16 things to do at TechSparks 2016

It is that time of the year when all roads lead to YourStory’s annual flagship event, TechSparks.

Scheduled for September 30 and October 1 at Taj Vivanta, Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru, the seventh edition of the most-awaited technology and innovation event, TechSparks will focus on disruptive technologies, sustainable scale, and startup fundamentals.

The past six years, TechSparks has provided a unique platform for startups to ignite their spark. Of the 180 startups showcased in the past years, 97 have raised growth capital after they featured on the Tech30 list. In fact, more than $630 million of growth capital has been injected in these startups after they were part of TechSparks' Tech30 list.

In its seventh year, TechSparks travelled across the country to connect, document, and engage with a diverse set of entrepreneurs and startups. TechSparks made pit stops at the following cities - Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad. The grand finale at Bengaluru is a culmination of the interaction with entrepreneurs across cities and will show case the best and the most promising in the field.

And if you still haven’t booked your tickets, here are 16 reasons why you should attend the TechSparks2016 grand finale.

1) Networking –With more than 3000 attendees over two days at TechSparks this year come and share your story and experience. Meet other startups, entrepreneurs and inspire aspiring entrepreneurs. Make sure you don’t run out of business cards and make your time with others fun and interactive too. Don’t just talk but listen too.

2) Learn from the best – Some of the top names in the industry will be at TechSparks such as Kishore Biyani, the Founder and CEO of Future Group, Dr. Mukund Rajan, Brand Custodian and Member, Group Executive Council, TATA Sons Ltd, Shailendra Singh, Managing Director of Sequoia Capital, Morten Primadhal, Co-founder and CTO, Zendesk, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder, PayTM, Ashish Hemrajani, Co-founder and CEO BookMyShow, and Bhavin Turakhia, Founder & CEO Directi.

The long list of speakers includes international speakers as well. Given this bevy of experts there will be a lot to listen and absorb. If you are an entrepreneur then make sure you pay close attention to the speakers and their inputs on the industry.

3)Direct access to investors – With more than 20 investors on stage (and many more in the crowd) at TechSparks this year, you will not find a better opportunity to interact one to one with them. Don’t be shy but do remember to put your best foot forward with your investors pitch. Here are some tips for the same.

4) Government’s support to startups – Meet the representatives of the government and find out how they plan to support startups and nurture the India startup ecosystem. Listen to what Smt. Ratna Prabha, Additional Chief Secy to the Govt, C&I Dept, Govt. of Karnataka, Shri Priyank Kharge, Minister IT & BT, Tourism, Government of Karnataka and Shri G.S. Naveen Kumar (IAS) Special Secy to the honorable CM & Dept of IT&E, Govt of Uttar Pradesh.

5) Workshops – This year there are 9 workshops at TechSparks. Each workshop has been crafted to address different topics that provide learning, insights and tips to grow and do better.

6) Access to industry enablers–TechSparks 2016 will be a host to industry enablers. Meet not just investors, entrepreneurs, leaders but also industry enablers and solution providers like Axis Bank, Akamai, AWS, Microsoft, and Digital Ocean.

7) Feedback - For small and emerging startups and individuals it is a prime opportunity to garner feedback. The more people you meet at TechSparks and the more questions you get asked about your product, venture or idea is going to help you grasp your market and customer better and improve your product.

8) Tech 30 –From over 2600 applications submitted this year, the Tech 30 startups of India are the best. Find out what makes them different and how they represent the best and most promising in the country. See what the Tech 30 companies have in store and what makes them stand out as they pitch to our esteemed panel of judges and the winners walk away with a prize amount up to 10 lakhs.

9) Industry report –At TechSparks, YourStory releases it’s ‘The Tech 30 report’, with insights into key sectors such as AI, deep tech, virtual reality, SaaS, big data, IoT, logistics, healthcare and fintech.

10) Partnership – For established markets and big players in the industry, it is the perfect opportunity to map the market and discover the emerging startups and new players. Find not just partners, collaborators but also solution providers under one roof.

11) Job opportunities – For employers and those seeking new opportunities and especially with startups, TechSparks is the perfect place to meet prospective employers and employees. Meet, engage and talk to startups and startup employees at TechSparks. Use this opportunity to network as the stage is ours but the effort has to be yours.

12) Launch and Demo – Don’t miss out on the product launches we have in store for you as much loved startups use the TechSparks platform to showcase their new products. Watch out for our product launches by Blink and Tork.

 13) Exhibitors –With over 70 exhibitors this year at TechSparks, there is more to explore, learn and discover the offerings of solution providers from across India.

14) Get inspired– Aspiring entrepreneurs could not have asked for more. If you have been hesitating about starting up, this is your opportunity to find out why you should startup, what to expect as an entrepreneur and learn from other seasoned entrepreneurs what it takes to build and sustain a business. You could be applying for Tech 30 next year, who knows!

15) Win prizes – This is your chance to take to social media and talk about TechSparks, what you like and don’t like. Connect with people online using just a simple #tsparks.

The person with the best and most tweets will win exciting prizes. The prizes are a surprise but you won’t be disappointed. So keep your phone charged and carry a battery back up too. You don’t want to miss out on your opportunity to win the prize.

16) Meet the YourStory team –Put a name to the face. Meet the YourStory team and share your story with the editorial team. Reach out to the edit team at [email protected]

If you are from Bengaluru then TechSparks 2016 is a good excuse to travel to the other side of the city.

So what are you waiting for? See you at TechSparks, if you still haven’t bought tickets then buy them here.

We look forward to seeing you at TechSparks 2016.

A big shoutout to all our sponsors - Zendesk, Axis Bank, Sequoia Capital India Advisors , Digital Ocean, Microsoft, AWS, Akamai, Target, Verisign, Kerala Startup Mission, Brand Launch Centre, Tork and Blink.