Recently Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development, said that the Next wave of startups is to come from tier 2 and 3 cities.
Indeed the young and passionate founders are emerging from Bharat to solve the unexplored problems of India and the world.
As per research by YourStory, in 2021's first half, Tier II startups raised around $80 million across 39 deals.
This growth also gives confidence to foreign investors to invest in the products built by these tier 2/3 founders. The work-from-home culture and COVID-19 also accelerated the process as people started exploring new possibilities from their home towns other than regular work.
One significant motivating factor for all these founders is the growth of building for Bharat initiatives, competitions (like Pitch-A-Thon), collaborative discussion and networking events in these cities.
These initiatives help founders network and explore a wide range of industries, perspectives and ideas.
One Such initiative — Bharat Pitchathon
The entrepreneurial world of Patna recently witnessed one such initiative Bharat Pitchathon, organised by Headstart Network Foundation. The city saw an awe-inspiring melange of path-breaking startups at Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP), Patna, on 10th September 2022.
The event was a part of the Startup September campaign organised in 20+ Indian cities; the Patna Chapter of Headstart Network Foundation organised this event with city partners like CIMP and its incubation centre, CIMP-BIFF.
The event's incubation partners were Atal Incubation Centre (AIC), Bihar Vidyapith and Venture Park, Bihar Industries Association (BIA), whereas OpenGrowth, Copper Media, and Iconix acted as its regional ecosystem partners.
CIMP's Director Prof. (Dr.) Rana Singh addressed the inaugural session commending the exponential growth of the Pitchathon in India. Furthermore, the attendees learned about Bihar Startup Ecosystem through other dignities who asserted the need for awareness about startups in Bihar.
OpenGrowth — Ecosystem Partner
OpenGrowth being an ecosystem partner, uplifted the event with strategised sourcing of the right talent and coverage for the event.
The news coverage helped founders share more about their work among the audience. The founders also got to network with other startup founders.
From over 40+ startup pitches at the state levels, only 10 startups were shortlisted. The event saw a vast spectrum of domains — fashion, agritech, transportation (electric bike rentals), etc.
Following meticulous consideration, Vaimanika Aerospace, Milkvilla, and Eleric Automotive Pvt. Ltd were announced as the Top 3 Startups in Bihar.
In a city like Patna that is juggling to create a balance between emerging entrepreneurial talent and conventional industries, OpenGrowth intends to help individuals attain their business goals with tailor-made mentorship and multi-faceted upskilling.
Offering a one-of-its-kind solution for nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset amongst individuals worldwide, OpenGrowth is a trailblazer in setting up a harmonious ecosystem of mentorship for entrepreneurs.
Director of Business Operations, OpenGrowth, Ms Priya Nath, helmed the mammoth task of offering assistance to the Bharat Pitchathon 2022, Patna Chapter.
OpenGrowth also assisted Headstart in shortlisting some high-potential growth stage startups after thoroughly inspecting the pitched startups at the event. The idea was to handpick the best talent and nurture it for exponential growth!
As a platform intended to accelerate startups, OpenGrowth welcomes startups to leverage the top-notch benefits we offer to grow the startup ecosystem in India.
In Bharat Pitchathon's Patna Chapter 2022, the startups reaped a plethora of benefits offered by OpenGrowth:
1. Access to State-of-the-art Resources:
The startups at the event got access to Opengrowth's oasis of entrepreneurial services, skillfully curated resources, and a bunch of advanced collaboration tools.
2. Top-Notch Mentoring:
OpenGrowth helped startup ventures synchronise their ideas with decisive actions. Thanks to the upskilling courses and holistic coaching offered by Opengrowth's team of seasoned entrepreneurs and mentors, which helped entrepreneurs in implementing strategic solutions in their business.
3. Expansion of Startup Ventures:
Moreover, the rising entrepreneurs of Bihar were assisted in developing a growth mindset for manoeuvring a flourishing enterprise. OpenGrowth successfully worked to empower the business outlook of entrepreneurs by exclusively working with those who are not only passionate about technology but also keen to come up with user-friendly products.
4. Easy Market Access:
The emerging startups of Patna were able to access corporate connections at an unprecedented scale. Opengrowth strengthened the connections among the event attendees by supporting entrepreneurs at every phase of their journey.
Headstart Network Foundation is having an entrepreneurship conclave in Bangalore on 15th October, 2022. OpenGrowth is an ecosystem partner for the event.
In a day-long event, Headstart will offer interactive and engaging sessions, discussions, and the best speakers of India’s startup ecosystem to provide you with valuable insights.
HSX2022 is an invite-only event with limited seats, apply for an invite here and get your ticket now: https://lnkd.in/dnWdf5rX
