Surat. The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a power session on the theme ‘Nurturing Startups: Building Resilience and Expanding New Horizons’ at Samhati, Sarsana. The event featured guidance and insights from former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane (Retd) and India Accelerator founder and CEO and Finvolve VC co-founder Ashish Bhatia, aimed at inspiring entrepreneurs and startup professionals.
As per report, Chamber Minister Bijal Jariwala, in his welcome address, highlighted the importance of discipline and hard work for achieving success. Honorary Treasurer Mitesh Modi pointed out that while India’s startup and unicorn ecosystem is growing rapidly, around 90 percent of startups still fail. Addressing the gathering on the topic ‘The Cost of War: Strategic and Financial Lessons for India’s Startup Ecosystem,’ General Naravane emphasized that war should always be the last resort. He underscored the critical need for self-reliance in the defence sector and encouraged startups to develop cost-effective solutions in areas such as drone and anti-drone technologies.
Ashish Bhatia spoke on the topic ‘The Role of India Accelerator in Making Surat the Next Silicon Valley,’ noting that Surat currently ranks 15th in the country’s startup ecosystem but possesses all the essential ingredients to rise further. He remarked that Surat, a city known for polishing diamonds, is now ready to polish startups as well.
The session was moderated by convener Dharmesh Mehta. Chamber member Samkit Shah and Advocate Anil Shah, co-chairman of the Income Tax Committee, introduced the speakers. A question-and-answer session followed, addressing queries from young entrepreneurs. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Deputy Secretary Pollik Desai.
