The Next Chapter In The Start-Up Growth Story

As the start-up investment ecosystem evolves post-pandemic, angel investors, global players and entrepreneurs-turned-investors want to be part of the next big market

- Ritesh Agarwal

India’s start-up ecosystem is a global success story where the synergies and active collaboration across geographies have contributed significantly. The country’s start-ups have even defied all odds brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many Indian tech start-ups continue to attract a rush of capital, with a record number reaching unicorn status. In the first half of 2021, Indian start-ups are estimated to have received $12 billion in about 382 deals, the highest in the past five years. So, what’s making us shine? In my opinion, it’s a combination of factors like digital push to get customers online, high liquidity in the markets, and a series of IPO announcements from leading start-ups. The recent Zomato IPO is the inflection point that all of us were waiting for. As India remains the go-to-market for investors due to its sheer size, the country’s potential for technology-led business has led to the emergence of valuable tech start-ups.

SUSTAINING BEYOND THE CRISIS

The period between 2010 and 2020 is considered groundbreaking for the Indian start-up ecosystem. Before this, a start-up meant a path filled with uncertainty and risk. Today, start-ups are synonymous with innovation, creativity and problem-solving. The tech start-ups are an important enabler for India to become a $5-trillion economy, aided by technology-fuelled productivity. For founders, every customer onboarded, every new user signed up during the pandemic has taught us that the product and value proposition always comes first, everything else later.