VMPL
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], September 24: Indian Startup School (ISS), a new-age institution dedicated to empowering first-time founders and nurturing grassroots entrepreneurship, has officially declined a funding offer from some of India's most prominent business leaders.
The investment proposal came from Sahil Jindal (Managing Director, Jindal Group), Umesh Kumar Agarwal (Managing Director, Haldirams), Rajat Singhal, and Aakash Goyal (Prominent Angel Investor). While discussions around paperwork had begun, ISS ultimately decided to stay aligned with its philosophy of a "founder-first approach" and raising capital primarily from first-time entrepreneurs who resonate with the school's mission.
Staying True to Its Vision
Founded by Shivang Slathia, Indian Startup School is positioned as an ecosystem for aspiring entrepreneurs to learn, launch, and scale their ventures through bootcamps, mentorship, angel investing, and a supportive community. ISS emphasizes hands-on guidance from entrepreneurs themselves, ensuring that students and founders are mentored by those who have built companies from the ground up.
Speaking about the decision, Shivang Slathia said:
"At ISS, we strongly believe in walking the talk of our founder-first philosophy. While we are deeply grateful for the interest shown by respected legacy business leaders from the Jindal Group, and Haldirams, we felt it was important to raise from first-generation founders to keep our DNA authentic. Our goal is to inspire and empower those who are just starting out, and having successful first-generation founders on our cap table means far more alignment with our mission."
Guidance Beyond Capital
Even without formal investment, the business leaders have been closely engaged with ISS. They visited the Gurugram campus, interacted with students, and shared their insights with the founding team.
Slathia added:
"Despite the paperwork was still under negotiation, Mr. Jindal, Mr. Agarwal, Mr. Singhal, and Mr. Goyal were extremely gracious and supportive. They came to our campus, mentored our students, and offered valuable inputs to us as legacy business leaders. Their experience in building and managing large enterprises has been immensely helpful, and we continue to cherish their guidance."
Building a New Kind of Entrepreneurial School
Indian Startup School's model combines structured learning programs with practical exposure, investor access, and community-driven growth. Unlike traditional incubators, ISS integrates fundraising, mentorship, and founder-to-founder learning under one roof. Its approach seeks to democratize entrepreneurship education and ensure that ambitious founders, regardless of background, gain the resources and mindset required to scale.
Slathia concluded:
"We want to build a school that future generations of entrepreneurs and investors look up to, not just for funding or mentorship, but for the spirit of entrepreneurship itself. The fact that leaders from such respected families believed in our vision is a huge validation for us, even though we chose to chart a different fundraising path."
With its founder-first investment philosophy, Indian Startup School continues to set itself apart as a pioneering institution focused on cultivating the next generation of India's entrepreneurs.
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