Why I spend so many evenings in rooms full of founders
Summits, expos, chambers of commerce and founder meetups. Why I keep showing up, and what I listen for when I do.
Key takeaways
- In 2026 I attended IIMA Ventures Summit, TiECon Ahmedabad, Global Fintech Fest, Investopia, chamber events and many founder evenings.
- I keep showing up because I enjoy meeting people who are building something.
- Offhand comments about payments or software problems often tell me more about the market than any report.
- Many THV partnerships started at events, which is why I also host for Entrepreneurs Arch and eChai Ventures.
Over the last few years I’ve spent a lot of time at startup meetups, business gatherings, conferences and exhibitions. In 2026 alone that has meant IIMA Ventures Summit, TiECon Ahmedabad, Global Fintech Fest, Investopia, chamber events and many smaller founder evenings.
People sometimes ask why. The honest answer is that I enjoy meeting people who are building something.
What I listen for
Hearing what people are working on, where they’re stuck and how they see the market often gives me a perspective I wouldn’t find on my own. A founder’s offhand comment about a payments problem, or a factory owner’s frustration with their software, tells me more about the market than any report.
Rooms become relationships
Many of THV’s partnerships started as a conversation at an event. That’s also why I host: as City Lead & Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, and as a host for eChai Ventures’ Open House. Bringing the right people into one room is one of the most useful things you can do for a city’s business community.
If you’re organising something in Ahmedabad or Gujarat and think I’d be useful in the room, I’d love to hear about it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why should founders attend startup meetups and business events?
Events give you a perspective you wouldn't find on your own: what people are working on, where they're stuck and how they see the market. A founder's offhand comment about a payments problem, or a factory owner's frustration with their software, can tell you more about the market than any report. Many of THV's partnerships started as a conversation at an event.
Which startup events does Sumit Kasardekar host in Ahmedabad?
I host as City Lead & Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, and as a host for eChai Ventures' Open House. I host because bringing the right people into one room is one of the most useful things you can do for a city's business community. If you're organising something in Ahmedabad or Gujarat and think I'd be useful in the room, I'd love to hear about it.
Which business events did Sumit Kasardekar attend in 2026?
In 2026 I attended IIMA Ventures Summit, TiECon Ahmedabad, Global Fintech Fest and Investopia, along with chamber events and many smaller founder evenings. Over the last few years I've spent a lot of time at startup meetups, business gatherings, conferences and exhibitions, mainly because I enjoy meeting people who are building something.