We often attend events, swap cards, connect on LinkedIn, and then let it fade. The real value is in the follow-ups, the small check-ins, and the occasional exchange of ideas.
Yesterday I had a deep conversation with someone I first met two years ago. Back then there was no agenda, only curiosity. Over time we built trust naturally. That trust led to a fascinating discussion on cross-border opportunities between India and Japan.
Japan’s aging population is pushing companies to look overseas for growth. India’s fast-maturing MSME sector is a natural magnet. Together they open possibilities for acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnerships that could shape the next decade.
This was not a pitch or a negotiation. It was the result of a relationship nurtured over years.
Some of the biggest opportunities do not come from boardrooms. They come from conversations that began long before anyone saw the potential.
Some days remind you exactly why you chose this path.
At MIT University, Pune, I found myself in three completely different rooms, each showing a different side of Bignano’s journey. In the expo hall, curious students surrounded our cattle early detection kit, asking sharp questions and offering fresh ideas. In the investor room, I spoke to a group I had never approached before, and their enthusiasm for our work left me energised. In a closed-door session with young founders, I shared the backstory of building this product, watching their eyes light up as they connected it to their own journeys.
The settings were different, but the theme was the same, genuine curiosity and belief in what we are building. Even the podcast interview and the crowded food stalls outside felt like part of the same current running through the day.
It was a reminder that sometimes the best days are when every conversation, whether with students, investors, or fellow entrepreneurs, reinforces the same truth: you are building something that matters.
Almost 8 years in Canada, and now back in India for the past 8 months.
I call this the ultimate reset, starting everything from zero.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t question if I made the right decision. Reverse culture shock is real.
So is building something that doesn’t exist — and maybe won’t, unless I do it. I want to say I love it.
But I also hate it at the same time. This new journey comes with a weird fog.
You feel like you’re doing something wrong, just because you don’t see anyone around you on the same path.
No like-minded people. No similar shoes. Just you, jumping without a parachute.
When I moved back, I didn’t want to do it alone. I wanted to start a community, not just a product. A crew of people inside the ecosystem who were also figuring it out from scratch.
That’s when I found eChai Ventures and Jatin Chaudhary What they’ve built over more than a decade is impossible to replicate. It’s the kind of force that holds together the chaos of India’s startup system. And the more I spent time around them, the more I realized: their impact is bigger than you can see upfront.
They’ve been part of people’s journeys for so long, they see things the rest of us miss. Insights you won’t get anywhere, not even if you’re paying.
I started going to their events. They do a lot of them.
Not just across India. Globally.
They made the ecosystem feel less like a club and more like a campfire.
From weekly box cricket to being in the rooms where real AI conversations happen at Upsquare®.
It was a true honour to speak at the "Sales Masterclass for Startups : Ahmedabad Edition" organized by eChai Ventures yesterday,
A massive thank you to Jatin Chaudhary and the entire eChai Ventures team for creating such an impactful platform for startup founders. It was a privilege to share the stage with another insightful speaker, Yash Shah (Co-founder, Momentum. Ex Clientjoy), and delve deep into how founders can truly leverage sales strategies for early-stage success.
I had the fantastic opportunity to discuss critical aspects including:
- Getting Customers in the Early Stages: Practical approaches to land those crucial first deals and build initial traction.
- Mastering the Pitch: Crafting compelling narratives to effectively present to prospects and turn rejections into valuable relationships.
- Defining a Winning Pricing Strategy: Insights into setting prices that reflect value and drive growth.
The energy and engagement from all the attendees were incredible. Your insightful questions and active participation made the session truly interactive and rewarding. I hope the frameworks and real-world stories shared will provide actionable strategies for your entrepreneurial journeys.
Looking forward to more such enriching discussions!
This Sunday, from 3 to 6 pm, a group of rebels gathered ... not for gyaan, but for AI-first workflow rewiring.
We didn’t talk about “what AI can do.” We showed what we are doing ... with it.
From rocket .new to Claude.code agents, ChatGPT + Gemini to granola .ai, lovable, hume, emergent ... each tool had a champion. Each workflow, a story. Each person, a perspective.
We explored:
→ Why Business Process Reengineering is no longer a Six Sigma luxury—it’s survival. → Why AI Horror Stories start with blind use, not bold use. → Why Full-Stack Thinking beats tool-stacking.
No slides. No spectators. Just hands-on demos. Laughter. A few “oh damn” moments.
We didn’t leave with answers. We left with upgrades ... mindset, skillset, drive... and toolsets to execute next.
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.
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