🎯 The Hero's Program at Draper University
When I first signed up for the Hero's Program, I thought it was all about startups. Boy, was I wrong. This experience isn’t just about launching ventures; it’s about discovering the hero within, pushing your limits, and thriving in the face of challenges. 💪
Picture this: 130 kilometers of walking and hiking in just four days, mixed with swimming, rowing, and running. Survival week, curated by US Navy SEALs, was a true test of grit, blood, sweat, and yes, tears. This journey was designed to build not just physical endurance, but the mental toughness to tackle any challenge with enthusiasm, energy, and a healthy dose of fun! 🎉
I’m beyond grateful to have been part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, alongside 110 heroes from 37 countries. Draper University isn’t about being spoon-fed; it’s about being thrown into the deep end (sometimes literally, like treasure-hunting in San Mateo at 4 AM and jumping into a freezing pool in the early morning!) and getting the job done. The spontaneity of pitching to Tim Draper while strolling through the streets of #SanMateo or sleeping under the stars in Northern California Wilderness pushed me beyond my comfort zone in the best possible way. 🌟
Leaving loved ones for 40 days wasn’t easy, but it was worth every second. Huge shoutout to Karan Bahadur, Vikram Bharati, Asra N. for this great opportunity and the amazing Draper University team Waleed Arshad Mohammad Mustafa Hassan Suffiyan Malik Subah Zaeem Arisa Chelsea Ueno Umar Akram – you guys are rockstars & a special thanks to my stellar team back home – Mansi Baheti, Tanya Mary, Deepika Palreddy and Vignesh S – for keeping things running smoothly at Draper Startup House India while I was away. 🙌
To all the friends I’ve made from around the world, I can’t wait to reconnect with you in the years to come. 🌍
One key takeaway for me: *Amor fati* – love of fate. Look it up, and a big thanks to Roc Ryder for introducing me to this profound concept.
No more spoilers, but if you ever get the chance to join this program, here’s my advice: *Just say YES.* Trust me, you won’t regret it.
When I first signed up for the Hero's Program, I thought it was all about startups. Boy, was I wrong. This experience isn’t just about launching ventures; it’s about discovering the hero within, pushing your limits, and thriving in the face of challenges. 💪
Picture this: 130 kilometers of walking and hiking in just four days, mixed with swimming, rowing, and running. Survival week, curated by US Navy SEALs, was a true test of grit, blood, sweat, and yes, tears. This journey was designed to build not just physical endurance, but the mental toughness to tackle any challenge with enthusiasm, energy, and a healthy dose of fun! 🎉
I’m beyond grateful to have been part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, alongside 110 heroes from 37 countries. Draper University isn’t about being spoon-fed; it’s about being thrown into the deep end (sometimes literally, like treasure-hunting in San Mateo at 4 AM and jumping into a freezing pool in the early morning!) and getting the job done. The spontaneity of pitching to Tim Draper while strolling through the streets of #SanMateo or sleeping under the stars in Northern California Wilderness pushed me beyond my comfort zone in the best possible way. 🌟
Leaving loved ones for 40 days wasn’t easy, but it was worth every second. Huge shoutout to Karan Bahadur, Vikram Bharati, Asra N. for this great opportunity and the amazing Draper University team Waleed Arshad Mohammad Mustafa Hassan Suffiyan Malik Subah Zaeem Arisa Chelsea Ueno Umar Akram – you guys are rockstars & a special thanks to my stellar team back home – Mansi Baheti, Tanya Mary, Deepika Palreddy and Vignesh S – for keeping things running smoothly at Draper Startup House India while I was away. 🙌
To all the friends I’ve made from around the world, I can’t wait to reconnect with you in the years to come. 🌍
One key takeaway for me: *Amor fati* – love of fate. Look it up, and a big thanks to Roc Ryder for introducing me to this profound concept.
No more spoilers, but if you ever get the chance to join this program, here’s my advice: *Just say YES.* Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Alberto Añaños Ph.D Davit Zargaryan Tamu Petra Browne (DBA-Technology Entrepreneurship) Charles Fu Ray Kuo Jovy Yu Mostafa Masry FRANCISCO RAMIREZ Maxwell O. Chibuogwu, Ph.D Pavel Vinitsky, PhD Yazeed Alsulayhim Thamer Al-Gahtani and many more.
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
"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
"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 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.
