Investor insights from ET Soonicorns Summit 2025

“We joke internally that founders seem to want to start only two kinds of companies, AI (artificial intelligence) and quick commerce in India,” remarked Ritesh Banglani, Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners, at the recent ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 in Bengaluru. But beneath this entrepreneurial enthusiasm lies a counterintuitive reality that’s reshaping how investors think about the next wave of startups.

Contrary to widespread belief that artificial intelligence will make company building cheaper and faster, leading venture capitalists (VCs)…