The eChai × VideoSDK Diwali party in Surat brought together a room full of founders who’ve spent years building through uncertainty. What began as a light evening, stories, laughter, and the usual updates, slowly turned into something else. People started talking about the moments that shaped them, not the ones they post about.
It felt like an oral history of the startup ecosystem in Surat. Founders from different stages and backgrounds, connected by the same vibe of losing, learning, and starting again.
When Chetan Kanani, co-founder of Alpino, began speaking, the room settled. He talked about the night Alpino’s warehouse caught fire in Surat. The speed of it, the shock, and how by morning, everything they had built was gone.
He said the hardest moment wasn’t the fire itself, but the silence after. Walking into the burnt space with his team and realizing there was no plan, no instruction manual for what came next. They just started again, cleaning the site, calling vendors, building piece by piece.
At one point, Chetan said, “It shouldn’t happen to anyone… but sometimes I feel like it should. Kabhi-kabhi aag lagni chahiye.”
The room went still. Nobody took it as a punchline. What he meant was clear, that sometimes, the only way to see what truly matters is when everything unnecessary burns away. The fire stripped Alpino down to its foundation. What survived wasn’t luck; it was intent.
For founders, those moments of collapse become quiet turning points. They don’t show up in headlines, but they change everything, how you hire, how you decide, how you think about growth. The comeback isn’t about proving resilience; it’s about rebuilding with a sharper sense of what’s worth keeping.
As the night went on, the lights reflected off the burnt-orange walls of the old Surat building. Conversations drifted back to product launches and ideas. But that one line stayed with everyone. Aag lagni chahiye. Said softly, meant deeply, a reminder that sometimes, what breaks you is the same thing that clears the way for what’s next.
"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
“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
"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
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.
