From one classroom to Malabar's largest startup summit.
In college I was hooked on business and entrepreneurship. Over three years I went from attending a small business-idea event on campus, to moving it into an auditorium, to leading it as CEO once it had grown into a two-week startup summit with more than 5,000 attendees.
Three years, three steps up
The event only grew because each year someone decided it could be bigger, and did the work to make it happen.
A small business-idea event
I took part as a participant. It was a good idea running at a very small scale.
Out of the classroom
With my two partners, I took the event out of the classroom and into one of the campus auditoriums.
Run like a startup
We built the organising team as a startup, and I led it as CEO. The one-day event became a two-week programme with workshops, investors from across India, and more than 5,000 attendees.
What we built
The aim was simple: give student founders a real path to funding, not just a stage.
Access to investors
We flew in VCs from different parts of India and connected student startups with them directly, helping teams get in front of funding.
Workshops on the ecosystem
4+ workshop events introducing students to the startup ecosystem.
Partnerships
Partnered with banks and with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), the state government's agency for entrepreneurship.
Marketing and fundraising
Ran the marketing and raised the money to fund an event several times bigger than the year before.
In the press
Featured in newspapers and on TV channels.
An organising team run like a company
We set up the organising team as a startup, not a committee, and I led it as CEO.
What it taught me
Interface'18 was my first real lesson in building something from nothing, with no budget and a team of volunteers. The same instincts show up in my work today.
- Growing things step by step
- Selling an idea to partners
- Raising money
- Leading a team
- Working with government & banks
- Owning the outcome