#Throwback

🇮🇳 #Bangalore: Would you attend a startup demo day on a Saturday evening?

4 years since I last saw Jatin at DSH Singapore for eChai Ventures, we finally caught up IRL – this time co-hosting an eChai #startup pitch event and #investor panel discussion at DSH Bangalore. Our roof was filled with 130+ #entrepreneurs and investors.

Here are some learnings:

⏳45 DAYS to 6 MONTHS

Is the duration for which due diligence, getting a term sheet, to receiving money in the bank can take up to in the process of startups #fundraising (as a gauge) 🪙

📚 RESOURCES

– Venture Deals by Brad Feld is a great read to prepare founders who are #raisingcapital

– indianvcs.com is a pooled resource built by some VC folks, for entrepreneurs to have access to investor contacts (built with Notion 🔥)

🤝🏼 KEEP IT PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL

– Before reaching out to an investor, research on the fund and what they invest in.

– Be genuine and authentic. Dishonesty is a red flag; The industry is interconnected, and will soon find out 🚩

–

Seeing is believing. I wouldn't have imagined a pitch night on a weekend evening being full house, and the energy is uplifting.

Thanks a ton to the investors for their valuable insights (Vijetha, Himansu, Bikramjeet, Mohammed Amaan Memon) and all the entrepreneurs who came to share their vision and business ideas with us 🚀 ... Not forgetting one of the best hyper-connectors and startup enablers around: Jatin 💯


WHO SHOULD I MEET NEXT? 😁
I've been here for two weeks already, but will be based out of Draper Startup House #India for the next couple more – I'm happy to connect with #founders, #startups, #investors, ecosystem partners and would love to meet others who are also enabling the startup community! Thanks for the recs 🙌🏼


Loving this journey so far!
Stay tuned for updates from BLR 🇮🇳

🇸🇬 #Singapore in peak bustle on a Thursday!

HEX's TENTH Singapore cohort of founders took the stage and pitched their businesses yesterday evening. One of the memorable demos was EduKate, promoting STEM education for girls through dolls 👧🏼♀️Pleasant surprise to bump into Remi and Benedict who were the judges, and hella proud of Jaclyn Benstead and Shirley Pham who led this program and made it epic!

Worlds colliding 🌏💥 when Jodie meets Mihaela meets HEX! The startup ecosystem welcomes everyone – innovators from all walks🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏻‍♂️🚶 (for context: Jodie is an excellent UX researcher/designer and Mihaela is working on her phD in financial inclusion + 

I missed Accelerating Asia Ventures's demo day this week and the FOMO got to me 😢 but I'm truly glad that everyone passes through the Draper Startup House HQ whenever they're in town... (👋🏽 hi Amra 🥲)

Paying for beer in Singapore with #India rupees 🍻💰 I'm grateful for this fellow globetrotting buddy Ibrahim who recently passed through Hyderabad, and exchanging notes and insights on the city!

It's been an epic two weeks in Singapore; I'm happy to be home! ...If you think I'm taking off soon, you guessed right 😉

🔜 NEXT STOP #HYDERABAD 🔥🚀

I'll be around for a month(ish), excited to CONNECT with the entrepreneurs, founders, investors, operators, and the startup community and learn from everyone 🤩 

ASK: Who should I meet / grab chai with? 👀