Past Event | August 2026

Chai and Conversation

Gurgoan

Building a startup can be exciting, but it can also be lonely. Sometimes the best insights come from conversations with people who are walking the same path.

Free entry - Limited seats• 3.5-Hour•Open Founders' Discussion

This Is Not a Workshop — It Is a Real Conversation

Most events are presentations. This is a discussion. Moderated by field experts, driven by founder questions. Because the best startup learning happens in rooms where everyone is honest about what is hard.

The Isolated Founder

Building alone with no one to reality-check ideas or share the weight.
  • No peer community — navigates every challenge alone
  • Walks into fundraising blind — hits traps that were avoidable
  • Lacks a trusted network of founders at the same stage

The Connected Founder

Part of a community where real problems get real answers.
  • Learns from founders who have already made the mistakes
  • Understands fundraising traps before meeting investors
  • Builds a trusted peer network that compounds over time
What You'll Experience

What You'll Experience

Conversations, not pitches — no stage or decks, just honest talk
Chai-paced discussion — unhurried, built for real talk over networking-speed small talk
Peers on the same climb — everyone's wrestling with similar early-stage questions
3.5 hours, one open thread — enough time to actually dig into a problem
A small, intentional circle — limited seats keep it a conversation, not a crowd

Workshop Breakdown

Three battle-tested workshops designed to take you from zero to launch.

3:30 PM – 7:00 PMSaturday, 1 August 2026

Chai and Conversation — Founder Meetup and Discussion

Open Founder Discussion · Fundraising Traps Decoded · Peer Networking · Moderated by Setu Startup School

What You'll Learn

  • 3:30–4:00 PM — Introductions and setting the context
  • 4:00–4:45 PM — Open Founder Discussion: challenges, lessons, and practical insights from the room
  • 4:45–5:30 PM — Startup Fundraising: 10 Common Traps Every Founder Should Avoid
  • 5:30 PM onwards — Open Networking
  • Fundraising Traps covered: NDA Signing, Pvt Ltd incorporation, Equity Vesting, Valuation Trap (Pre vs Post), Dilution and ESOP pool, CCPS Preference trap, Reading the Soft NO of an investor, Friendly Investor Trap, Cap Table Trap, Due Diligence Trap

Your Deliverables

  • Peer connections with founders at the same stage
  • Practical awareness of 10 fundraising traps to avoid
  • Real perspectives from the open founder discussion
  • Access to the Setu Startup School community
Registration Closed

Meet Your Host

Gaurav Bansal
Discussion Moderator

Gaurav Bansal

Founder, Setu Startup School | 2X Entrepreneur

Gaurav moderated the discussions and led the Fundraising Traps session. With 15+ years of experience building startups and working at organisations like Just Dial, HDFC Bank, and Idea Cellular, he brings both operator and mentor perspective.
  • Founder, Setu Startup School
  • Former Startup Mentor — IIT Delhi (DMS), IIT Madras, IIM Rohtak, Wadhwani Foundation
  • 2X Entrepreneur
  • Former roles at Just Dial, HDFC Bank, Idea Cellular

Frequently Asked Questions

This is an informal discussion meetup — not a workshop or presentation. Sessions: 3:30–4:00 PM Introductions, 4:00–4:45 PM Open Founder Discussion, 4:45–5:30 PM Fundraising Traps, 5:30 PM+ Networking.
1. The NDA Signing trap. 2. Not having a Pvt Ltd incorporated + no Co-Founder agreement. 3. Equity Vesting and Re-vesting. 4. The Valuation Trap (Pre vs Post). 5. The Dilution conflict (ESOP pool). 6. The CCPS Preference trap. 7. Understanding the Soft NO of an investor. 8. The Friendly Investor Trap. 9. The Cap Table Trap. 10. The Due Diligence Trap.
Yes, entry is free. However seats are limited. Filling the Google Form is mandatory to confirm your seat.
Ofis Square, 4th Floor, Block-1, Vatika Business Park, Badshahpur Sohna Rd, Vatika City, Block W, Sector 49, Gurugram, Haryana 122018. Google Map: https://share.google/mzi5enwSKmF5JmanQ
Startup Founders, early-stage entrepreneurs, aspiring founders, and anyone interested in startup fundraising and company building.
Email: event.tss2025@gmail.com

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