# Headstart Network Foundation

> Headstart Network Foundation is a Bengaluru-based nonprofit that helps early-stage entrepreneurs meet peers, mentors, investors and potential hires. Its volunteer-led chapters run Startup Saturday, pitch programs, founder communities and partnerships with incubators and corporations, with India as its core market and selected international connections.

- **Founded:** 2008
- **Headquarters:** Bengaluru, India
- **Founders:** Kallol Borah (Co-founder), Aditya Mishra (Co-founder), Amit Singh (Co-founder and Director), Arpit Agarwal (Co-founder), Netra Parikh (Co-founder and CFO), Puneeth Prasad (Founding team), Akash Mahajan (Founding team), Ramesh Loganathan (Founding team), Mitesh Ashar (Founding team), Pankaj Jain (Founding team), Aashish Solanki (Founding team), Vinayak Hegde (Founding team), Manasi Baranwal (Founding team), Harinath Pudipeddi (Founding team), Suresh Bhagavatula (Founding team), Kesava Reddy (Founding team)
- **Products:** Startup Saturday, Headstart Higher, Headstart Mentor, Headstart Kickstart, Investor Circle
- **Notable:** Bengaluru held its 100th consecutive Startup Saturday in May 2016., Mumbai announced its 100th Startup Saturday for August 2016., The 2023 impact report records 253 events, 1,997 startups supported and 8,400 participants during that year.

## Products & services

- **Startup Saturday** — Recurring local founder meetups for practical learning, demonstrations and peer connections; launched in 2008.
- **Headstart Higher** — Startup hiring events; a documented Mumbai edition in September 2012 brought 34 startups and 53 candidates together.
- **Headstart Mentor** — Mentoring initiative with monthly sessions and experienced founder participation.
- **Headstart Kickstart** — Fundraising initiative that curates startups and connects them with investor judges.
- **Investor Circle** — Investor education and curated startup access; published terms specify a Rs 24,999 annual fee and separate investment commitments. Headstart says it does not co-invest through this program.
- **Women Entrepreneurs Club** — Peer community, sector and stage-specific mentoring, workshops and investor networking for women founders.
- **D2C Blaze** — 12-week accelerator for early-stage direct-to-consumer businesses; the published cohort schedule runs from 2023 into January 2024.
- **Bharat Pitchathon** — Regional and virtual startup pitching program. Edition 5.0 offers open, women and student tracks.
- **India Finland Startup Hub** — Collaboration with Business Finland connecting the two countries’ startup communities.
- **Headstart Boosters** — Curated partner tools, service offers and startup credits.

## Achievements

- Bengaluru held its 100th consecutive Startup Saturday in May 2016.
- Mumbai announced its 100th Startup Saturday for August 2016.
- The 2023 impact report records 253 events, 1,997 startups supported and 8,400 participants during that year.
- Bharat Pitchathon’s page reports 800+ pitches and Rs 100+ crore raised after participation across its first four editions; attribution and totals are self-reported.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — At the research date, Bharat Pitchathon 5.0 is promoted on the website with open, women and student tracks; some schedule details differ between sections, so city-specific dates require checking.
- **2024-09** — Published the MoveInSync Mobility Hackathon announcement, including a Rs 6 lakh prize pool and an October 2024 prototype showcase.
- **2024-06** — Announced Bangalore Slush’D for August 10, 2024.

## Links

- Website: https://www.headstart.in/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/headstart-network-foundation
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/headstarters
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadstartNetwork
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headstartindia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Headstart.Network/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/headstart-network-foundation
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24