We plan to bring eChai across 100 cities in India. The next eChai Startup Demo Day is on 29 August in Bengaluru and Pune. The next after that is on 26 September, all in person, with 12 cities confirmed and 509 founders registered. See your city
Sonal Biyani

Sonal Biyani

Co-Founder, Basic Roots
Building

Basic Roots | Raising funds for technology startups and capital advisor to Founders | Board-Level Strategy

I’m a serial entrepreneur, investment banker, and early-stage angel investor with hands-on operating experience across both traditional industries and technology-led ventures. I began my career at Lehman Brothers and ENAM, leading IPOs, M&A, and private equity transactions for some of India’s largest companies. I’ve also worked with global teams, including my time at Banker without Boundaries, a UK-based climate finance advisory firm, where I collaborated on sustainable finance and infrastructure mandates across emerging markets.

Later, I moved to Surat, where I built a textile trading and manufacturing business from scratch and launched one of the city’s first coworking spaces. These ventures gave me a deep understanding of tier-2 markets—their potential, limitations, and the realities of scaling outside the metro lens.

Today, I co-lead Basic Roots, a strategic advisory and investment firm focused on early to growth-stage companies in consumer, fintech, SaaS, and B2B commerce. I work closely with founders, investors, and boards on fundraising, M&A, and long-term growth strategy.

I’m also a regular voice on Bloomberg TV, speaking on macro trends, startups, and capital markets. Recognized as an Emerging Female Entrepreneur by Union Minister Smriti Irani, I remain deeply committed to supporting more women in business and leadership.

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