It was amazing to connect with so many startup founders and investors . I shared my journey as the Founder & CEO of FOX Academy KK, Japan, and a Hokkaido Government-Startup Visa Holder, along with tips on:
✨ How to enter the Japanese market ✨ Building a strong presence in one of the world’s toughest markets ✨ My experience getting both the Startup Visa and Business Manager Visa
Thank you to everyone who joined and made these events special. Let’s keep building strong connections and exploring new opportunities between India and Japan!
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.
Last week, I had the privilege of moderating a fireside chat with Aakash Gupta, a celebrated leader in product management, at an event hosted by Product Tank Mumbai and eChai Ventures 🌟
Aakash, the mind behind Product Growth, one of the world’s largest product management newsletters, shared invaluable insights on navigating the evolving landscape of product management. 🚀
The event brought together over 120 passionate product management enthusiasts from Mumbai, creating a vibrant space for learning, networking, and exchanging ideas.
The energy in the room was electric, and the discussions showcased the incredible talent and potential within the Mumbai product community.
It was an honor to contribute to this gathering, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to interact with such a diverse and motivated audience.
Here’s to fostering more such conversations that shape the future of product innovation in Mumbai!
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
𝗨𝗱𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲: Forget chasing shiny innovations - 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 might just be your secret weapon. Udit peeled back the layers on how B2C solutions can harness AI to scale, thrive, and win in today’s crowded marketplace.
𝗥𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗸’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: AI isn’t just about possibilities; it’s about 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Rupak showcased how AI is revolutionizing the creation of production-grade videos, bridging creativity with scalability like never before.
The biggest lesson of the day? AI isn’t the future - it’s the 𝘯𝘰𝘸. Whether you’re building for consumers or creating content, it’s time to rethink how you leverage the power of AI to deliver value where it truly matters.
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!
It was a great privilege to host and coordinate the Bengaluru Startup Meetup, organized by eChai at Urban Vault in Bangalore. 💫
A special highlight was our main speaker, Manesh Jain (Founder and CEO of many startups such as FloMobility, MockBank & Sourceweb), who shared his incredible journey, the challenges he faced, and valuable insights from his experiences with multiple startups. 👏
With a vibrant crowd of around 50 participants, including established entrepreneurs, early-stage founders, and aspiring entrepreneurs, the event was a fantastic opportunity to connect, share experiences, and build meaningful relationships within the startup ecosystem.
The energy in the room was inspiring, and I’m confident that every attendee walked away with fresh ideas and motivation to create successful ventures that contribute to a better world.
It was my pleasure to host the eChai Ventures’s startup openhouse in Bangalore yesterday!😊🌟
Huge thank you to Jatin Chaudhary for the opportunity and to all the participants in the echai community for enaging with each other so positively and making extremely helpful contributions!!
For anyone in Bangalore, this event happens every Sunday at Draper Startup House, Koramangala!!
Please check their website to find relevant events in your city!
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 Saturday, I had the opportunity to meet Mrinal Rai at Draper Startup House during a startup event.
He shared his incredible journey with Intugine and offered valuable insights into the evolving logistics supply chain in India, particularly how IoT is revolutionizing the industry.
So, what exactly is IoT, and how is it solving the challenges in supply chain management?
Let’s imagine you're sending vaccine supplies, either domestically or internationally.
It's essential to maintain the optimal temperature (below 10°C). With IoT, you can access real-time data about the vaccine’s condition and delivery process, ensuring your supply stays within the required temperature range and reaches its destination safely.
This level of visibility and control is what makes IoT a game-changer in logistics.
IoT plays a pivotal role in logistics solutions by providing real-time visibility, data accuracy, and automation across the supply chain like:
✅ Real-Time Tracking ✅Enhanced Visibility Across Modalities ✅e-POD (Electronic Proof of Delivery) ✅Yard Management ✅Smart Locks for Security ✅Operational Efficiency ✅Data Integration with ULIP ✅Reducing Costs and TAT
Intugine’s Overall Business Strategy and Funding Status:
✅Target Audience: Manufacturers, shippers, retailers, and quick-commerce companies in need of comprehensive logistics solutions.
✅Unique Value: Multimodal tracking on a single platform, enhanced by ULIP integration and IoT expertise.
✅Product-Market Fit: Proven by partnerships with 75+ global enterprises solving key logistics pain points.
✅Go-to-Market Strategy: Growth driven by enterprise partnerships, ULIP (Unified Logistics Interface Platform) integration, and scalable SaaS offerings.
✅Revenue Model: Subscription-based SaaS model with additional opportunities in analytics and consulting.
✅Funding Status: According to Inc42, Intugine has raised $2.3 million (INR 19 Cr) in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Mela Ventures.
Achievements: According to Inc42, last year, Intugine claims to have tracked more than 10 million shipments from over 75 customers globally across various sectors, including Flipkart, swiggy Instamart, Mahindra Logistics, GE Healthcare, Titan, Diageo, Ultratech Cement, Bridgestone and Britannia
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 !
Founders, Managers, Directors, and CXOs often get asked, "Can we publish you in the newspaper?" That's what we call a 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.
Here are key insights and notes from yesterday's eChai Ventures session on "𝐏𝐑 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲":
1) What makes newsworthy Press Release content? ✴ Instant news like Product Updates ✴ Funding announcements ✴ New location launches ✴ Award recognition
2) What channels are available for Press Releases? ✴ Newspaper articles, Featured sections, Website blogs, Videos, Podcasts, and more
3) What types of Press Releases exist? ✴ Paid: Working with PR agencies for guaranteed features ✴ Earned (DIY): Securing coverage through relationship building and valuable content
4) How to start with Earned Press Releases? ✴ Connect with journalists to share industry opinions ✴ Consistently provide valuable industry insights ✴ Build and nurture media relationships - they matter immensely!
5) What to look for in PR Agencies (Paid)? ✴ Strong media connections ✴ Content SEO authority ✴ Proven track record
6) Should you choose an Agency or DIY approach? ✴ Agencies work best for occasional releases (saves relationship-building time) ✴ DIY approach builds long-term authority through regular PR stories ✴ Start by offering expert opinions to newspapers
🌟 Remember: Credibility is currency!
7) Limited budget dilemma: Regular small news vs. one big story? ✴ Consistency wins - regular small news shows better results
8) Does publishing across multiple media houses create issues? ✴ No problems! Different websites mean no duplicate content concerns ✴ Media houses generate hundreds of pages daily, ensuring quick Google indexing
9) How do service-based organizations benefit from Press Releases? ✴ Builds thought leadership for attracting talent and clients ✴ Enhances societal credibility ✴ Makes you a preferred business partner
🥇 Virality Hack ✴ Leverage community connections through groups and meetups ✴ 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 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 - 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 “jain briyani” No we wont tell you what is it, ask Ashfin Francis if want to know 😋
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 😀
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.
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 Verma🏆 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 — 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.
The topic was 'Startup Growth Conversations', steered by flag bearers of
Key takeaways from our power-packed evening: 🔸 You can’t hire rockstars every day, but you can build processes that help average people create extraordinary results 🔸 Build what customers want, not what you think they want 🔸 Master one niche before expanding to others 🔸 Don’t raise capital just because you can - look for strategic value 🔸 Own customer relationships, even on marketplaces 🔸 Partner strategically - understand both user and buyer 🔸 Women drive shared purchase decisions for Coupl - crucial for D2C targeting 🔸 Focus on processes that make success repeatable 🔸 Create frameworks where anyone can deliver quality
🚀 Thrilled to Have Been a Speaker at the “Product Growth Playbook” 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!
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
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
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
