Towards the last quarter of 2021, there seemed to be a downward trend in cases of COVID-19. 2021 saw a boom in startup funding. According to figures compiled by YS, the Indian startup ecosystem witnessed increased funding deals and larger cheque sizes in September 2021 (as compared to the preceding months of the year). In September alone, Indian startups raised a total of $3.01 billion across 161 deals, setting up what looked to be a hopeful end to the year and an optimism that would seep into the next month. One of the significant steps taken towards rebuilding the cracks in industries, ecosystems, and enterprises was reconnecting the bridge between startups and micro-venture capitalists at Ankur Capital’s India Pitch Fest.
Ankur Capital, a VC firm that offers early-stage investments, partners with early-stage startup founders as they bring their dreams to fruition. Handling everything from mentorship and mediation to problem solving and empowerment, Ankur Capital joins these founders in building the greatest innovations of the future, be it in agritech, fintech, health, and education. They offer entrepreneurs the key resources such as capital, mentorship, support, and tools they need to succeed. With a team of seasoned professionals, well versed in navigating the uncertain waters of setting up and scaling startups, as well as an extensive network of leading professionals across India, Ankur Capital aims to help startups scale and soar.
500 applications for India Pitch Fest 2021
The first India Pitch Fest – a phygital networking and pitching event held in October 2021 – brought together early-stage startups and micro VCs together under one roof, creating a much needed platform for startups to unlock their full potential. The event aimed to assist startups by giving them the opportunity to pitch their ideas to some of the most essential micro-VCs who could provide funding to help them hit the ground running.
500 applications were received for the first India Pitch Fest. Of these, 50 applicants were shortlisted for the final round, where they were given an opportunity to pitch their startup idea to micro-VCs. The pitches were held in Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Mumbai, with physical events taking place on October 28, 2021 and virtually on October 29, 2021.
From the 50 different pitches, the applicants were pared down to 12. These startups are now in advanced talks with VCs to raise funds.
What’s in store?
In the final quarter of 2021, the India Pitch Fest sought to bring founders and investors together to create meaningful interactions and, more importantly, accelerate the growth of the startup ecosystem. However, with rising cases in December and January, the third wave could possibly disrupt the conversations and movements for all the stakeholders in the ecosystem.
Keeping this in mind, Ankur Capital is conducting the second India Pitch Fest to eliminate any disruption in the investor-startup connection. The second edition of the Fest is currently accepting applications. The last day to submit applications is January 26, 2022 This year, Theia Ventures, PointOne Capital, Eximius Venture Capital, and Enzia Ventures will partner with Ankur Capital to facilitate this event. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the event’s technology partner and Headstart is the ecosystem partner.
Finalists will be shortlisted from the entries, and will get to pitch their startups to micro-VCs. Physical pitches will happen in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru on February, 2, 2022. The pan-India virtual event will take place on February 3, 2022. AWS will provide credits to the final startups chosen after the pitch. If your startup is chosen at the end of the event, you will have an opportunity to initiate conversations around funding with the micro-VC partners.
Shreyansh Singhal, AVP- Investments at Ankur Capital shared his excitement in launching the second edition of the India Pitch Fest. He stated “ At Ankur, we value the opportunity to connect with the entrepreneurs from the diverse startup ecosystem. During the event last year we got a chance to enable interactions with several early-stage companies. Furthermore, we continue to collaborate with the community by mentoring startups with our partner networks. As COVID-19 continues to affect us, we are continuously trying to improve on how we serve the startup community. This time around too, for the India Pitch Fest, we are planning a phygital event where we plan to utilise the best of both online and offline worlds to provide access to various resources including capital,”
If you are a startup that’s looking to scale and grow, this is the platform for you. Don’t miss out on a chance to pitch your ideas to a group of micro-VCs and fast-track your startups journey.
You can apply for the second edition of the India Pitch Fest here: Bit.ly/IPF2022. The last date to apply is 26th January 2022.
