India's Unicorn Founders Forge Startup Club of India

The groundbreaking achievements of startups have rendered them indispensable contributors to the formal economy. Their significance is underscored to the extent that unicorn founders are now strategizing the establishment of the Startup Club of India.

Acknowledging the pivotal role these ventures play in India's growth narrative, the unicorn startup founders have planned to form the Startup Club of India. This initiative aims to unite forces, address common issues with the government, and propel the nation's startup ecosystem to new heights.

Unicorns Meet The Policy Makers

As many as 54 out of 111 unicorn founders convened in the national capital for the National Startup Awards. On Wednesday, these unicorn founders had a meeting with Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss the challenges faced by startups.

The founders of eminent startups like EaseMyTrip, Droom, Paytm, Zomato, BoAt, Flipkart, Phonepe, Swiggy, OYO, and Zerodha, engaged in the meeting. The discussions, spanning over four hours, focused on the growth trajectory of India's startup ecosystem and the role of domestic capital in nurturing and scaling startups.

Delighted to interact with the talented & dynamic founders of UNICORN Startups. Their journey is a reflection of Bharat’s vibrant startup ecosystem. 💡🇮🇳

📍Vanijya Bhawan pic.twitter.com/sIYOdQQP3U

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) January 17, 2024

Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in a tweet, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Delighted to interact with the talented & dynamic founders of UNICORN Startups. Their journey is a reflection of Bharat’s vibrant startup ecosystem.”

A Collaborative Effort for Startup Ecosystem Enhancement

The dialogue marked a first-of-its-kind meeting, where 54 out of the 111 Unicorns of India explored ways to boost the startup ecosystem. Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, emphasized the significance of celebrating eight years of the StartupIndia initiative, showcasing India's spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Unicorn founders, recognizing the need for collective action, announced plans to establish the Startup Club of India. This platform aims to bring startup issues to the government and other relevant forums for resolution.

Incredible meeting of @startupindia founders with our minister Sh @PiyushGoyal sir! We started early evening and this selfie is taken post 11 pm. At this hour all are enthusiastically discussing making India the most powerful startup nation in world. #inspired and #motivated. pic.twitter.com/ZTFkKQB1Mq

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) January 17, 2024

Vijay Sekhar Sharma, Founder of Paytm, shared, "An idea was floated by the Minister to make a club of unicorns or association of startups, which was a good idea and we will try to make a club of unicorns or association of startups."

Marathon Meeting Yields Insights

 Rikant Pitti, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, in a tweet, expressed deep gratitude for the enriching experience.

#WATCH | Delhi: Rikant Pitti, Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip speaks on the Marathon meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

He says, "All the UNICORN founders were present in the meeting. We got to learn a lot of things during the meeting. Several suggestions also… pic.twitter.com/B8ICVsFYHb

— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2024

Talking to the media, Pitti highlighted the rarity of such gatherings and shared insights into the discussions, stating, "All the UNICORN founders were present in the meeting. We got to learn a lot of things during the meeting."

Discussions ranged from domestic capital versus international capital to strategies for deepening the startup ecosystem.

Pitti added, "We discussed the challenges we are facing. All the founders of Unicorns have made suggestions to the minister."

Unicorns: Catalysts for National Growth

These startup ventures aren't just pioneers in innovation but also significant contributors to employment and the nation's overall growth.

Smita Deorah, co-founder of Lead School, expressed appreciation for the open discussions with Minister Piyush Goyal. In a tweet, she wrote, “Collaborative partnership between Govt and startup ecosystem will pave way for a lot more innovation to come in!”

Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, highlighted the purpose of the meeting, stating, "The purpose of this meeting was to improve the startup ecosystem of the country. Unicorn founders are great mentors. We got suggestions from them. With their mentorship, we want to build the number-one startup ecosystem in the world."

The government's receptiveness to the ideas and inputs of startup founders has generated hope and optimism within the entrepreneurial community. 

As the Startup Club of India takes shape, it pins hope of being a catalyst for positive change, fostering collaboration between the government and the dynamic startup ecosystem, ultimately propelling India to new heights on the global startup stage.

Join Our Thriving Entrepreneurial Community

Follow TICE News on Social Media and create a strong community of Talent, Ideas, Capital, and Entrepreneurship. YouTube  | Linkedin | X (Twittrer) | Facebook | News Letters