Build for India, build for the world – 20 quotes on the India startup opportunity from TechSparks 2021

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our recent articles. Share these gems and insights from the TechSparks 2021 speakers with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights.

In this special collection of quotes from YourStory’s TechSparks 2021 coverage, we present insights on ecosystem maturity, local markets, and global opportunities by successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. See our earlier quotes compilations from conference editions in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

Check out our profiles of the Tech50 startups of 2021, and Tech30 startups over the years: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011.

This has been the year for India, for entrepreneurs, VCs, consumers, and enterprises. - Varsha Tagare, Qualcomm Ventures

Today, startups are mainstream. People are enamoured by the charm of startups and how they are solving interesting, real-world problems. - Saurabh S, Praman.Ai

With nearly 70 unicorns today in India, of which almost 90 percent have become unicorns after 2015, we really believe that our startup story is still in its infancy. - Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry

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Where we are is a leapfrog moment for India’s startup ecosystem and that acknowledgement is seeping into the practices of VCs as well. — Farid Ahsan, ShareChat

We need support not just from NASDAQ, but also the Indian stock market. - Prayank Swaroop, Accel Partners

The next 12-18 months will see several IPOs. Public listing is also a very important asset class, which is getting created. - Jishnu Bhattacharjee, Nexus Venture Partners

As India has matured as a startup ecosystem, there has been a cross-pollination of talent – founders have turned mentors, there are many clubs and communities to help first-time founders bounce-off ideas. - Farid Ahsan, ShareChat

Somewhere in the Indian DNA, we are all entrepreneurs. Women in Tier II and III cities have been able to do wonderfully well despite the limited resources they have access to, and they are very ambitious. - Madhurima Agarwal, NetApp

We can actually build world-class products for ourselves, keeping in mind the needs of Indians. - Phaneesh Gururaj, Koo

One major difference that we see today is that earlier solutions were being built for India, but today solutions are being built from India for the world. - Rahul Sharma, Zetwerk Manufacturing

We are seeing a larger trend of Indian startups building in India and selling products globally or to the US. There is a massive opportunity from that perspective. Startups are hiring globally, too. - Brendan Rogers, 2am VC

Getting access to the US VC hubs is the biggest advantage in getting the startup registered in the US. - Greg Miaskiewicz, Capbase

When Sweden and India come together with advisors, startups, talents, investors etc, the magic really happens, and I look forward to more of this magic. - Cecilia Oldne, Sweden-India Business Council

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The diversity of talent in the country and support for startups also becomes a strategic point of choosing the Netherlands for leading initiatives. - Kunal Prasad, CropIn

Startups are key for our society, for our economies. They bring innovation and positive changes to our economies. This is why it is so important that the Netherlands and India work together on startups. - Marten van den Berg, Ambassador to India

The ability to structure businesses to protect the founders’ interests is strong in the Netherlands. - Narayan Prasad, Satsearch

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More people who are trying to build careers here in India would like to join startups or private players doing spacetech. - Srinath Ravichandran, Agnikul

Our private spacetech industry is five to 10 years behind some countries in certain areas. - Awais Ahmed, Pixxel

There are hardware tech companies like Intel or Nvidia who are building something very innovative in India. There are also startups that are now part of global organisations -- like Flipkart is now part of Walmart. - Abhay Tandon, Lowe's India

The Indian startup ecosystem is very healthy. However, we should also look at how we are contributing to the larger economy. - Ashwin Damera, Eruditus

YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).