
30/08/2025
â ïž *Startup Funding: The Pay-to-Pitch Trap*
Priya and her younger sister Sunny had left their tech jobs at MNCs to chase something biggerâa vision of creating an ethical luxury garment startup like Zivame shook the lingerie space a decade ago. One day, a so-called â â from a Dubai-based accelerator wrote to them, claiming she had spotted their profile via a âfemale foundersâ program.â The timing felt divine. Days later, they also spotted an Insta ad glowing in their feeds: - Participation fee: âč29,000 per founder, pitched as a refundable âcuration fee.â Add-on: âč199,000 for a âpriority slot with VCsâ so they could be guaranteed face time.
On the pitch-day, barely a dozen founders had turned up. Strangely, not a single listed investor was present. The âorganizersâ mumbled excuses: health issues etc. They nodded sympathetically, reassured everyone about refund processing. As the day progressed, whispers of âscamâ filled the 5-star hall. By afternoon, chaos erupted. Participants stood stunned â their precious time, money, and emotional investment felt wasted.
The emotional aftermath was brutal. But rather than wallowing, Priya and Sunny chose the braver pathâseeking justice. They approached the ODFC Cyber Helpdesk, they found a structured lifeline. What surprised Priya most was that the wasnât just a âcomplaint portalââit was a continuum of cyber and legal escalation, right from an instant helpdesk to district-based services across the country.
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