An ultimate platform to celebrate soonicorns (a name given to startups that are on the cusp of becoming unicorns), the summit has a long and illustrious list of industry leaders, policymakers and insiders from the industry, who will give attendees a glimpse into their playbooks for navigating the ups and downs of the startup ecosystem in India.
However, what would a Soonicorn Summit be without sessions designed exclusively for Soonicorn? Bringing together over 15 speakers across three curated tracks, these closed-door conversations promise to take you on a knowledge-sharing journey, with some of the most disruptive players in the Indian startup ecosystem ready to share their strategies.
Innovation in credit, financial and investment products for the next billion users
The technology-enabled financial products and services sector could not only be described as a robust and resilient fintech, but a thriving fintech. Case in point: the Indian fintech ecosystem is the third-largest in the world, according to “State of the Fintech Union 2024,” a joint report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Z47. Unsurprisingly, this fastest-growing ecosystem globally continues to demonstrate growth, with revenues skyrocketing to $25 billion in 2023, up 56% year-on-year, despite a drop in funding.
“The sector has received investments of around $6 billion in the last two years alone,” said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das.
India, with its rich demographic dividend, especially with a significant youth population, is riding the fintech wave. With an adoption rate of 87%, India also lags behind the global average of 64%.
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Manish Kumar, CEO and Founder of KredX; Ujjwal Jain, CEO of Share.Market; Raghunandan G, Founder of Zolve; Vishal Chopra, Co-Founder and CEO of WeRize; Anuj Kacker, Co-Founder of Freo; Anuj Gupta, Chief Risk Officer of Credit Saison India; and Kaushal Singh, Head of Engineering at Jar will dive into this rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Figures indicate that a large chunk of the Indian population has already adopted fintech, likely overwhelmingly during the pandemic when traditional payment modes were disrupted. However, experts say the challenge and opportunity lies in both diversification, hyper-personalisation of products and penetration into underserved pockets. This is also likely to drive financial inclusion for all.
With these topical themes, speakers will explore how innovation in credit, finance and investment products can drive financial inclusion for the next billion users.
The role of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is undeniable in accelerating the adoption of fintechs and driving financial inclusion. We look forward to hearing how fintech players are reimagining credit to create more accessible financial products. When it comes to credit, the challenges of serving people with little or no credit history remain paramount. We expect these experts to focus on risk management and personalization of credit products.
The expectation is to gain insights into the complexities of cross-border financial services and tools to navigate regulatory hurdles in different countries. The future of cross-border fintech and the opportunities this space offers for new entrepreneurs is something that has captured the attention of industry leaders for some time now.
The balance between scalability and personalization is also critical, particularly when it comes to serving underserved households in Tier 1 and Tier 2 India. It is worth considering how fintech players might address the trust deficit in these regions.
How to maintain compliance without compromising customer security is a question speakers will likely address.
The challenges of serving first-time investors with little exposure to the sector are also significant. Expect data-driven insights into a seamless, personalized customer experience in India’s dynamic financial landscape.
Lastly, investment is another area that is attracting constant attention. The conversation is expected to touch on the retail investment space and strategies to attract young investors who are investing for the first time and how AI is helping democratize investments in India.
This panel discussion, moderated by Miloni Bhatt, promises to offer deep insights into how fintech startups can innovate to meet the needs of the next billion users while addressing the challenges of scalability, compliance, and AI integration.
“AI for All” in India: Leveraging AI across all sectors and its limitless possibilities
The second closed-door panel discussion will dive into the currency of our time: Artificial Intelligence (AI), and delve into how AI is transforming industries, with its far-reaching impact across multiple sectors.
The discussion will focus on how AI is being leveraged to drive innovation in logistics, retail, mobility, healthcare, and more. The integration of AI into business operations, the challenges of implementing AI-driven solutions, and the opportunities for startups to leverage AI for competitive advantage will be discussed. This session is highly relevant to understanding how AI can be a catalyst for growth and sustainability.
Keynote speakers include Ramesh Kumar Katreddi, VP of Engineering at Jumbotail; Vaibhav Khandelwal, Co-Founder and CTO at Shadowfax; Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-Founder at Scaler and Interviewbit; Sarang Sharma, Chief Product Officer at Practo; Vinay Rai, EVP of Engineering at Netradyne. This session will be moderated by Nirmal John, Senior Editor at The Economic Times.
What comes after product-market fit?: the growth vs profitability dilemma
Achieving product-market fit is an important milestone, but the real challenge lies in managing growth while ensuring profitability. This roundtable will address the complexities of startup expansion, including balancing aggressive growth strategies and financial strength.
The conversation is expected to cover various facets of the struggle for growth versus profitability, with a focus on operational efficiency, cost management, and sustainable growth practices. If you are a startup founder looking for the delicate balance between expanding market presence and maintaining your startup’s profitability, this might be the ideal session for you.
Speakers include Maxson Lewis, Founder & CEO, Magenta Mobility; Amitabh Saran, Founder & CEO, Altigreen; Hemanth Vasudevan, VP & CMO, Ninjacart; Vanda Ferrao, CMO, WOW Skin Science; Vinod Changaramkandam, CFO, Medfin; Ankit Taparia, CMO, Yulu; and Abhishek Sudhakar, SVP, Business Excellence, Captain Fresh. The session will be moderated by Shabori Das, Senior Deputy Editor, ET Prime.
Join these closed-door roundtable discussions at the ET Soonicorns Summit 2024 as they offer a unique platform for soonicorns to engage in in-depth discussions with industry leaders. Designed to provide deep insights on critical topics like financial innovation, AI applications, and scaling strategies, this could be a dream come true for every startup founder or aspiring entrepreneur to meet those who have already crossed this threshold to reach the soonicorn milestone and learn from their candid views on the challenges and opportunities in their sectors. And most importantly, receive first-hand insights on scaling while building a strong innovation culture.
ET Soonicorns Summit is sponsored by Phoenix Kessaku. Training Partner: UpGrad Enterprise; Insurance Partner: PolicyBazaar for Business; Banking Partner: Bank of India. Gifting Partners: IGP.com; The Mind and Company, Plum, Clay Capital.
For more information on the ET Soonicorns Summit, visit the website.
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