• 3-Day Mega Startup Summit 21By72 in Surat Sees Allocation of $500k to 25 Startups
Surat : IVY Growth Associates, a startup accelerator and investor based in Surat, Gujarat, hosted a 3-day startup summit, “21By72,” in collaboration with a database management company from Mumbai, Sapio Analytics. The summit planned multiple activities that gave plenty of opportunities to startups and investors to interact and network with each other.
It included everything from startup pitches to exhibitions, panel discussions, and networking dinners. IVY Growth showcased 100+ startup exhibitions in 21By72, the name based on the latitude and longitude of Surat. The focus was to develop a dynamic startup ecosystem in the city and bridge the gap between startups and investors. At the end of the event, IVY Growth helped 25 startups raise upto USD 500k (INR 30 million).
The startup summit held its opening ceremony on 17th June and rounded up on 19th June with a networking dinner, live performance by Kalpvruksh, and felicitation ceremony in the Avadh Utopia venue. Over 5,000 people attended it, including startup founders, venture capitalists, and quality attendees. The event also witnessed the presence of national and international investors, including Khaleefa Alqubaisi and Hilmi Ghosheh.
While talking about the event, Rachit Poddar, Founding Partner of IVY Growth, said, “We are working with a vision to impact the global startup ecosystem. So far, we have invested and mentored over 40 startups and organized events in various domestic and international cities like Delhi, Guwahati, Dubai, and London. The goal is to build awareness about startups as an asset class for the Indian economy. 21By72 is our first-ever summit in Surat, organized to give the city recognition not only as a diamond hub but also for its thriving startup ecosystem.”
Shri Harsh Sanghavi, the honorable Home Minister of Gujarat State, inaugurated the summit, followed by addresses from IVY Growth Associates, Sapio Analytics, and Decode Age, a Bangalore-based biotech research firm. Superseed VC, Sheetal Soni, Partner at MI Capital, also delivered speeches to their attendees. Day one of the event also saw Fireside Chat with Sanjay Bhargava and Anita Bhargava, along with standup comedy by Anmol Garg.
Mahavir Pratap Sharma, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, Pragul Billore of MBA Chaiwala were the keynote speakers on the second day of the event. Panel discussions included TiE Surat, startup founders like Shivi Singh, Anuj Parekh, Deepanshu Manchanda, Sumeet Kabra, and Arjun Vaidya.
The event’s final day also saw exceptional keynote speeches from startup mentor Sarthak Ahuja and Dr. D R Parmar, the Industries Commissionerate of the Government of Gujarat. Panel discussions with SaaS founders, venture capitalists, and angel investors like Saloni Jain, Abhishek Kirti, and Venkata Raman.
The startup summit was in-line with IVY Growth’s bigger vision of nurturing and accelerating 500 Indian and global startups by 2030. The organization also collaborated with Atal Community Innovation Centers and Incubation Centers to scout and prepare 50 startups market-ready every year.
“The event’s success indicates that Surat, India’s ninth-largest city with an established image as a renowned business hub, is now on a path to become India’s next startup hub,” said Sharad Todi, Co-founder, and Director of IVY Growth.
