India Gears Up for Inaugural Startup Mahakumbh in New Delhi

India is all set to witness its first-ever 'Startup Mahakumbh’, the largest celebration of Indian startups from March 18-20, 2024, at the prestigious Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Spearheaded by the collaborative efforts of ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, Bootstrap Incubation & Advisory Foundation, TiE and Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), the event will cement India's reputation as a melting pot of innovation and amplify the country’s global startup footprint. With the purpose of enabling handshakes and connecting startups with a spectrum of inventors such as VCs, angel investors, family offices, and HNIs- as well as potential corporate partners, the event is expected to host 1000+ startups, 10+ thematic tracks, 1000+ investors, 500+ incubators & accelerators, 5000+ conference delegates, 10+ country delegations, 5000+ future entrepreneurs and 40,000+ business visitors over the span of three days.  

Economic Empowerment 

The event is supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Department of Commerce (DoC), India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Government-e-Marketplace (GeM), Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) and Zomato. 

Ahead of the main event, the organising committee for Startup Mahakumbh hosted the curtain raiser for the event at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, today, in the presence of the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Sanjiv and CEO, Government e-Marketplace, Shri Prashant Kumar Singh. 

The leading government partners of the event were also present at the curtain raiser including Shri Sudatta Mandal, Deputy Managing Director, SIDBI, and senior officials from Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited. 

Speaking at the curtain raiser, Shri Piyush Goyal, emphasized that “Throughout the three days of Startup Mahakumbh, the startups will be able to engage with investors, and relevant stakeholders and create a sub ecosystem to support each other with ideas and learn from the experience of others….We will also see participation from students to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship, spirit of inquiry in them and help them go back with confidence and talk about the New India and the story of emerging India." 

Towards the end of his keynote, the Minister added that, “A great India story is unfolding in front of each one of you (young India) and you will be the flag bearers of the story in Amrit kaal, that is moving towards Viksit Bharat.” 

Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, “We are hoping to see 1000+ startups, 1000+ investors, 500+ incubators at the event. We have also invited 21 startup bridges countries to actively participate and engage with startups and inspire them during Startup Mahakumbh.” 

The curtain raiser also saw participation from members of the organising committee and leading stakeholders of the startup ecosystem such as Prashanth Prakash, Executive Council Member - IVCA,  Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Info Edge, Archana Jahagirdar, Founding and Managing Partner, Rukam Capital, Nivruti Rai, MD & CEO, Invest India, Sanjay Nayar, Sr Vice President, ASSOCHAM & Founder and Chairman, Sorin Investments, along with representation from the startup ecosystem. 

Startup Mahakumbh promises to showcase unparalleled innovation, highlighting transformative products, cutting-edge technologies, revolutionary business models across diverse sectors, along with opportunity to interact with top voices in the startup ecosystem including Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Peak XV, Harish Bahl, Founder, Smile Interactive Group, Deepinder Goyal, Founder & CEO, Zomato, Harshil Mathur, Co-Founder & CEO, Razorpay, and Vineet Rai, Founder & Chairman, Aavishkaar Group. It will also connect Indian startups with international networks to unlock new opportunities and position India as a melting pot of entrepreneurial brilliance on the global stage, paving way for collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions that underscore India's dynamism in entrepreneurship. 

At the heart of Startup Mahakumbh lies multiple unique pavilions, each a beacon of sector-specific innovation and trends. These pavilions are meticulously curated to showcase the forefront of technological advancements and industry insights across a diverse range of fields. Participants will have the chance to immerse themselves in the world of AI + SaaS, D2C/Consumer brands, Agritech, Fintech, Deep Tech, Biotech & Pharma, Incubators, Climate Tech, E-sports, and B2B Manufacturing. Notably, the event will mark a significant milestone by introducing a dedicated pavilion for the B2B manufacturing sector for the first time in India, offering a unique platform for startups in this space to shine. These thematic pavilions are designed to foster engaging conversations and connections among startups, investors, and industry stakeholders, enabling innovative collaborations.