai events. That trust and camaraderie eventually led to their successful fundraising round—and yes, we happily earned our fees from it 😊.
In recognition of the immense value that eChai has brought to us and the wider ecosystem, I’m happpppy to announce that we’ve partnered with eChai as they transition to their new business model, becoming growth partners for brands.
As far as I know, we’re the first to pay affiliate fees for the outcomes we’ve achieved through eChai, and it feels great to be part of this next chapter.
A huge thank you to Jatin, Kunal, and the entire eChai team for their unwavering support throughout our journey. We’re incredibly grateful and look forward to many more successful collaborations in the future.
At eChai Ventures, we are collaborating with the Accel on the Accel Atoms program, along with many other good folks from the ecosystem.
.....
Accel is back with the fourth cohort of their pre seed accelerator - Accel Atoms. Over the last 3 cohorts, they’ve funded 30+ startups who’ve collectively raised more than $200 Million. With their fourth cohort they’re looking to invest in founders building in two thriving sectors - AI & Bharat.
What is the AI opportunity? 🤖
Microprocessors led the first tech revolution, which was followed by the internet. The third tech revolution is led by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a global opportunity for any Indian-origin founder to build AI applications for business cases or to building development/ foundational tools in the AI ecosystem.
What is the Bharat opportunity? 🇮🇳
The top 20 per cent of the rural population has a higher monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) than about 50 per cent of the urban population. This highlights the substantial purchasing power & opportunity that is often overlooked in Bharat.
Who should apply for Accel Atoms? 🫵🏻
Accel Atoms is looking ambitious founders with an ambitious idea in AI or Bharat. This includes startups at the pre-seed stage to startups in the idea-stage/ pre-product stage.
Why should you apply for Accel Atoms? 🤔
When selected, you’ll receive up to $1 Million in funding, perks worth $5 Million & access to a community of 300+ founders. You will also get access to a dedicated learning track to set up your startup for long term success.
✅Support our 5,000+ early-stage startup community, acing their journey from Zero to One ✅A three-month action-packed "Open Accelerator" to learn all about Starting Up ✅Learn from the ones who have worked their way up! From the Community, by the Community ✅Engage in a series of online webinars and live interactions covering broad topics to ease the initial hustle ✅Suggest topics you would want to learn in detail and connect with mentors who could guide you better ✅Stand a chance to present your product to a larger audience at the "Demo Day" and interact with early-stage investors!
Tag your startup friend & colleague to remind them to join.
It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a community to raise a startup.
Grateful to have found eChai Ventures community & Jatin Chaudhary and an incredible network of people who continually inspire me and team at Digipple to push boundaries and strive for more.
As we open the doors to our new office, we’re excited to celebrate this milestone with our Founder Friends & Mentors at an exclusive eChai Marketing Social.
At Digipple, we believe the best is yet to come.
Let's continue to inspire, innovate, and co-rise.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening:
Bringing the first program of The Startup Code, an open accelerator program by eChai Ventures and LegalWiz.in, designed for early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Building a startup starts with finding the right people. But finding the perfect co-founders and early employees can be tough.
That’s why we’re bringing together founders who’ve been through it.
They’ll share what worked, the challenges they faced, and how they built their teams.
If you’re an early-stage or aspiring founder, this event is for you. You’ll get insights, a draft co-founders agreement, and a chance to connect with others looking for their ideal co-founders.
Join us for practical advice and meaningful connections.
it was indeed entrepreneurial and stimulating and enriching to listen to founder of TorchIt .
torchit works towards empowering the differently abled community using modern tech and giving them independence.( www.mytorchit.com)
Learnings from the founder of Torchit :
_ attendance to networking events helps find mentors and investors ..keep attending. keep meeting lots and lots of people .
_ alignment with your co-founder at skills and belief level is more important than functional alignment. having a co-founder always helps .
_ your purpose and it's clarity triggers the scale up strategy automatically.
_ innovation engine of a start up business is like a popcorn machine where you need to continuously pop up innovative ideas ..how many pop corn machines Can you instill in your start up ?
_ 18 versions of his prototype has made the company product robust to scale. keep on developing prototypes .fail forward .fail fast. iterate . _ you can learn anything .anything .including coding even though you are not a coder professionally . keep aspiring and keep learning. he built his program code himself .
_its good to have multiple mentors for every area of your business where you have concerns .listen to all mentors , use your gut and do what feels to you is good. you as a start up owner may need different styles different nature and different type of mentors as you progress along the business journey .having functionally qualified mentors ( as for example legal experts etc ) is more apt .
_ continuously talking to , interviewing with and observing your target audience is the best way to learn about products and innovation. he learnt that visually impaired clients not give " blunt " and right answers ..they always give good answers .so meeting more and more users, one of the users helped in understanding that his product was not up to the mark .and that thought triggered him to go deeper in their lives. so the founder decided to employ micro blind entrepreneurs who become trainers to their clients for torchit clients.
_ game of start up entrepreneurship is about completing a full cycle of the value chain . once done, and once sorted, your role is now to give the execution of the cycle to your team .your role is to be mentally free. being a innovator your role is not to sit idle, but to create similar such multiple cycles ( new products / new markets / new tech/ new orbits )
_product innovation and business innovation are two sepate types of innovation streams, according to him business innovation is the key trigger for his success
_ community building has been a key success factor for his success.creating a band of micro entrepreneurs who are having partially disability are a key segment for training and marketing their products
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.
Umesh Uttamchandani
Koumal Kalantry
Pathik Patel
Vishvajit Sonagara
Amit Panchal
Kuntal Shah
Shrijay Sheth
Pankaj Bhimani
Hardika Patoliya
Bhavesh Patel
.jpg "Harsha Bhurani - Founder, Humming Bird Consulting")
Harsha Bhurani
Jatin Chaudhary
