Start-up Expo helps young India take leap from dreams to success: Lufthansa’s Wolfgang Will

There is an overwhelming response to Start-up Expo in India as young entrepreneurs in the country are “chasing new dreams, exploring new possibilities” and Lufthansa has been helping them live their dreams, the company said.

The one-day third edition of Start-up Expo, which was held in New Delhi on October 6, witnessed over 19,000 delegates from various cities across India.

“The overwhelming response to Start-up Expo has led to its exponential growth over the past three years into what is todayIndia’s largest ecosystem for start-up success. It is also an affirmation of the fact that young entrepreneurs in India are chasing new dreams, exploring new possibilities and we feel absolutely privileged to enable them in taking the leap from dreams to success,” said Wolfgang Will, Senior Director, South Asia, Lufthansa Group Airlines, in a statement.

This year participants at India’s largest ecosystem for start-up success included over 100 recognised business experts as well as with nearly 500 start-up exhibitors.

“Start-up Expo is an important catalyst in the entrepreneurial revolution in India.  The extraordinary response to its third edition this year stands testimony to this,” said Geetika Dayal, executive director, TiE Delhi-NCR.

Co-hosted by Lufthansa India and the Delhi-NCR chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the one-day event also hosted the Grand Finale of the very first season of ‘Elevator Pitch’ contest launched in August by Lufthansa. Manasi Kulkarni, Co-Founder Innoweave Biocare, emerged as the winner, beating over 500 contestants.

The grand prize included a sponsored seat at a global entrepreneurship programme at the prestigious Cambridge University in UK, a Lufthansa Business Class ticket to Europe and coveted mentorship from TiE Delhi-NCR.

“On behalf of Lufthansa, I extend my heartiest congratulation to Manasi, for a well-deserved victory. I would also like to express our appreciation to all our partners, participants and business leaders whose contribution has made this our biggest edition ever.” Wolfgang Will added.

The Expo was graced by eminent personalities, including Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP); Rajan Anandan, President- TiE Delhi-NCR & VP- SE Asia & India- Google; Heike Birlenbach, Senior VPLufthansa Group Airlines & CCO Hub Frankfurt; Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi-NCR and Vani Kola, MD, Kalaari Capital to name a few.

 “Together with Lufthansa, we are proud to have created this genuinely valuable platform for driving start-up success in India,” Dayal said.

Also present at the event were leading Indian investors and partners, including StartupIndia and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), along with government functionaries, business experts, mentors, corporates, support agencies, industry associations and potential customers.

The unique initiative began three years ago. Over the last three years, Start-up Expo has attracted an overwhelming participation of over 19,000 attendees, over 500 start-ups and facilitated over 1200 investor meetings.