YourStory’s flagship event and India’s premier startup conference TechSparks is coming to Mumbai for the first time in 13 years. The mega event will take place on March 22 and 23 at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai.
Over the years, TechSparks has consistently brought investors, startups, unicorn founders, top influencers, content creators, or A-listers from the entertainment industry, who are very much entrepreneurs in their own right. Joining the lineup of stars this year are Malaika Arora and Dia Mirza, who are also investors in startups. While the former has launched Malaika Arora Ventures to invest in lifestyle, health, fashion, and wellness brands such as D2C ayurvedic nutrition startup Kapiva, some of Dia’s investments in startups include organic clothing company Greendigo, eco-friendly household products startup Beco, bamboo baby diapers and organic wipes firm Allter, and handmade wooden toys brand Shumee.
Malaika has been an inspiration to so many over the years, whether it’s fitness or fashion. She started her journey as a video jockey during the early days of MTV India. She quickly rose to become a prominent model and her eye-catching dance performances in movies such as Dil Se and Dabangg made her one of the most sought-after dancers in the Indian film industry. From Nach Baliye to India’s Best Dancer, Malaika’s keen eye to spot talent as a judge is helping give wings to the dreams of many young performers across India. Dia Mirza, a former Miss India Asia Pacific, went on to win the international pageant. Soon after, she entered the world of movies and featured in movies such as as Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Lage Raho Munnabhai, Kaafir, Sanju, and Thappad, among others, and has two big releases slated for 2023 Bheed, set to release on March 24 & Dhak Dhak slated for April.
Interestingly, Dia started her career as a marketing executive for a media firm, and started modelling for print and television commercials while there. Besides being an actor, as brand ambassador for the Wildlife Trust of India, she is involved with various humanitarian causes with the Indian government. Dia is also an eco investor, Goodwill Ambassador UNEP, UN Secretary General’s Advocate for SDGs, and ambassador for Save The Children as well as the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Global content creator Niharika NM will also be present at the TechSparks’ Mumbai debut, which will bring together more than 2,000 attendees and 150+ expert speakers to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and challenges in the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond.
Niharika has been able to master the world of the creator’s economy like very few have. She’s one of the fastest growing content creators from India, and shot to one million followers from 100,000 in just two months. It was in 2016, when she started gaining popularity because of her YouTube videos that she uploaded ‘just for fun’. Unable to juggle academics with content creation, she had actually stopped creating content for a while. But, she started creating short reels on Instagram during the pandemic-induced lockdown and became massively popular as people found solace in her light-hearted content. For more than 13 years, TechSparks has become the go-to destination for technology innovation, igniting a spark of collaboration and celebration among entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and enablers.
The focus for India’s favourite tech festival on its maiden Mumbai leg will be ‘Building on India’s Tech Agenda’. The list of speakers and attendees includes Dream 11 Co-founder and CEO Harsh Jain, LogiNext Solutions Founder and CEO Dhruvil Sanghvi, Myntra CEO Nandita Sinha, Zepto Co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha, The Good Glam Group Group Founder and CEO Darpan Sanghvi, Creator Yashraj Mukhate, Consultant to Content Companies & Coach to Content Creators Manish Pandey, Finance Content Creator Twinkle Jain, and WeWork India CEO Karan Virwani.
TechSparks has been able to unlock over $2 billion in capital over the years. It has become the ultimate and preferred destination for the discovery of exciting new startups and of emerging, cutting-edge technologies. It is the platform of choice to learn from the success of the best-in-class companies, both Indian and global, while being a space where people can connect in a wholesome and meaningful way. With the first Mumbai edition, TechSparks will celebrate the unique spirit of Maximum City and unveil the latest in technology innovation across sectors ranging from fintech and media to gaming, SaaS, and more.
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