Vande Bharatam giving small-town startups a national stage: Skyroot CEO
Synopsis
Vande Bharatam, the Adani Group's startup initiative, has pulled in nearly 26,000 entries — and Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana, speaking as a judge at the Ahmedabad event, says it is doing something India's startup ecosystem has long needed: giving innovators from smaller cities a direct line to investors and mentors, not just the usual Bengaluru-Mumbai circuit.
Key Takeaways
Skyroot Aerospace CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana praised the Vande Bharatam initiative on 13 August after serving as a judge at the Ahmedabad event.
The initiative, launched by Gautam Adani , has received nearly 26,000 entries from across India.
Chandana said India holds around 2% of the global space economy and will need far more successful space startups to reach a 10% share.
At least one participating startup reportedly received funding interest through the platform after presenting to venture capital firms.
A founder developing a vertical take-off and landing aircraft used the platform to engage directly with Adani Group executives.
Skyroot Aerospace Co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana on Thursday, 13 August praised the Adani Group's startup initiative Vande Bharatam, saying the platform is creating meaningful pathways for entrepreneurs from smaller cities to access funding, mentorship, and industry connections. Chandana was speaking in Ahmedabad after serving as a judge at the programme.
What Chandana Said
'Many entrepreneurs from smaller towns have innovative ideas but often lack access to funding and mentorship. Platforms like Vande Bharatam provide them with an opportunity to showcase their work and interact with industry leaders,' Chandana said.
He noted that several Indian startups are already developing advanced technologies domestically, contributing to the country's expanding innovation landscape, and that programmes encouraging entrepreneurship can play a significant role in scaling such ventures.
Space-Tech Startups in Focus
Chandana highlighted the growing participation of space-tech startups in the initiative, calling it a reflection of the sector's rising innovation momentum. He pointed to India's current share of the global space economy as a benchmark for ambition.
'India currently holds around 2 percent of the global space economy. If the country aims to increase that share to 10 percent, it will need a much larger base of successful space startups,' he said.
Participants Cite Direct Investor Access
Founders attending the event credited the platform for enabling direct engagement with venture capital firms and industry experts. One startup founder said his venture had already received funding interest through the initiative after presenting before leading investors.
Another participant, who is developing an aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing similar to a helicopter, said the platform gave him an opportunity to discuss his concept in detail with business leaders, including Adani Group executives.
Scale of the Initiative
Launched by Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, the Vande Bharatam initiative has attracted nearly 26,000 entries from across India, according to organisers. The scale of participation underscores a broader appetite among early-stage founders for structured access to capital and mentorship outside the traditional startup hubs of Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.
As India's startup ecosystem continues to mature, initiatives that bridge the geographic gap between Tier-1 investors and Tier-2 and Tier-3 innovators are likely to draw increasing attention from both industry and policymakers.
Point of View
000-entry count is a striking signal of unmet demand — India's startup capital has long been concentrated in three or four cities, leaving a vast pool of Tier-2 and Tier-3 innovators without structured access to investors. The initiative's real test, however, is outcomes: how many of those entries convert to funded, scaling ventures? Chandana's framing of the space economy — from 2% to 10% — is the right ambition, but that leap requires deep, sustained institutional support, not just a single showcase event. Corporate-led startup platforms can complement government schemes, but they risk becoming PR exercises unless follow-through mechanisms — mentorship continuity, deal tracking, post-event support — are independently verifiable.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vande Bharatam initiative by Adani Group?
Vande Bharatam is a startup initiative launched by Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani to provide early-stage entrepreneurs — particularly from smaller cities — with access to investors, mentors, and industry leaders. It has received nearly 26,000 entries from across India.
Why did Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana participate in Vande Bharatam?
Chandana participated as a judge at the Vande Bharatam event held in Ahmedabad on 13 August. He praised the platform for creating visibility and support systems for founders who lack access to funding and mentorship in smaller towns.
What did Chandana say about India's space economy?
Chandana said India currently holds around 2% of the global space economy and that reaching a 10% share would require a significantly larger base of successful space-tech startups. He cited the participation of space-tech firms in Vande Bharatam as a positive sign.
Did any startups receive funding through Vande Bharatam?
According to reports from the event, at least one participating startup founder said his venture had already received funding interest after presenting before leading venture capital firms through the initiative.
Who is the target audience for the Vande Bharatam programme?
The programme primarily targets early-stage founders from smaller Indian cities who have innovative ideas but lack access to capital and mentorship networks typically concentrated in metro startup hubs like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.
