21BY72, Bharat's leading startup summit is back in Surat; Think School's Ganeshprasad, Vijay Kedia among speakers

Surat is once again set to host 21BY72, a startup summit that has grown into a major fixture on Bharat’s entrepreneurial calendar. Scheduled for June 14 and 15 at Avadh Utopia near Surat Airport, the fourth edition of the summit is expected to draw more than 20,000 attendees, including hundreds of investors, exhibitors, content creators, and policymakers.

Organized by IVY Growth Associates, the event positions itself as Bharat’s leading startup summit. It has become a magnet for both rising founders and established names across business, policy, and digital content. 

The previous three seasons of 21BY72 drew over 24,000 participants in total. This year’s summit will feature 85 startup exhibitors, more than 20 live startup pitches, and over 500 investors representing a spectrum of early-stage funds, angel networks, and family offices.

The speaker list this year combines entrepreneurial insight, government presence, and star power. Ganeshprasad Sridharan, COO of Think School, and Dr. Vijay Kedia, Director at Kedia Securities, will join sessions alongside Saina Nehwal, Olympic badminton medalist and Padma Bhushan awardee, and Neha Dhupia, actor and former Miss India.

Senior political leaders such as Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Gujarat’s Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi are also expected to speak at the event.

Azhar Iqubal, Co-Founder and CEO of the AI platform Fenado and Inshorts, and Niyati Mavinkurve of Abhi and Niyu will contribute to a slate of more than 20 speaker sessions and fireside chats across two days.

A four-hall format for startups, capital, and knowledge

The summit is structured across four parallel halls catering to different aspects of the startup ecosystem. In Hall 1, over 85 startups will showcase their offerings at exhibition booths. Hall 2 will host keynote addresses and panel discussions with entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and educators.

Hall 3, called the Trailblazers Mine, recreates a startup pitching environment similar to Shark Tank India, where curated startups present to VC firms, family offices, and angel networks. Participating investment partners include Eximius Ventures, SucSEED Ventures, and Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund.

Workshops and masterclasses on digital marketing, personal branding, and startup finance will run in Hall 4, aimed at founders looking to sharpen their business skills.

The event has also broadened its reach beyond traditional startup stakeholders. A curated set of creators and educators will participate in panels and workshops. These include Dhairya Gangwani of Dhairya Decodes, Unnati Bagga of TheGrowthSquare, and Deep Shah of Adex Studios. The summit’s brand ambassadors include Mahavir Pratap Sharma of Rajasthan Angel Innovators Network, Arjun Vaidya of V3 Ventures, and Sarthak Ahuja, known for his work in M&A and financial education.

CIFDAQ is the presenting sponsor this year, while the event is co-powered by Sangini. IVY Growth Associates, the organizing body, is managing operations and partnerships.

21BY72 has opened passes for attendees on its official website 21by72, where the full agenda and speaker lineup are also available. With sessions running from 10 a.m. to nearly 8 p.m. on both days, the summit aims to bring together all the moving parts of India’s non-metro startup ecosystem into one high-energy venue.