Mumbai’s entrepreneurial fabric is woven through the confluence of finance, technology, and cultural dynamism, making it a hotbed for innovation. This event is designed not merely as a gathering but as a curated platform to foster meaningful conversations about regional growth, challenges, and opportunities. As the country’s dynamics shift towards decentralised innovation hubs, understanding Mumbai’s unique ecosystem becomes vital for investors, founders, and policy enablers alike.
This Sundowner aims to spotlight this unique fusion and the startups boldly navigating its currents through regionally focused, candid conversations and knowledge exchange. As India’s startup ecosystem becomes increasingly diverse and polycentric, the Sundowner is positioned as an initiative for founders, investors, and ecosystem enablers to delve into the city’s unique challenges, opportunities, and growth avenues.
The opening notes
The Sundowner will kick off with registrations, gathering a diverse mix of entrepreneurs, investors, policy leaders, and ecosystem architects. Deepak Ajwani, Editor at EconomicTimes.com, will inaugurate the event, setting the stage with insights on how regional nuances shape Mumbai’s startup narrative and why this localised focus is critical to appreciating India’s multifaceted innovation landscape.
Following this introduction, a keynote address from a Maharashtra State Innovation Society spokesperson will highlight the government’s proactive steps to craft an enabling environment for startups—from infrastructural support to innovation-friendly policies—underscoring Maharashtra’s pivotal role in fostering India’s innovation economy.
A major highlight will be the launch of the Economic Times Top Soonicorns and Minicorns of Maharashtra 2025 report, in collaboration with Research Partner Tracxn, which will be jointly unveiled by Deepak Ajwani, Editor, EconomicTimes.com, and a representative from 360 ONE.
This comprehensive analysis offers an in-depth look at Maharashtra’s emerging startups, spotlighting them as beacons of innovation and scale. Investors, policymakers, and founders alike will gain valuable intelligence on emerging sectors, market trends, and investment hotspots.
From founders’ stories to investors’ hot takes
The event will then feature two compelling TED-style talks featuring leading founders. Kunal Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of EMotorad, will reflect on his journey in sustainable electric mobility, sharing insights into how technology intersects with environmental goals to revolutionise transportation. Eklavya Gupta, Founder of Recur Club, will share the story behind his software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription platform’s rapid growth, delving into challenges and strategies relevant to business-to-business (B2B) tech entrepreneurs.
Following the founder spotlights, a marquee panel discussion entitled ‘Changing Metrics While Raising a Round of Capital’ will engage some of the most seasoned investors in India’s startup ecosystem. Rajat Mangala of General Atlantic, Chetan Naik of 360One, and Abhishek Jain of Eight Roads will delve into the shifting landscape of startup funding: how valuation metrics, investors’ expectations, and capital allocation tactics are evolving, and what founders need to know to successfully navigate this new terrain.
In a departure from structured sessions, two open mic rounds will invite attendees to share their own experiences and narratives. This interactive segment is aimed at fostering candid dialogue and peer learning, offering a platform to voice challenges, celebrate milestones, and spark spontaneous collaboration.
As the formal programme concludes, the evening will transition into an informal networking session. This relaxed setting will facilitate deeper conversations, connection-building, and deal-making, all essential ingredients for propelling Maharashtra’s startup ecosystem. It is here that formal insights transition into practical opportunities, as relationships and ideas flow freely.
The Mumbai edition of the ET Soonicorns Sundowner encapsulates the city’s unique vigour and ambition—a confluence where entrepreneurial aspirations meet actionable insights, where the next generation of billion-dollar companies takes its first definitive steps. This event is more than a gathering; it’s a celebration of Mumbai’s enduring status as a global startup powerhouse and a harbinger of India’s innovation future.
By directing attention to Maharashtra’s soonicorns and minicorns, this edition of the ET Soonicorns Sundowner reinforces The Economic Times’ mission to highlight and nurture India’s regional innovation hubs. Recognising that India’s startup story is far from monolithic, it champions ecosystem diversity as foundational to sustainable growth, playing an indispensable role in sculpting the country’s future business landscape.
This Sundowner series aims to deepen the understanding of Mumbai’s startup fabric, spotlighting local stories that exemplify innovation, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence.
It is against this backdrop that the ET Soonicorns Summit Sundowner series emerges as an ecosystem accelerator and morphs into an essential forum where ideas spark, relationships form, and the next generation of unicorns begins to take shape.
360 One is the Presenting Partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025, with Tracxn as Research Partner.