Startup Carnival 5, organised by Techno India Group, unfolded as more than a one-day gathering. It emerged as a thoughtful pause to reflect on what entrepreneurship in Bengal can truly become when it is anchored in purpose, culture, responsibility, and a long-term vision. Supported by GCII and Foodka, and strengthened by ecosystem partners including the Bengal Business Council, Pointers Business Forum, WealthApp, ASMi Business School as the B-school partner, and D2C Insider as the community partner, the carnival brought together founders, students, investors, policymakers, educators, and operators under one roof.
The day began with a reflective welcome address by Prof. Manoshi Roy Chowdhury, Co-Chairperson of Techno India Group and Co-Chancellor of Techno India University. She positioned Startup Carnival not as a standalone event, but as an ongoing movement, one that challenges founders to look beyond valuation and speed. She emphasised, “This is a movement to Make Calcutta Relevant Again, not as nostalgia, but as a living, breathing powerhouse of enterprise and imagination.
That sense of grounded realism continued in the keynote address by Sanjay Kumar Das, WBCS (Executive), Additional Secretary, Science and Technology, Government of West Bengal. Speaking on policy as a partner in the startup ecosystem, he highlighted tangible state support, from access to data centres and AI infrastructure to cost efficiencies for young ventures. He stated, “With the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in place, founders must understand that careless data practices can end their journey. Policy can act as a true partner only when startups match opportunity with responsibility.”
The first panel, “The ₹70,000 Crore Opportunity: Durga Pujo & the Bengal Startup Ecosystem,” moderated by Dr. Arnab Basu, Director-Convenor of Pointers Business Forum and Co-Founder of GSOE, explored Durga Pujo as a powerful economic and cultural ecosystem. Panelists, including Arijit Maitra, Samrat Sengupta, Promita Saha Khan, Aashutosh Bhattacharyya, Insiyah Chawala, and Gourav Sinha from diverse domains examined how startups can engage with the festival meaningfully, balancing commerce with community leadership and cultural sensitivity.
Food entrepreneurship took centre stage in the second panel, “Built to Taste,” curated and moderated by Indrajit Lahiri of Foodka Consulting & Foodka Academy. The discussion offered an honest look at the realities of running a restaurant, from unit economics and supply chains to trust, consistency, and long-term brand building.
A deeply personal fireside chat titled “Starting Your Own Supper Club” between Indrajit Lahiri and chef Sohini Banerjee (Smoke & Lime) highlighted the importance of authenticity, respecting one’s time and labour, and putting taste before trends.
The post-lunch Startup Pitch Marathon saw eighteen startups present their ideas to investors and ecosystem leaders. After rigorous evaluation, Quekey.io emerged as the winner, followed by LovethyNature and GreenMentor.
Startup Carnival 5 concluded with energy and optimism, leaving behind active conversations, new connections, and a shared belief that Calcutta’s entrepreneurial future lies in being thoughtful, rooted, and quietly ambitious.
This article has been produced on behalf of Techno India Group by ABP digital Brand Hub.
