Things to keep in mind during fundraising for early stage founders.
There are no permanent ‘No’s. When an investor passed on your deal, ask for permission to keep them updated every quarter and then enrol them into a list to which you send out a quarterly update across your product, team and growth. You never know when interest in your startup might peak.
Fundraising is a full-time activity for 1 founder. Pitch to as many people as you can. Pitch, Ask for feedback, improve, repeat.
At early stages, valuation is more of an art than a science. Ultimately, when you are at the negotiating table - everything falls back to how desperate you are to raise and how convinced they are to invest in you.
There are no permanent ‘No’s. When an investor passed on your deal, ask for permission to keep them updated every quarter and then enrol them into a list to which you send out a quarterly update across your product, team and growth. You never know when interest in your startup might peak.
Fundraising is a full-time activity for 1 founder. Pitch to as many people as you can. Pitch, Ask for feedback, improve, repeat.
At early stages, valuation is more of an art than a science. Ultimately, when you are at the negotiating table - everything falls back to how desperate you are to raise and how convinced they are to invest in you.
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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
"I attended my first eChai event 3 yrs back, and no one knew me in the market. Over the next three years, eChai didn’t only help me with knowledge or networking, but it gave me an identity from being unknown to now being recognized by a group of inspirational entrepreneurs connected with eChai, who have been gracious enough to acknowledge me and Digipple."
Viraj Rajani
Co-Founder, Digipple
"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
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.
