DRMumbai: Lufthansa Startup Expo 4, India’s biggest ecosystem for startup success, returns with an even more powerful edition, on September 28, 2019 at Epicentre, Gurugram.
Powered by Lufthansa and TiE Delhi-NCR, the Expo promises a special “funding festival” in its fourth edition, offering start-ups an opportunity to access over 100 investors as well as gain critical insights on the what, when and who of fundraising. As always, the Expo will empower budding entrepreneurs with everything they need to succeed, all together, all in one place – absolutely free.
A unique convergence of the collaborative power of new India, the Expo provides startups a high-visibility platform facilitating unparalleled growth opportunities, investor meets, knowledge sessions, mentoring, partnership opportunities as well as business networking with top industry stakeholders.
Speaking on the announcement, George Ettiyil, Senior Director Sales South Asia – Lufthansa Group Airlines, said, “Startup Expo opens new doors to success. Lufthansa has been committed to nurturing young and emerging entrepreneurs for over a decade now. We have been associated with Start-up Expo as a co-creator and host since the very beginning and are thrilled to bring together a world of opportunities yet again through Start-up Expo 4. This year, we are going a step further by facilitating deep insights into funding, which stands at the heart of startup success.”
In the year 2018, the Expo brought together 200 mentors, 100 partners and 75 investors, along with 20,000 participants and 500 startup exhibitors. The event also facilitated over 1,200 investor meetings in one day, whilst also providing attending start-ups with valuable insights into business expansion and success. Lufthansa and TiE-Delhi NCR plan to further build on this success and raise the bar with Startup Expo 4 – making it a unique growth opportunity for Indian start-ups.
Geetika Dayal, Executive Director, TiE Delhi-NCR, said, “India, at present, is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity. Newer, more disruptive models of doing business and delivering services are addressing market white spaces that no one even knew existed. Start-up Expo was launched as a platform to provide such high-potential ventures with the resources they need to achieve exponential growth. We are delighted with our continued association with Lufthansa India for this one-of-its-kind event and are looking forward to providing even more entrepreneurs with the support they need to grow and scale their budding ventures.”
This year, the event will witness insightful keynote speeches and knowledge sessions hosted by industry leaders including Alain Chisari (Vice President Sales Asia & Pacific – Lufthansa Group Airlines), George Ettiyil (Senior Director Sales-South Asia – Lufthansa Group Airlines), Rajan Anandan (President TiE Delhi-NCR), Geetika Dayal (Executive Director – TiE Delhi-NCR), and Ramesh Abhishek (Former Secretary – DIPP) among others.
The one-of-a-kind event also provides the backdrop for the coveted Elevator Pitch contest through which start-ups can showcase their unique business idea and garner interest from top investors. The winning start-up has an opportunity to win direct access to investors at the offices of Indian Angel Network, a dedicated mentor for six months, a sponsorship at the prestigious Cambridge Ignite global entrepreneurship program, a Lufthansa Business Class Ticket to Europe and complimentary membership of TiE Delhi-NCR.
The Start-up Expo also aligns perfectly with Lufthansa’s motto, #SayYesToTheWorld, which invites the new-age traveler to open their minds, to explore new possibilities, to say yes to novel adventures. Through the Expo, Lufthansa is enabling an entire ecosystem that young entrepreneurs need – as they pursue innovative business ideas that can unlock a whole world of new opportunities!
Lufthansa will add an “unconferencing” dimension to the Expo this year with Travel-o-Scope, an interactive 360 degree digital installation, which will inspire attendees to go places to take their business places. It will also place 10 touchscreen kiosks with selfie cameras on front and back of the central installation for visitors to interact with the Travel-o-scope, highlighting a country and the emotion it evokes in them. Visitors will also get a chance to participate in a fun contest for a chance to win a Lufthansa flight to a potentially life changing place.
