Meetup

eChai’s Airport Startup Mixer was held at Pune Airport

Jatin Chaudhary

Co-Founder, eChai Ventures

eChai’s Airport Startup Mixer was held at Pune Airport

Ever reached the airport too early and got bored?

What if, instead of scrolling your phone, you ended up meeting a bunch of interesting folks?

At eChai, we love startup mixers. So we thought - why not bring that experience to the airport?

Few months back, our friend Jaydip Parikh was attending the India SEO Conference in Pune. On his way back, he called and said, “Remember that airport mixer idea? Let’s do it right now.”

And just like that, eChai’s Airport Startup Mixer was born.

Jaydip, along with Amit from AllEvents, Rakesh Patel from SpaceO, Himani from Missive Digital, and many others, turned their wait time into a great networking session. The feedback? Amazing!

Of course, there’s one tiny risk - getting so deep in conversation that you almost miss your flight! But hey, great connections are worth the adventure.

So, next time you’re at the airport early, let us know. We’ll give a shoutout on eChai and see if we can pull off another eChai’s Airport Startup Mixer.

Would you be up for it? Let’s make layovers exciting :-)

https://x.com/jatin10/status/1885196469751423431

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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

“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

"eChai isn’t just a startup community … it’s a mindset . eChai has been one of the most impactful communities in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s been a turning point . In a world where building something can often feel isolating, eChai gave me a sense of belonging. I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends here — people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It’s a space where ideas are challenged, actions are celebrated, and founders grow not just in scale, but in clarity and confidence. From late-night ideas to early-morning pitches, this community has quietly but powerfully shaped the way I build, think, and dream. I’ll always be grateful for the way eChai creates spaces where founders don’t just grow businesses — they grow together."

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Founder, Bignano Ventures

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