Participants found the trip transformative, citing exposure to new ideas, strategic insights, and partnership opportunities, with founders like Shashank ND of Practo and Mira Jhala of Frogo emphasizing how the experience fueled their growth and innovation plans.

The success of this initial trip has sparked demand for similar global delegations, prompting SPF to plan expansion into other countries, highlighting the importance of international engagement for Indian startups to stay competitive in rapidly evolving tech landscapes.

Since its launch 10 months ago, SPF has grown to include over 60 members with a combined valuation nearing $90 billion, featuring prominent companies like Pine Labs, CRED, Razorpay, Swiggy, and Zerodha, focusing on policy advocacy, community building, and global outreach.

SPF’s initiative serves as a two-way bridge, attracting international interest in India while helping Indian startups navigate regulatory and compliance frameworks, with support from Indian diplomatic missions in the US acting as key facilitators.

The Startup Policy Forum (SPF) recently organized its inaugural 'Startup Safari,' a three-and-a-half-day international outreach trip to New York and San Francisco, bringing together 15 leading Indian startup founders to explore global innovation, AI, and venture capital opportunities.

The trip aimed to help Indian startups understand global trends, expand their networks, and explore potential partnerships by engaging with top institutions such as the World Bank, IFC, UN, and leading tech companies like OpenAI, NVIDIA, Groq, and Replit.

During the visit, Indian founders showcased AI adoption case studies from India, gained insights into the latest AI advancements through live demos and lab visits, and learned strategies to enhance their competitive edge in AI-driven growth.

Global investors including Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed, Bain Capital Ventures, and Salesforce Ventures expressed strong interest in India's startup ecosystem, noting some caution about AI's disruptive potential but remaining optimistic about India's scale and adaptability.