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The Startup Catalyst: Building the Ecosystem with Ashish Garde | Between Us™ Podcast

What does it really take to create a thriving startup culture in India’s small towns?

In this episode of Between Us™, we sit down with Ashish Garde, Director of MAGIC Incubator, and one of the most influential figures quietly reshaping India’s startup ecosystem.

From mentoring women entrepreneurs to empowering rural innovators, Ashish shares what it means to support startups that don’t always come from Silicon Valley-like cities — but from Tier II and Tier III Bharat.

This isn’t just about incubation — it’s about inclusivity, economic transformation, and building the future from the grassroots up.

In This Episode:

• How incubators create new markets, not just support them
• MAGIC’s model for mentoring Tier II & rural founders
• The untold stories of underrepresented entrepreneurs
• Startups as tools for job creation, innovation, and equality
• AI, climate, and grassroots innovation — the trends to watch

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & more.

Watch now & subscribe for more real conversations from the heart of India’s transformation.

Let us know your biggest takeaway from the episode in the comments.

Timestamps

00:00 – Coming Up

01:49 – Introduction

03:12 – Personal Journey

04:26 – What Matters

15:40 – Tier 2 & 3 Startup Challenges

24:36 – Empowering Women & Rural Entrepreneurs

28:17 – How MAGIC Supports Innovators

29:47 – Stories from the Ground

32:56 – Bridging the Entrepreneurial Gap

40:22 – Social Impact of Startups

46:10 – Challenges as an Incubator

48:40 – What’s Brewing

54:18 – The Copy-Paste Problem in Startups

1:12:37 – Rapid Fire

1:21:46 – Final Thoughts & Outro

Between us ™️ Podcast links

Website: www.andbetweenus.com

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@betweenuspodcast

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5HD4qrh7B76uTJxVT81aQu?si=RFuQ844FTQyF7j2sop_6xA

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/between-us-make-every-conversation-count/id1693184962

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The idea of ‘Between Us’ stems from the fact that every conversation matters, especially the one that we have with ourselves. Using podcast as a medium, I am fortunate to bring folks who have made an impact in everyday lives, from diverse backgrounds, to engage in a meaningful conversation. The topics are as diverse and deeply interconnected - from climate justice to big tech to healthcare as a constitutional right to millennial expectations to gender equality and inclusiveness. I warmly welcome you to join me in this journey.

Tags:

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