Ankit Machhar - Program Head – Ecosystem Development, NEN India, Wadhwani Foundation
Mentor – Start-Up India, Mentor of Change – ATL, NITI Aayog

Ankit Machhar

Program Head – Ecosystem Development, NEN India, Wadhwani Foundation Mentor – Start-Up India, Mentor of Change – ATL, NITI Aayog

More about Ankit Machhar

Ankit leads the entrepreneurship ecosystem development vertical for NEN India at Wadhwani
Foundation and works closely with top Institutes, Universities and Incubators across India
with an objective of creating high value jobs by mainstreaming entrepreneurship education
and creating large number of entrepreneurs. He has a significant experience in creating and
supporting technology entrepreneurship ecosystem, fostering startup culture, setting up
incubation spaces and processes, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to take up
entrepreneurship and currently mentoring 20+ startups.

Ankit is on-board with several organisations as Mentor and Advisor. He was invited by Invest
India to be on Mentor Board of Startup India Hub. He is also a Mentor of Change at Atal
Innovation Mission for one of the ATLs in Gujarat. He is also on the Mentor Board of CIIE-IIM
Ahmedabad, and several others such as AIC RNTU Bhopal, MIT AoE Pune, IIC - PDPU
Gandhinagar, Swarnim Startup and Innovation University.

In his previous role, Ankit worked as Manager – Ecosystem Development at iCreate (a
Government of Gujarat’s Technology Business Incubator) and was leading the strategic
alliances, partnerships, reach-out programs, scouting startups, branding & promotion of
iCreate.

Ankit was part of Executive Committee at Vibrant Gujarat Startup & Technology Summit
2018 and 2019. Earlier, he was also invited by Government of Gujarat to be part of the CoDesign Team of an Action Seminar on ‘Startups, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’, held
during Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit 2017. He was also the Executive
Committee Member of Vibrant Gujarat Startup Summit 2016 and spearheaded national level
Grand Challenge and conducted 25 roadshows in cities across India.

Ankit is a Gold Medalist in MBA (FB&E) from Nirma University (Ahmedabad) and holds a BE in
Electronics & Tele-Communication from Pune University.

Signing up on our website is completely free! If you encounter any issues with profile or notice something unusual, please don't hesitate to report it to us. We're here to help ensure a smooth and secure experience.
Featured speaker at previous eChai events:
Fundraising for Startups
Startup Support Initiatives
CoRise Summit
Founders and startup folks who joined past eChai startup events

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"At DevX.Work, we’ve greatly benefited from our association with eChai. Their events and networking forums have connected us with high-potential startups, ecosystem leaders, and innovation-driven professionals — many of whom have become valuable partners, collaborators, and even clients. What stands out most is the openness and accessibility of the community — whether you're an early-stage founder or an experienced entrepreneur, eChai provides a welcoming space to learn, collaborate, and grow. It's more than just a network — it's a catalyst for real, collaborative growth. We’re proud to be part of the eChai community. Highly recommended for any organization aiming to grow within the startup space."
Umesh Uttamchandani - Co-Founder, DevX
Umesh Uttamchandani
Co-Founder, DevX
"For me, eChai is a second home. I've been associated with it since the early days, when it was already setting a different tone for how startup communities could work. As a traditional business owner entering the new-age D2C space, eChai supported me in every direction. Over the years, it became my window to the startup world — and also gave me lifelong friends who continue to show up, for business and beyond."
Pankaj Bhimani - Founder, 58miles
Pankaj Bhimani
Founder, 58miles
"The eChai platform has been super valuable for me - it has helped me gain a deeper understanding of domains in the startup and tech ecosystem. What stands out most is the celebration of knowledge, professional growth, and entrepreneurship - it’s one of the best for the Indian ecosystem. Along the way, I’ve also been fortunate to make some great friendships and connections too."
Shalin (Shawn) Parikh - Founder, MyCPE One
Shalin (Shawn) Parikh
Founder, MyCPE One

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.