Private club startups bet on exclusivity

As India's professionals seek more curated spaces to build valuable networks, exclusive private clubs are emerging as coveted hubs of connection and influence—and startups are taking notice.

- Sowmya Ramasubramanian

As India's professionals seek more curated spaces to build valuable networks, exclusive private clubs are emerging as coveted hubs of connection and influence—and startups are taking notice. From curated member lists to secret addresses and by-invitation-only access, a new generation of private social clubs is redefining what exclusivity means, opening up a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs eager to build the country's startup-focused Soho Houses and Core Clubs.

Offline, a Delhi-based venture that calls itself a private community for the top 10% of tech founders and C-suite executives, has 100 paying members as of June in less than two years of inception, its founder and chief executive officer, Utsav Somani, told Mint. A membership in Offline costs nearly ₹6 lakh a year.