Blessing in disguise
Books for Entrepreneurs
Documentary
eChai Wall of Love
How I Met My Co-Founder
In Focus Today
Insight Reports
Movies for Entrepreneurs
Notes from Podcasts
Slice of Startup Life
The First Hire
The First Welcome in Silicon Valley
The Reading Room
Unforgettable Lessons
What Happens When 100+ Product Builders Come Together to Talk Scale — eChai Mumbai x ProductTank
What happens when 100+ curious product minds come together in one room?
Magic. Real learning. And a lot of honest conversations.
We just wrapped up another fantastic ProductTank Mumbai session co-hosted with eChai Ventures, and the energy was next level.
This time, we had Dipesh Karki, Co-founder & CTPO of LenDen Club, sharing real stories from his journey as an entrepreneur and product leader. No fluff.
Just practical lessons from building and scaling products.
The biggest takeaway?
How AI is being used in fintech at massive scale of serving 3+ crore users while still keeping trust, speed, and user experience at the core.
Dipesh broke down how product thinking changes when you move from “building features” to “building systems that scale”.
The room was packed with 100+ product champs, who travelled from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Surat, and Rajkot. That itself says a lot about the hunger to learn and grow.
What started 9 years ago as a small effort to bring Mumbai’s product community together has now grown into something much bigger.
A community that has helped thousands of professionals learn, connect, and move forward in their careers.
Magic. Real learning. And a lot of honest conversations.
We just wrapped up another fantastic ProductTank Mumbai session co-hosted with eChai Ventures, and the energy was next level.
This time, we had Dipesh Karki, Co-founder & CTPO of LenDen Club, sharing real stories from his journey as an entrepreneur and product leader. No fluff.
Just practical lessons from building and scaling products.
The biggest takeaway?
How AI is being used in fintech at massive scale of serving 3+ crore users while still keeping trust, speed, and user experience at the core.
Dipesh broke down how product thinking changes when you move from “building features” to “building systems that scale”.
The room was packed with 100+ product champs, who travelled from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Surat, and Rajkot. That itself says a lot about the hunger to learn and grow.
What started 9 years ago as a small effort to bring Mumbai’s product community together has now grown into something much bigger.
A community that has helped thousands of professionals learn, connect, and move forward in their careers.
Community is Currency
Sunday morning Founders Walk at Sabarmati Riverfront!
What a great way to start the New Year by meeting builders, developers and startup enthusiasts in Ahmedabad.
As they say, "community is currency". Super nice to be a part of eChai Ventures community so well curated by Jatin Chaudhary. Thank you Jatin and Balkrishna Agarwal for the invite.
What a great way to start the New Year by meeting builders, developers and startup enthusiasts in Ahmedabad.
As they say, "community is currency". Super nice to be a part of eChai Ventures community so well curated by Jatin Chaudhary. Thank you Jatin and Balkrishna Agarwal for the invite.
Building Trust Takes the Longest - Soumya Kalluri (Dwij), from an eChai Mumbai Conversation
very rarely, I meet a founder
who has so much clarity and conviction.
meet Soumya Kalluri, founder of "Dwij" Products.
"Dwij" means second life in Sanskrit and that's exactly what she's doing by creating lifestyle products upcycling post consumer jeans and post industrial fabrics giving it a second life.
being a mechanical engineer herself, she has taken a journey from working in a stable profession to building a brand that is purposeful, sustainable as well as profitable.
we spoke about the first product she built, which, at the time seemed obvious but turned out to be not so obvious.
later, she shared how she researched, took real time feedback, understood what the consumers wanted and designed the products that her target audience would buy.
we also deep dived into building SOP's, operations, GTM strategies talking about how she's able to build quality products while upcycling jeans and other fabrics.
I asked her one specific question, what was harder?
- building the product
- building the demand
- or building the trust
her reply was simple: "building trust"
because you want your customers to come back and for that you have to focus on quality.
we concluded the event with her two cent advice for founders starting their journey in entrepreneurship and one question that every founder should reflect on.
it was a pleasure to host Soumya Kalluri at today's eChai Ventures Mumbai Start-up meet and learn so much from her.
thanks to Jatin Chaudhary & Harsha Bhurani for organising this meet-up and also everyone who joined us in this conversation by showing up and asking thoughtful questions.
who has so much clarity and conviction.
meet Soumya Kalluri, founder of "Dwij" Products.
"Dwij" means second life in Sanskrit and that's exactly what she's doing by creating lifestyle products upcycling post consumer jeans and post industrial fabrics giving it a second life.
being a mechanical engineer herself, she has taken a journey from working in a stable profession to building a brand that is purposeful, sustainable as well as profitable.
we spoke about the first product she built, which, at the time seemed obvious but turned out to be not so obvious.
later, she shared how she researched, took real time feedback, understood what the consumers wanted and designed the products that her target audience would buy.
we also deep dived into building SOP's, operations, GTM strategies talking about how she's able to build quality products while upcycling jeans and other fabrics.
I asked her one specific question, what was harder?
- building the product
- building the demand
- or building the trust
her reply was simple: "building trust"
because you want your customers to come back and for that you have to focus on quality.
we concluded the event with her two cent advice for founders starting their journey in entrepreneurship and one question that every founder should reflect on.
it was a pleasure to host Soumya Kalluri at today's eChai Ventures Mumbai Start-up meet and learn so much from her.
thanks to Jatin Chaudhary & Harsha Bhurani for organising this meet-up and also everyone who joined us in this conversation by showing up and asking thoughtful questions.
Hard Founder Choices We Don’t Talk About Enough
This weekend, Jatin Chaudhary invited me to speak on a panel of women founders for one of his eChai Ventures startup meet ups. I found myself speaking about lessons from my last 2 years, which honestly felt like 4!
Amid a roomful of aspiring and hustling entrepreneurs, Radhika Mohta was asking some very thoughtful questions about the hard pivots, the difficult exits, and the moments when a founder has to choose between staying and completion.
A few reflections and opinions I shared (and these are applicable to jobs/workplaces/clients also):
𝐎𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞: There's a difference between quitting and completion. Quitting is running from hard things. Completion is honoring that your chapter has ended even if the book continues.
𝐎𝐧 𝐜𝐨-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬: You can respect someone's skills deeply and still recognize you can't build together long-term. Both things can be true. The hard part is distinguishing between disagreement about tactics (healthy) and disagreement about values (terminal). The former you debate. The latter you exit.
𝐎𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 "𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥" 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭: Exits come in many forms - acquisition, IPO, shutdown, and also...walking away. The only bad exit is the one where you abandon your values to stay. This also applies to jobs we work every day.
𝐓𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨-𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫: thank you for trusting me with your stories. If my exits taught me anything, it's that the companies that didn't work out the way I planned forced me to ask the questions that are shaping who I am today.
What kind of founder do I want to be?
What's non-negotiable for me?
I wouldn't have asked those questions if everything had gone perfectly.
P.S - I was 15 minutes late to my own panel because Bangalore traffic had other plans. Some exits you can control. Some you just survive. But hey! I made it.
So will you.
Amid a roomful of aspiring and hustling entrepreneurs, Radhika Mohta was asking some very thoughtful questions about the hard pivots, the difficult exits, and the moments when a founder has to choose between staying and completion.
A few reflections and opinions I shared (and these are applicable to jobs/workplaces/clients also):
𝐎𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞: There's a difference between quitting and completion. Quitting is running from hard things. Completion is honoring that your chapter has ended even if the book continues.
𝐎𝐧 𝐜𝐨-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬: You can respect someone's skills deeply and still recognize you can't build together long-term. Both things can be true. The hard part is distinguishing between disagreement about tactics (healthy) and disagreement about values (terminal). The former you debate. The latter you exit.
𝐎𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 "𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥" 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭: Exits come in many forms - acquisition, IPO, shutdown, and also...walking away. The only bad exit is the one where you abandon your values to stay. This also applies to jobs we work every day.
𝐓𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨-𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫: thank you for trusting me with your stories. If my exits taught me anything, it's that the companies that didn't work out the way I planned forced me to ask the questions that are shaping who I am today.
What kind of founder do I want to be?
What's non-negotiable for me?
I wouldn't have asked those questions if everything had gone perfectly.
P.S - I was 15 minutes late to my own panel because Bangalore traffic had other plans. Some exits you can control. Some you just survive. But hey! I made it.
So will you.
At eChai SF, I saw women in tech show up for one another
Last night's Women in Tech event was a powerful reminder of the strength of our community.
What struck me most was witnessing women leaders who, despite navigating their own professional challenges, showed up with generosity and openness to mentor and support others. Their willingness to share both their struggles and their journeys demonstrated the kind of authentic leadership that creates real change.
The conversations were honest, the connections meaningful, and the energy in the room was a testament to how far we've come and how much further we can go together.
Next week, I'm heading to India visiting Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Jaipur, and I'm excited to connect with more women leaders in India's vibrant tech ecosystem. If you're in the area, I'd love to meet up.
The momentum around Women in Tech is building, and I'm particularly looking forward to the eChai Ventures Women in Tech Conference happening in Feb’26. I'll share more details as we get closer, but it is going to be an incredible gathering of leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
To every woman forging her path in tech: your journey matters, your voice matters, and you're not alone in this. Let's continue lifting each other up.
Happy Holidays…! ❤️
What struck me most was witnessing women leaders who, despite navigating their own professional challenges, showed up with generosity and openness to mentor and support others. Their willingness to share both their struggles and their journeys demonstrated the kind of authentic leadership that creates real change.
The conversations were honest, the connections meaningful, and the energy in the room was a testament to how far we've come and how much further we can go together.
Next week, I'm heading to India visiting Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Jaipur, and I'm excited to connect with more women leaders in India's vibrant tech ecosystem. If you're in the area, I'd love to meet up.
The momentum around Women in Tech is building, and I'm particularly looking forward to the eChai Ventures Women in Tech Conference happening in Feb’26. I'll share more details as we get closer, but it is going to be an incredible gathering of leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
To every woman forging her path in tech: your journey matters, your voice matters, and you're not alone in this. Let's continue lifting each other up.
Happy Holidays…! ❤️
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
"eChai isn’t just a startup community … it’s a mindset . eChai has been one of the most impactful communities in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s been a turning point . In a world where building something can often feel isolating, eChai gave me a sense of belonging. I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends here — people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It’s a space where ideas are challenged, actions are celebrated, and founders grow not just in scale, but in clarity and confidence. From late-night ideas to early-morning pitches, this community has quietly but powerfully shaped the way I build, think, and dream. I’ll always be grateful for the way eChai creates spaces where founders don’t just grow businesses — they grow together."
Koumal Kalantry
Founder, Bignano Ventures
"eChai has been a game-changer for Hungrito, providing us with invaluable connections, insights, and opportunities that have significantly fueled our growth. eChai has introduced us to a global network of entrepreneurs and experts, fueling our growth and opening doors to new opportunities from Ahmedabad to Dubai. The community has become like a second family to us, providing support, guidance, and valuable insights as startup entrepreneurs."
Sahil Shah
Founder- Hungrito & Netsavvies. Digital Marketing Evangelist
“When we launched LegalWiz.in back in 2016, concept of procuring legal and compliance services through a digital commerce platform wasn't as prominent in India. eChai played a significant role in providing the early adopters, and building significant positioning in the startup fraternity. Overtime, eChai grew to be a massive network of like-minded entrepreneurs and extended that benefit to all the members in a true "co-rise" spirit. I personally love to attend eChai events, learn from subject matter experts who share relatable and actionable insights and experiences. For startup journeys, it is so important to be surrounded by people who can add relevance, perspective, and push you to do better. Most importantly a group of people where you aren't being judged about things going right or wrong, but be a motivational force that keeps you going, yet keeping you in check. eChai is that place for me!”
Shrijay Sheth
Founder at LegalWiz.in and Hire4Higher Consulting
eChai Partner Brands
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.
