Announcing BIGShift: Inc42 To Boost Startup Ecosystem In Tier II Cities With Localised Meetups

Innovation is limitless. It is not bound by race, religion, economic and social status, or even level of education. Gone are the days when Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi were hailed as the sole cradle of innovation and invention. Entrepreneurship is no longer confined to these tier I cities, but is increasingly gaining traction in tier II and tier III cities as well. Thus, as a part our efforts to bolster the fledgeling startup ecosystem beyond Tier 1 cities, Inc42 will host BIGShift, an event series for startups spread across eight Indian Tier II cities.

Technological advances in the last several decades have helped transform India into the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, home to as many as 4,750 tech startups. Predictions by NASSCOM suggest that the number will likely increase 2.2x to around 10,500 startups within the next three years.

Today, the Indian startup network is populated by a fast-growing group of young innovators and problem solvers who collectively amassed $5.56 Bn in funding in H1-2017 alone. While a large portion of the $5.56 Bn funding was raised by startups in Bengaluru (around $2.5 Bn from 144 deals) and Delhi/NCR (about $2.13 Bn from 128 deals), cities like Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad are also slowly and steadily becoming popular nurturing grounds for aspiring startup founders and investors alike.

Thus there is a BigShift!

Why BigShift Is The Need Of The Hour

India is moving towards digital reformation, with the number of Internet users in the country falling somewhere between 450-465 Mn as per a recent IAMAI-IMRB report. While the penetration of smartphones and the Internet in urban areas currently stands at 60%, it is believed that the next wave of digital users will come from tier II and tier III cities.

In this regard, startups play a crucial role in enhancing the access of India’s 1.31 Bn population to latest technologies. Despite lack of robust infrastructure, insufficient funding, low awareness and limited scalability, tier II and tier III cities have harbored a growing army of startups and businesses in a variety of emerging sectors. In recent times, several angel networks and investors have started focusing on these cities for investment perspective.

Through the event, Inc42 is trying to find the solution to is the issue of insufficient access to facilities, communities, mentors, events, and resources that are otherwise easily available in metropolitan cities. Another major constraint for startups in tier II and tier III cities is the lack of skilled talent as well as the adequate working capital needed for scaling the business.

BigShift: It’s Not Just About Ideas; It’s About Making Ideas Happen!

Envisioned as a series of events spread across eight tier II cities, BigShift will bring together key startups founders, influencers, investors, and ecosystem enablers from each city, providing them with a platform to engage, network and collaborate.

In the next three months, Inc42 will conduct events which will include panel discussions, and interactive sessions, in Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar, Nagpur, Kolkata, Vizag, Ranchi and Indore.

Over the course of the event, attendees will be given the opportunity to indulge in discussions on “Entrepreneurship Unplugged”, “FAILspiration” and “Ecosystem Influencer Panel”. While the first session will focus on the contemporary trends of starting up in India, “FAILspiration”, as its name suggestions, is aimed at dispelling some of the myths as well as the deep-rooted anxiety surrounding failure.

Instead of celebrating success stories that we have heard much too often, this one-of-a-kind session which will shed light on some of the worst mistakes that entrepreneurs commit while starting up.

The “Ecosystem Influencer Panel” will take the discussion even further by providing a 360 degree view of funding and investment across all possible reference frames: government representatives, angel investors, incubator/accelerator representatives, and serial entrepreneurs.

Startup Showcase @ BigShift

BigShift will also serve as a launchpad for top five startups shortlisted by Inc42 from a group of budding entrepreneurs in each city. These startups will be offered the enviable opportunity to showcase their business plans as well as products/services in front of stalwarts from the startup world. Startups are eligible to apply if-

• They have been operational for at least one year and less than five years.
• They have not raised more than $2 Mn in funding.
• They are registered in India or founded in India and has operations in India.

If you are interested Startup Showcase, apply by filling out the online form here

What’s In It For Attendees?

Attendees of the BigShift event will be offered:

• The opportunity to connect with prominent investors
• Networking and partnership opportunities
• Access to an amazing pool of talent in tier II cities
• Increased visibility and reach through Inc42 media property
• The amazing opportunity to exhibit your startup and showcase product/services in front people who matter

If you wish to attend the event, apply here

Chandigarh, Here We Come: Block 21st September

Chandigarh has always been a forward-thinking city. As one of the early planned cities in post-Independence India, Chandigarh is synonymous to perfectly manicured lawns, breathtaking scenic beauty, and well-structured infrastructure. In the early 2000s, the city’s startup ecosystem received its first major economic boost with the arrival of IT-based companies like Trigma, Viprasoft, iNVERTEDi and uTrade Solutions.

Over the years, Chandigarh has served as a haven for a growing number of startups, including on-demand transportation service provider Jugnoo, Pumpkart, among others.

Assisting these startups is a robust network of investors, incubators, and ecosystem enablers. Chitkara Innovation Incubator, Startup Accelerator Chamber of Commerce (SACC) and Chandigarh Angel Networks are some of the investor forums active in the city. In recent years, many coworking spaces such as Startup in a Box, Start Hub Nation and Innov8 have set up shop in Chandigarh, in a bid to facilitate access to essential resources, mentors, equipments, and tools.

Taking these initiatives a step further, Inc42 has announced the first installment of BigShift to be held on September 21 at Innov8, Chandigarh.

The last date of application for Startup Showcase is September 20. Interested startups can apply by filling out the online form here. The application period for other attendees will be open till September 20. And the application form for them is available here.

To learn more about BigShift and what it would entail, click here.