More about Santosh Panda
Hello! 👋 I run Foundership - The Web3 Launcher🚀
We help Web3 startups with Coaching, Capital and Community. Taking Top Web3 Founders into the Next Orbit.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Find more about Foundership. https://foundershiphq.com/
With my new endeavor Foundership, I'm now on a mission to help/enable Web3 Projects /Startup Folks to succeed & scale.
Before Foundership, I started my Startup journey back in 2007, much before startups were "cool." I built Explara for India - an event ticketing and management platform by developing a SaaS solution while living in London and having a day job.
I relocated to India in 2011-12 and grew Explara by hustling and bootstrapping to VC funding to $11m in gross revenue. Back in the day, I didn't have the ecosystem to support me or correct my mistakes. But, lucky for you, it's all there today!
With a shoestring budget, I built a successful business & brand Explara, serving thousands of customers worldwide. Explara was my 3rd Startup that went through years of perseverance to withstand numerous failure and shutdown modes to become profitable in 2019.
I started 2 businesses in London during 2005 & 06, both failed. Before starting up Explara, I was a software product engineer in eBay UK, BBC iPlayer, William Hill Betting platform and TouchNote. Before that, I was part of several startups during the dotcom era of the 2000s in the USA.
We help Web3 startups with Coaching, Capital and Community. Taking Top Web3 Founders into the Next Orbit.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Find more about Foundership. https://foundershiphq.com/
With my new endeavor Foundership, I'm now on a mission to help/enable Web3 Projects /Startup Folks to succeed & scale.
Before Foundership, I started my Startup journey back in 2007, much before startups were "cool." I built Explara for India - an event ticketing and management platform by developing a SaaS solution while living in London and having a day job.
I relocated to India in 2011-12 and grew Explara by hustling and bootstrapping to VC funding to $11m in gross revenue. Back in the day, I didn't have the ecosystem to support me or correct my mistakes. But, lucky for you, it's all there today!
With a shoestring budget, I built a successful business & brand Explara, serving thousands of customers worldwide. Explara was my 3rd Startup that went through years of perseverance to withstand numerous failure and shutdown modes to become profitable in 2019.
I started 2 businesses in London during 2005 & 06, both failed. Before starting up Explara, I was a software product engineer in eBay UK, BBC iPlayer, William Hill Betting platform and TouchNote. Before that, I was part of several startups during the dotcom era of the 2000s in the USA.
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Featured speaker at previous eChai events:
Founders and startup folks who joined past eChai startup events
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
"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
"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
"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 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.
