Inside WOI India’s Kashmir Retreat: Founders, MoU and ₹2 Crore Commitment

WOI India hosted the inaugural India Leaders' Retreat, Kashmir Edition, from September 18 to 20, 2026, at The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa in Gulmarg. The retreat was supported by the Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, and brought together some of India's leading founders, investors, business leaders and ecosystem builders for conversations on entrepreneurship, institution-building and India's next phase of growth.

The invitation-only gathering brought together 40+ founders and investors, including 30 confirmed unicorn and soonicorn builders. The participating companies represented a combined valuation of over $50 billion, based on a verified floor estimate.

Designed as a closed-door, off-the-record gathering with no press, the retreat moved beyond conventional conferences and panel discussions to create space for candid conversations, peer learning, new relationships and deeper engagement with India's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Two significant outcomes marked the retreat: a Memorandum of Understanding between WOI India and JKEDI to strengthen Jammu & Kashmir's startup ecosystem, and WOI India's ₹2 crore commitment towards Shurukar, an initiative launched by Shradha Sharma in collaboration with DPIIT.

WOI India and JKEDI Sign MoU to Strengthen Jammu & Kashmir's Startup Ecosystem

A key outcome of the retreat was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between WOI India and JKEDI, establishing a foundation for continued collaboration to support entrepreneurship and strengthen the startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to creating more opportunities for local founders through access to entrepreneurial networks, mentorship, market connections and ecosystem-building initiatives.

The retreat also featured a dedicated interaction between national startup leaders and approximately 40 founders from Jammu & Kashmir. The founders presented their ventures, shared their ambitions and engaged directly with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem leaders. The interaction created an opportunity for J&K founders to showcase their work, receive feedback, explore potential collaborations and build relationships that can extend well beyond the retreat.

Vikramjeet Singh, Administrative Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, joined the retreat and engaged with participating leaders on the region's entrepreneurial landscape. Shri Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Industries & Commerce Department, J&K, also joined the retreat and engaged with participating leaders on the region's entrepreneurial and industrial landscape.

He said, "Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing a growing industrial and startup ecosystem, with new opportunities emerging across sectors. As the investment and entrepreneurial landscape continues to evolve, I encourage the founders and investors participating in this retreat to be part of this journey, explore the opportunities that Jammu & Kashmir offers, and contribute to the next phase of growth in the region."

Mohammad Younis Malik (JKAS), Director, JKEDI, and Irtif Lone, J&K Startup Policy & CIIBM, JKEDI4U, also participated in the engagements.

WOI India Announces ₹2 Crore Commitment to Shurukar

A major announcement during the retreat was WOI India’s commitment of ₹2 crore to Shurukar, an initiative launched by Shradha Sharma, Founder & CEO of YourStory and The Bharat Project, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

With an ambition to enable the creation of 1 lakh additional startups in India, Shurukar seeks to expand access to entrepreneurship and support the next generation of founders.

WOI India's contribution reflects its commitment to initiatives that broaden India's entrepreneurial base, strengthen founder communities and create meaningful pathways for more people to build businesses. The commitment forms part of WOI India's larger vision of building a national institution for India's founders, one that connects capital, capabilities, networks and opportunities to help Indian entrepreneurship create lasting value.

Bringing India's Startup Leadership Together

The retreat brought together a distinguished group of founders, investors, business leaders and ecosystem builders representing companies and institutions across technology, consumer businesses, financial services, education, mobility, hospitality and other sectors.

The participating leaders included:

• Saurabh Gupta – Founder & CEO, VeriSmart AI
• Shradha Sharma – Founder & CEO, YourStory & The Bharat Project
• Nitin Jain – Co-Founder, OfBusiness
• Ashneer Grover – Co-Founder, BharatPe
• Madhuri Grover – Co-Founder, 3rd Unicorn
• Akash Gupta – Co-Founder, Zypp Electric
• Himeesh Madaan – Author & Mindset Coach
• Gunjan Taneja – Founder, IMWOW
• Avinash Kaul – Former CEO, Network18
• Sanjay Choudhary – Co-Founder, Incuspaze
• Vaibhav Khandelwal – Co-Founder, Shadowfax
• Vikas Bagaria – Co-Founder, PeeSafe
• Vishal Lal – Co-Founder, UltraCash
• Swati Vasudevan – Managing Director, Khan Academy India
• Arun Goswami – Founder, MyBev
• Anand Jain – Founder, CleverTap
• Ankit Mehrotra – Founder, Dineout (acquired by Swiggy) and TMTC
• Meetul Patel – Former President, Wadhwani Foundation; Former COO, Microsoft India; Managing Director, Tenalok Ventures
• Tej Kapoor – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Bay Capital
• Prasanna Subramaniam – Founding Member & CTO, FLY91
• Ramanathan RV – Co-Founder, Juspay
• Harish Davanam – Director, Davanam Hotels
• Rajesh Sawhney – Founder, GSF
• Sandesh Goel – Managing Director, Eightfold AI
• Ambika Bhaik – Chief Executive Officer, Yellow Fertility & IVF
• Samdarsh Gupta – CIO, DLF Family Office
• Abrar Zahoor – Actor & Founder
• Palash Arneja – Founder, BlaBliBlu

The diversity of experience in the room enabled conversations across the entrepreneurial journey, from starting up and scaling businesses to investing, building institutions and shaping India's broader startup ecosystem.

Conversations on Life, Leadership and Entrepreneurship

The retreat also featured a special interaction with celebrated storyteller and comedian Zakir Khan, who joined the gathering for an engaging conversation on life, leadership and personal experiences.

The programme brought together founder interactions, conversations with ecosystem leaders, cultural experiences and informal gatherings, creating an environment where relationships could develop beyond boardrooms and formal business settings. The emphasis remained on meaningful exchanges rather than formal presentations, allowing participants to share experiences, learn from one another and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Building the Institution Before the Brand

Speaking on the occasion, Amar Dixit, CEO, WOI India, said:

"India has no shortage of entrepreneurial ambition. What we need to build, at scale, are the institutions, relationships and support systems that help that ambition translate into enduring businesses and meaningful impact. Our first India Leaders' Retreat was an effort to bring together people who are building, funding and shaping India's future, while also creating a meaningful bridge between India's startup leadership and the founders of Jammu & Kashmir. The MoU with JKEDI and our commitment to Shurukar are early steps in a much larger journey. We are grateful to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, JKEDI and every leader who joined us in Gulmarg. This is just the beginning of what we hope will become a growing, enduring community committed to building a better entrepreneurial ecosystem for India."

Shafi Shoukath, Chairman, WOI Global, said:

"At WOI, we believe that building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem requires long-term commitment, meaningful partnerships and institutions that put founders first. India Leaders' Retreat represents this belief in action. Our commitment is to contribute to the ecosystem in ways that extend well beyond a single event, creating opportunities, enabling connections and helping founders build businesses that generate lasting value for India. We see this retreat as the beginning of a larger journey of collaboration, institution-building and empowering India's founders."

A Growing Community for India's Founders

The India Leaders' Retreat, Kashmir Edition, marks an early milestone in WOI India's journey towards building a national institution for India's founders. Through continued collaborations with state governments, ecosystem institutions, investors and entrepreneurs, WOI India aims to build a community that enables founders to learn from one another, access opportunities and contribute to India's long-term growth.

The retreat concluded with a shared intent to keep the community connected and make the gathering an ongoing platform for meaningful relationships, collaboration and institution-building. For WOI India, the ambition extends beyond a single retreat: to create a growing global movement that empowers India's founders and ensures that the value India creates through entrepreneurship, innovation and technology continues to generate opportunities and impact within the country.

About WOI India

WOI India is building a national institution for India's founders, with a mission to keep in India the value India creates. Part of WOI Global, WOI India works to connect founders with capital, capabilities, networks and execution support to help build enduring businesses. With a global outlook and a commitment to strengthening India's entrepreneurial foundations, WOI India seeks to empower founders, enable meaningful collaboration and contribute to a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem for India.