TechSparks Mumbai ends with a bang
With the who’s who of the startup ecosystem coming together to engage in important conversations, TechSparks Mumbai comes to an end. Here are some of the important highlights from day 2.
And it's a wrap!
After an action-packed day 1, we saw an even more exciting day 2 of TechSparks filled with insightful sessions from the industry titans and visionaries of the startup world.
The day kicked off with an energetic pitch fest, providing budding entrepreneurs with a stage to showcase their innovative startups to prospective investors.
Dilip Asbe, CEO of NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), set the tone for the day’s fintech discussions.
He shed light on the need for large amounts of investment in UPI to make it more inclusive in India. He believes it has the potential to grow 10X in the coming five years.
"India is a 1.4-billion population country. Then there are 30 million people travelling abroad every year. Fintechs will need to think about how to service this market. There's solid scope to build," he stated.
Taking the fintech conversation ahead, Sabyasachi Gowsawmi, CEO, of , shared his thoughts on the regulations in the industry, market trends, and more.
“As a company, our focus is on building innovative, disruptive products and growing our business. We look at areas where problems remain unsolved and we can build something. We are not running for an IPO. It is a natural byproduct of the things I mentioned,” he said answering a question about the company’s IPO.
Further, Vivek Gupta (CTO, ), Tanya Naik (Head-Online and Omnichannel Business, ), and Sabyasachi Senapati (Whole Time Director, Trillion Loans–a Group company) delved into the transformative power of AI in driving financial inclusion in India.
The speakers highlighted the role of AI in streamlining product development, credit decisions, and underwriting, and providing valuable insights into the fintech landscape.
Steering away from fintech, the discussions also covered gaming and fitness.
Further Puneet Kumar, MD, Steadview Capital, Shashank Randev, Co-founder & Founder VC, 100X.VC and Abhishek Bhagat, MD, Digital & Technology Investment Banking, JM Financial Ltd shared their insights into raising capital in turbulent times.
The day also witnessed an interesting discussion between Swapna Gupta, Partner, Avaana Capital and Rehan Yar Khan, Managing Partner, Orios Venture Partners on cleantech driving India's green energy mission.
Next, Sahil Gupta, Co-founder of talked about the current sex tech landscape in India, his journey and the social taboos.
“We approached the market in general by thinking about sexual wellness as a part of overall wellness—be it physical, emotional, mental or even spiritual well-being. Once people started accepting that, some of the societal taboos go away,” he added.
Content creators taking centre stage
When talking about content how can one forget about Ankur Warikoo?
The content creator shared some mantras on how to manage their money better and work their way through financial stability.
“Start a mutual fund SIP. Commit to it for a 10-year period. Your kids will thank you, as you’d have taught them the discipline of investing and how that money can change lives. It gives you the freedom to fail,” he said as he encouraged everyone to invest in mutual funds.
The day also saw content creator and finance influencer Sharan Hegde who shared his insights on achieving financial independence.
In yet another engaging chat, Divya Prakash Dubey—author of seven bestselling books and dialogue writer for Mani Ratnam’s period drama PS-I and PS–I—revealed the secrets of storytelling.
Into the future
Post lunch, Ankur Bansal, Co-founder & Director, Blacksoil Capital, Ankit Agarwal, Managing Partner, Alteria Capital, and Pranav Parikh, Managing Partner, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Nuvama Asset Management pondered over unlocking the option of venture debt for Indian startups.
The speakers discussed the different use cases of venture debt and its potential to support founders in minimising equity dilution during the early stages of their ventures.
Though fintech was the theme for the day, edtech was not left far behind. Ashwin Damera (Co-founder and Executive Director, ), and Mayank Kumar (Co-founder and MD, ) shared their insights into building the Indian education market for 2030.
While Kumar emphasised the importance of a serious approach in the education sector, Damera expressed that Indian universities will also be among the universities that are at the forefront across the world.
There’s no better way to end the day than a fireside chat with Anupam Mittal, Shark Tank India judge, and Founder and CEO of People Group (Shaadi.com).
Taking us through all the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey, he shared that timing is a crucial aspect of building an enterprise.
"I don't think there is any particular formula that has made me succeed in my investment journey. I've been early to the game and opportunistic in some of the bets. Investing is broadly about three things – team, timing and TAM (Total Addressable Market)," he said talking about his investment journey.
This draws the curtains for the Mumbai edition of TechSparks 2024. However, YourStory hopes that the spark of entrepreneurship and passion among people never dies.
For more information on TechSparks 2024, Mumbai edition, click here.
Lastly, check out our amazing gifting partners: QUBO, Talentplace Ai, IRIS, True Elements, Pepitos Snacks, Snaqary, Natch Snacks, Sleepy Owl, Fearless Tea and Getknotty.
And a special shoutout to our sustainability partner, Beco.
Edited by Affirunisa Kankudti