ASCENT Chennai Chapter consists of 66% First Generation business owners

ASCENT Foundation, a not-for-profit, peer-to-peer learning platform founded by Harsh Mariwala, Chairman, Marico Ltd has registered over 25% increase in members for the Chennai chapter. ASCENT had started its Chennai Chapter in 2018 with 25 members and currently consists of 103 members. The trust groups allow like-minded, growth-oriented entrepreneurs to learn and unlearn through peer learning and support.

A recent event hosted by ASCENT in Chennai on September 29, 2022 with Harsh Mariwala, Chairperson, Marico, and Founder ASCENT, Archanna Das, CEO, ASCENT and its cohort members from Chennai Gayathri Viswanathan, Director, Maarga Systems Pvt Ltd., and Mahimm Gupta, Managing Director, PPMS Field Marketing Pvt. Ltd discussed the importance of peer learning and support to build resilient leaders of tomorrow.

ASCENT has been actively reaching out to growth-oriented entrepreneurs from Chennai requiring peer support since the past four years. In 2018, the Chennai Chapter started with 25 members in two trust groups. The entrepreneurial interest from Chennai saw exponential growth, recording a 25% year-on-year increase in members for the Chennai Chapter. At present, ASCENT consists of 103 members from Chennai divided in 9 Trust groups with 66% First Generation Entrepreneurs seeking peer support to navigate through the dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“The entrepreneurial market of Chennai has always been thriving and with the right mindset of entrepreneurs” quoted Harsh Mariwala, Founder, ASCENT at the event. This is the key reason why this ecosystem has been a focus of ASCENT for more than 4 years with its first Chennai chapter. The state offers opportunities for entrepreneurial development not just from Chennai but other uprising markets with potential like Coimbatore, Puducherry, Theni, Salem, Mahabalipuram, Erode and Madurai, etc with a focus on both personal and enterprise growth for entrepreneurs.”

Chennai makes up 16% of the total members in ASCENT with 66% Family owned and 61% service from various industries like Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Rubber Plastic Manufacturing, Banking & Finance, Textiles, Logistics, and Technology. Through the ASCENT Trust groups of likeminded leaders of tomorrow, Chennai entrepreneurs have received access to a pan India viewpoint, operational efficiency, and a diverse network. This has enabled a sense of quicker adoption of the drastic economy, higher peer support and tangible growth in business. Consistent peer support is the key ingredient to tap the potential of the rising entrepreneurial spirit in the Tamil Nadu market.

The Chennai entrepreneurial market is witnessing rising interest from young/ first generation entrepreneurs as well as third generation entrepreneurs who are building the business for tomorrow or joining their family businesses. “We have in fact witnessed peer learning requirements from entrepreneurs across India with more and more queries from emerging markets like Chennai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, etc. To create this All-India access, we launched our All-India chapter in 2020 to be able to act as a platform that can connect leaders of tomorrow with each other without the restrictions of geography.

Chennai and the neighbouring cities like Coimbatore, Madurai, Mahaballipuram continues to be a focus area for us, with a dedicated chapter well established here, we believe in the potential of the market to produce growth-oriented business owners, leaders, and peers.” concluded Archanna Das, CEO, ASCENT. 

ASCENT will be hosting 7th edition of ASCENT conclave with 1200+ entrepreneurs from across India in Mumbai on November 27, 2022.