Bengaluru, September 30 2025: PedalStart, a leading startup accelerator and enabler, is back with the third edition of its flagship event, Hustlers Mela. The 2025 edition saw 250+ investors (including venture capitalists and family offices) attend the event with founders and ecosystem leaders to explore the future of early-stage investments in India.
Unlike conventional startup gatherings, Hustlers’ Mela 3.0 was designed as an investor-first platform – a curated annual gathering for India’s growing network of startup backers. The event brought together five high-potential startups backed by PedalInvest Club, who secured investor commitments of approximately USD $550K million during the day-long sessions. In addition, PedalStart received funding commitments to further bolster its investment and acceleration initiatives. More than just capital, the event emphasized knowledge exchange, long-term collaboration, and immense contribution of investors in enhancing the start-up ecosystem in India.
Aditya, Co-Founder of PedalStart, said, “With Hustlers’ Mela 3.0, our vision was to create an outcome-driven and investor-focused platform that demonstrates how meaningful capital can shape the future of India’s startup ecosystem. By curating over 250 investors from diverse geographies and facilitating direct, transparent conversations with promising founders, we are not only unlocking investments but also building trust, networks, and strategies for long-term success. This is not just a pitching stage; it is a celebration of capital, collaboration, and the spirit of entrepreneurship”.
The event featured insightful sessions by industry leaders and investors, including Ajinkya Rahane (Cricketer), Alok Bansal (Co-founder, Policy Bazaar), Sanjeev Bikchandani (Founder, InfoEdge), Reeju Datta (Co-founder, Cashfree Payments), RK Misra (Co-founder, Yulu Bikes), Roman Saini (Co-founder, Unacademy), Aswani Chaitanya (Partner, Capital-A), Amrendra Singh (Co-founder, DeHaat), Ankit Mehrotra (Co-founder, Dineout), Gaurav Ranjan (Principal, Prime Venture Partners), Jatin Kakani (Co-founder, Dezy) and Vinod Shankar (Co-founder, Java Capital). These sessions focused on emerging markets, investment theses, and lessons on resilience and leadership.
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-Founder, InfoEdge, said, “Hustlers Mela 3.0 embodies the kind of founder-first and investor-focused ecosystem India needs today. Platforms like PedalStart are not only curating promising founders but also backing them with capital, mentorship, and networks, creating trust-driven opportunities. My own journey as an investor has shown me that sustainable growth comes from patience, discipline, and a thoughtful portfolio mindset. Early bets like Zomato and Policybazaar reinforced the value of patient capital, and I am glad to see PedalStart enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs and investors to focus on building enduring businesses with a long-term perspective”
Ajinkya Rahane, former Captain of the Indian Test Cricket Team, said, “Hustlers Mela 3.0 represents a selective platform that inspires both investors and founders. Just like in cricket, where resilience and preparation matter, startups too require vision, discipline, and the right support system. PedalStart’s effort to shape the future of entrepreneurship through curated access and meaningful capital is commendable.”
PedalStart introduced its two ecosystem partners to further strengthen founder enablement. These include: Mayank Jain, who is an ace strategist and digital marketing Guru, served as Chief Product Officer & Head of Marketing at Snapdeal. Mohit Sethi, a stalwart who has helped build several start-ups from the ground up, was instrumental in shaping the setup of OLX Autos and Zoomcar.
Over the last four years, PedalStart has built a strong reputation as an enabler of the startup ecosystem, backing the top 0.5% of founders across the country. With investments in 14 startups so far and a portfolio valued at USD 40M+, PedalStart goes beyond capital by providing mentorship and networking opportunities. Through Hustlers Mela 3.0, PedalStart continues its mission of offering insightful learning with active engagement in India’s vibrant early-stage ecosystem to investors and supporting founders in building sustainable businesses.