Had an amazing time on the eChai's panel discussion last weekend about D2C startups, alongside Sanil Jain of 'The Better Shop' and Aayush Poddar of 'The Messy Corner'. 🚀
One of the highlights of the event was the exceptional quality of questions from the audience. 💡
Drawing from my own experiences, I was able to contribute to the discussion by sharing insights from my journey of building Clapper 🎬, and working with SUGAR Cosmetics.
Building Clapper, has given me a unique perspective on engaging with a young and dynamic audience. Understanding their preferences and constantly innovating to meet their needs has been key to our success. 💪
Whereas working with SUGAR Cosmetics has helped to understand the significance of branding and marketing in the beauty and personal care sector.
I hope that the insights shared during the session will inspire others to embark on their own journey. 🙏
One of the highlights of the event was the exceptional quality of questions from the audience. 💡
Drawing from my own experiences, I was able to contribute to the discussion by sharing insights from my journey of building Clapper 🎬, and working with SUGAR Cosmetics.
Building Clapper, has given me a unique perspective on engaging with a young and dynamic audience. Understanding their preferences and constantly innovating to meet their needs has been key to our success. 💪
Whereas working with SUGAR Cosmetics has helped to understand the significance of branding and marketing in the beauty and personal care sector.
I hope that the insights shared during the session will inspire others to embark on their own journey. 🙏
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP
"From late-night brainstorming over chai to early morning founder calls, eChai has been more than just a network for me; it’s been home base for ideas, impact, and inspiration. What started as a simple meetup years ago turned into a powerful movement, connecting founders, creators, and dreamers. I’ve had the privilege of seeing startups find product-market fit, marketers (like me) find unexpected collaborations, and most importantly, people finding their tribe. संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं – Let us move together, speak together. It’s not just a verse from the Rigveda — it’s how Jatin and the entire eChai community truly operate. We don’t just network, we grow together. Forever grateful to be a part of the eChai Effect.
Jaydip Parikh
Chief Everything Officer at Tej SolPro
"eChai has played a truly pivotal role in HummingBird’s journey — even before Day Zero. From ideation to establishment and into growth, it’s been a constant source of support. It connected me with incredible people who’ve become more than just friends. One of the biggest reasons I chose to stay in Ahmedabad is because of the eChai community. It has shaped my growth — both personally and professionally — in ways that are hard to articulate. Honestly, words fall short when I try to express what eChai means to me. I’m deeply thankful and forever grateful to eChai for being such an integral part of my journey."
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
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.
