Startup to Scaleup

From blogging in the early 2010s to launching her beauty brand 'Wearified', Aanam Chashmawala’s journey is equal parts inspiring and honest. In this exclusive conversation, she opens up about how she broke into a male-dominated industry, why "suitability" in beauty is outdated, and the hard truths about bootstrapping a business in a saturated market. She also shares her unfiltered takes on influencer culture, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the future of beauty in India.

Ugaoo’s story began in a humble seed shop and has blossomed into one of India’s most innovative urban gardening startups. In this episode of Start Up To Scale Up, founder Siddhant Bhalinge shares how family legacy, a passion for plants, and a bold vision for new India led to Ugaoo’s rise. Discover how Ugaoo is bridging the gap between traditional nurseries and modern plant parents, making gardening accessible, hassle-free, and cool for millennials and Gen Z.

Discover how two sisters transformed traditional sarees into a modern fashion statement embraced by Bollywood and everyday women. This episode of Start Up To Scale Up explores their journey from corporate careers to pioneering a brand that blends heritage with innovation.

From quitting their day jobs to building a brand worn by millions, The Souled Store’s journey is a masterclass in turning pop culture passion into a business empire. Co-founder Harsh Lal reveals how four friends started with funny t-shirts, landed their first licenses with Friends and The Big Bang Theory, and grew into a powerhouse with 200+ licenses and 8 million loyal customers.

Ahana Gautam, founder of Open Secret, charts her journey from a childhood in Rajasthan to building one of India’s most innovative snacking brands. She tackles how “junk” entered Indian homes, why protein deficiency (Indians eat just 40–45g daily) is a national issue, and the challenges of beating established FMCG brands. Ahana shares how Open Secret’s “unjunked” snacks (no maida, no palm oil, no artificial additives) are not just tasty but affordable and made for the modern Indian family.

Dinesh Arjun, co-founder of Chennai-based startup Raptee, shares the exhilarating journey of creating India’s first high-voltage electric motorcycle, the T30—a 240-volt powerhouse that charges faster than a phone and outperforms 250cc petrol bikes. From early challenges in R&D and building a complex supplier ecosystem to pioneering certification for a never-before-seen architecture in two-wheelers, Dinesh reveals how Raptee is rewriting the rules for electric mobility in India. Drawing from his experience at Tesla and his commitment to bringing innovation back home, he talks about turning skepticism into belief, fostering a mission-driven culture, and betting big on an EV future where electric motorcycles aren’t just eco-friendly options but thrilling upgrades. This episode dives deep into technology, market realities, fundraising hurdles, and the passionate team propelling Rapti’s vision to transform India’s two-wheeler landscape with speed, convenience, and performance.

In this Start Up To Scale Up episode, we dive deep with Abhijit, co-founder of Ajna Lens—a trailblazing Indian startup building state-of-the-art mixed reality headsets. Abhijit unveils the meaning behind the company’s name, rooted in yogic philosophy, and shares how Ajna Lens embodies intuition, perception, and futuristic vision. With tech giants like Apple and Meta dominating the field globally, Ajna Lens has uniquely made its mark by merging Indian innovation with international-grade XR devices.

In this inspiring Start Up To Scale Up episode, Pranav Dangi, Founder and CEO of The Hosteller, recounts the pivotal moments that propelled him from a budget traveler bartering meals for stays across 50+ European hostels to creating India’s first large-scale backpacker hostel brand. Pranav reveals how shifting from hotel stays to hostels completely changed his travel outlook and inspired him to fill a huge gap in India’s hospitality sector by introducing and popularizing backpacker hostels. He shares candid insights on the entrepreneurial rollercoaster — navigating uncertainty, bootstrapping through early years without salary, overcoming family doubts, and facing post-COVID challenges such as scarce capital for essentials and rapid portfolio expansion from 8-9 to over 21 properties. Pranav also talks about pioneering a new hospitality segment in India and emphasizes that authenticity and dedication are key to building a lasting, impactful business.