Entrepreneurs’ Organization New Delhi Chapter (EO New Delhi) has launched its much-awaited Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) 2022 for student entrepreneurs.
Under its ongoing digital campaign to create awareness about the upcoming competition and their focus on mentorship, EO New Delhi organised a live interactive panel discussion on the topic “Funding Scenario in 2022”.
The panel had prominent investors and venture capitalists, including Alex Kumar, Director at August One, Sameer Sood, Founder of Venture Highway and Sandro Stephen, VP of Indian Angel Network. The panel was moderated by Dilnawaz Khan, Founder of Power Deck. Dilnawaz initiated the session by talking about the apparent ‘funding winter’ that has deeply affected the funding process, prospects and criteria not only in India, but also globally.
Talking about the shift in the start-up ecosystem post the pandemic, Sandro shared how the recent changes have led to a correction in valuation. “Previously, the start-up entrepreneurs were quoting any number to the investors. Now the VCs are focusing more on clean tech and the sustainability of start-ups,” remarked Stephen.
Sameer Sood also chimed in his opinion and further added that “now the investors are not just looking at growth but also want founders to consider unit economics.”
The panellists also discussed the hot sectors that investors are scouting in 2022. Giving an international perspective, Alex shared, “Food tech, cybersecurity, and sustainability are definitely the sectors witnessing tremendous interest around the world.”
During the concluding statements, the panellists explained why investors look for honesty, team, timing, TAM (total addressable market), and domain expertise when assessing start-ups for funding.
“The panel provided direct insight into the pulse of the VC/ Seed investing market, with useful tips for student entrepreneurs on how to approach investors to raise seed capital,” said Anushka Kapoor, GSEA Chair for EO New Delhi.
“Such panels represent the true essence of EO’s Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards program that aims to guide student entrepreneurs towards success,” added Kapoor.
Click Here to watch the entire panel discussion on YouTube.
Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) is a premier global competition for student entrepreneurs providing them with mentorship, recognition and connections to help scale early stage businesses. At the EO GSEA Global Finals, students compete for a total cash prize of US$100,000. EO GSEA New Delhi has also announced cash rewards upto Rs 50,000 for the winner and runner-up of their chapter. Applications for GSEA Delhi 2022 are open for studentpreneurs from India. They can apply through visiting their official website, here.
