From the outside, it could easily be reduced to scale. 100 founders. Nearly $200 Bn in combined valuation. Over $20 Bn in revenue.

But what unfolded over those days in Udaipur was not about scale. It was about something far less visible, and far more real. The founder journey, especially at scale, can be deeply isolating.

The decisions get heavier. The stakes get higher. And the number of people who truly understand what you’re navigating becomes smaller.

Griffin Retreat was built around that reality. Set against the backdrop of Lake Pichola at The Oberoi Udaivilas, the retreat was built over months with a clear focus on continuity, creating spaces where conversations didn’t stop when a session ended. From wellness-led zones designed for pause, to informal formats that created ease, to quieter concepts that allowed for release, every layer was built to influence how people showed up, all under Chatham House Rule.

Held from April 3-5. The Giffin Retreat room together leaders across institutions, policy, capital, and company-building. Voices such as T.

V. Mohandas Pai, V. Vaidyanathan, Amitabh Kant, R. Srinivasan, Dr.

S. Somanath, and Pawan Kumar Chandana brought perspectives shaped by capital, policy, and frontier innovation. The room also included Abhinav Bindra and Kapil Dev, who brought perspectives from entirely different arenas of performance, discipline, and resilience.

They were joined by founders and operators, including boAt’s Aman Gupta, OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal, Ghazal Alagh of Honasa, Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Nazara’s Nitish Mittersain, Rishikesh SR of Rapido, and more, builders navigating scale, complexity, and constant decision-making. What this created was not just diversity in presence, but depth in perspective, different journeys, but a shared understanding of what it takes to operate at this level. Looking back, what stands out is not just what was discussed, but how the room engaged.

The speed at which people opened up. The absence of filters. And the fact that these conversations continued well beyond the sessions themselves.

All of this comes at a time when India is moving towards a $1 trillion digital economy, where the nature of company-building is shifting from scale to building enduring institutions. In that context, the need for spaces that enable honest, high-context exchange becomes increasingly important — where conversations match the scale of what is being built. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our partners.

Inc42’s Griffin Retreat 2026 was co-presented by IDFC FIRST Bank and powered by Smartworks, IndigoEdge, Rukam Capital, Avalara, Nitro and Playbook Partners, whose contributions helped bring this one-of-a-kind experience to life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Inc42 (@inc42.media) Presenting Partner IDFC First Bank The private sector bank, formed from the merger of IDFC Bank and Capital First in 2018 under the leadership of V Vaidyanathan, offers a suite of financial products and services across retail, MSME and corporate segments. With a strong focus on technology-driven banking, customer-first products and ethical practices, IDFC First Bank has built a differentiated franchise centered around transparency and accessibility.

The bank continues to support India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by enabling businesses with tailored financial solutions and long-term partnerships. Powered by Rukam Capital The venture capital firm invests in consumer products and services companies at an early stage based on strong growth potential they hold. The Delhi-based VC firm targets businesses focussed on innovation and transformation.

It counts startups like GO DESi, Sleepy Owl, Burger Singh, Curefoods, Beco, and Yoho in its portfolio. Avalara Avalara is a global leader in tax and compliance automation, helping businesses navigate complex indirect tax and compliance requirements. Its cloud-based solutions simplify GST, invoicing and cross-border tax compliance, enabling ecommerce and D2C brands to scale across markets while staying compliant.

Smartworks Smartworks is India’s leading managed workspace platform, offering fully serviced, tech-enabled office solutions to enterprises. Headquartered in Gurugram, the company operates large-format campuses across major cities, catering primarily to mid-to-large enterprises and global capability centres (GCCs). It enables businesses to scale seamlessly while optimising costs and employee experience.

IndigoEdge IndigoEdge is a venture capital firm that focuses on supporting technology companies and consumer brands. IndigoEdge invests primarily in early and growth-stage startups in sectors such as media and entertainment, ecommerce, consumer services, enterprise tech and travel tech. Its portfolio companies include WinZO, SatSure and Revv. Playbook Partners The Mumbai-based venture capital firm invests in early stage tech-enabled businesses, targeting large market opportunities that offer positive