23rd April, 2016, Epicentre Gurgaon at the Startup Expo, 2500 startups, mentors, investors, industry partners and the government got together to fuel the startup story of the nation. It was a runaway success with over 10,000 visitors walking the floor at the event on that one day.
Having attended various startup events, this couldn’t be a more genuine list of some things we found to be different and totally worth our while for the time and effort put in to attend this event:
- Sessions:
Practical and realistic conversations instead of rosy and glamorous stories; the sessions at Startup Expo were honest, where you could not only go back with tons of real advice and tips, but even learn from some actual mistakes made by the startups who have arrived finally. Sessions like: Idea Validation or Writing an Effective Business Plan worked more like extremely insightful workshops to help you design your path.
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- Food startups:
The focus of this expo was on food startups, with a special area designated to some great ideas from this space to exhibit their yummies. Not only did we relish their savories, but even discovered some hidden gems from the food space.
- Networking options:
Again, like we mentioned, startup events are happening by the dozen in the country these days. Which means that you keep meeting the same people, the same faces, the same ideas.
This was not like that.
It was rather refreshing to find some new ideas, new faces and new avenues of networking and interaction. We think the selection was quite deliberate to ensure a good balance and mix across industries and types.
- Exhibitors:
Thank God for the great batch of useful startups exhibiting at the Startup Expo: across industries, and those providing real value or solving some real problems.
- Inspiring stories:
We bumped into this set of super inspiring entrepreneurs which had a mom of a small kid in her lap, ensuring his meal on one side, and showcasing her product on the other, while her partners tried to meet as many prospective eyes as they could. Sharda &Jaiprakash Prasad from Vaidka Enterprises are into creating 3D models for houses, apartments etc. with a complete insight into how the actual home would look and feel like.
What was inspiring was how the woman tried to balance everything so well, and even with a completely demanding child, she did not let her entrepreneurial journey take a back seat. She was there at the event, networking and presenting.
Wish we all could get so much commitment and grit!
- Investors lounge:
Approachable investors, with a mindset to actually facilitate deals, is what we found at the investors’ lounge. It was a must-go-to section given the accessible and resourceful investors, mentors, industry partners, with an excellently well organized event.
And bless Chaayos! We enjoyed the business talks over some great tea and snacks.
ED cannot wait to attend the next version of The Startup Expo: Runway to Success Season 4.
A great event organized in partnership with Lufthansa and TiE, which brings together Startups, investors, corporates, professionals, embassies, students, support organizations, service providers and many others exploring partnering possibilities with a pool of talent across various sectors.
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