160 Founders, 2 VCs, and 1 Unfiltered Fundraising Night at eChai x Draper in Bengaluru

160 Founders, 2 VCs, and 1 Unfiltered Fundraising Night at eChai x Draper in Bengaluru

We pushed the limits of our terrace space by hosting over 160+ #entrepreneurs last Saturday! 🧠πŸ”₯πŸŒ†

The Bengaluru Startup Meetup on Fundraising for Startups, co-hosted with eChai Ventures, turned out to be one of our most high-energy events yet at Draper Startup House, Bangalore. πŸš€πŸŽ€βœ¨

We had the privilege of hosting two incredible speakers:

- Harnidh K., Head of Fund, WTFund – She broke down their complete vetting process, what they truly look for in founders and why WTFund has become such a magnet for young entrepreneurs πŸ’ΌπŸ’‘. It was mind-blowing 🀯 to learn that they receive 2500+ applications per cohort and every single one is read and vetted personally by the team – with zero AI or automation πŸ€“πŸ“„.

She also spent over an hour before and after the event chatting with founders 1:1 – total legend πŸ§ƒπŸ«Ά.

- Neha Lakhwara, CEO, Agility Ventures – Neha didn’t just talk about Agility's investment thesis πŸ’° and the sectors they’re bullish on πŸ“ŠπŸ› οΈ β€” she also shared why she will always bet on a founder who shows clarity & grit. 🧠πŸ’ͺ. She opened up about her favourite deal and what made it stand out πŸ’ŽπŸš€, plus gave a masterclass on the do’s and don’ts of a pitch deck – founders took notes like crazy πŸ“πŸ“‰πŸ“ˆ.

Huge shoutout to the 160+ attendees who brought the vibe, fired sharp questions πŸ”₯🧨 (some controversial ones too πŸ‘€) and stayed till the very end πŸ’¬πŸŒ™.

We pulled this off thanks to the kindest speakers who gave us their time and wisdom, expecting nothing in return πŸ•ŠοΈπŸ’™.

Can’t wait to host Harnidh and Neha again at Draper Startup House soon πŸ πŸ”
Startup Stream

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"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
Viraj Rajani
Co-Founder, Digipple
"eChai has played a truly pivotal role in HummingBird’s journey β€” even before Day Zero. From ideation to establishment and into growth, it’s been a constant source of support.Β 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 β€” both personally and professionally β€” in ways that are hard to articulate.Β 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
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
"eChai has been a game changer in my journey. It connected me with real people, real support and real opportunities. From building HMMBiz to launching Mindalcove, eChai has played a key role at every step. Grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in growing together."
Hardik Manwani - CTO, Mind Alcove
Hardik Manwani
CTO, Mind Alcove

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