Top 11 resources we used & would recommend to every early stage startups.

1) How to get your first 1,000 users (for consumer startups) - http://surl.li/ltcnrw

2) How to get started with a consumer startup - http://surl.li/yifihg

3) How startups die from their addiction to paid marketing by Andrew Chen- http://surl.li/wrbiis

4) Must-have document templates for every startup: pitch deck, financial model, one-pager, and advisor agreement - http://surl.li/tgjdmv

5) 95 Ways to find your first customers for customer development or your first sale - http://surl.li/bvxpxz

6) Discounts and credits for startups - https://www.f6s.com/deals

7) Find your co-founder- https://lnkd.in/d8SRPSgn or https://www.antler.co/ or attend eChai Ventures meetups

8) How Superhuman engineered product-market fit - http://surl.li/jdqckj

9)Wharton's Entrepreneurship Specialization on Coursera - http://surl.li/lgfqvi

10) Y Combinator Startup School - http://surl.li/rghpgi

11) Check balance sheet, revenues & expenses of your competitors for free - https://lnkd.in/dxMgm_ad

12) Bonus - if you wish to hire pre-vetted interns or freshers for your early team, use Beep - https://lnkd.in/de7NKVRx
Considering every startup confronts this question at some point, I was surprised by how little has been written about it. Particularly anything actionable. So I decided to do my own digging. I spent the past month personally reaching out to founders, scouring interviews, and tapping the Twitterverse. Below, you’ll find first-hand accounts of how essentially every major consumer app acquired their earliest users, including Tinder, Uber, Superhuman, TikTok, Product Hunt, Yelp, and over a dozen more. Enjoy!

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"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
"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
“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
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP

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.