‘Don’t fall into the trap…’: Edelweiss Radhika Gupta debunks India’s ‘startup romance’ hype

Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Funds, urges founders to look beyond the glossy allure of startup life that has been romanticized by coworking spaces, viral social media posts and rounds of advertising. financing celebration.

“There is now a growing air of ‘startup romance’ that describes startup life as working in more relaxed clothes in a stylish co-working space, talking about ideas all day, raising funding rounds, giving gyaan in social media, organizing Friday night drinks for colleagues,” said Gupta. “Don’t fall into the trap.”

His message is a stark test of reality. True startup journeys are plagued by painful execution, tight budgets, limited resources, and the constant struggle to hire and retain talent.

Founders face relentless rejection, unwavering pressure to generate revenue at any cost, and long periods of uncertainty.

For many entrepreneurs, these challenges are exacerbated by bias. Dhruv Suyamprakasam, CEO of telemedicine startup iCliniq, shared how his journey took unexpected turns after facing discrimination from investors for not being an IIT alumnus or not fluent in Hindi.

Originally from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Dhruv’s move to Bengaluru in 2010 seemed strategic: a leap into the heart of India’s startup ecosystem. “It wasn’t the best place for us,” he later admitted, citing unrealistic growth pressures.

“In healthcare, you can’t afford to fail quickly. “Investors expected us to reach 100 paid inquiries per day, which is not practical in an industry based on trust.”

Dhruv described the prejudices he encountered: “I felt excluded for not speaking Hindi, not studying at IIT and coming from a small town that many had not heard of.”

Gupta and Dhruv’s experiences highlight the gap between the illusion of a vibrant, inclusive startup culture and its underbelly. For aspiring entrepreneurs, the message is clear: don’t confuse the shine of the startup ecosystem with the effort it requires.