SaaSBoomi (now AIBoomi) Annual has always been a special event. Not because of what it offers on the surface, but also of what it asks of everyone who participates: A willingness to collaborate without hierarchy, to build momentum without formal authority, and to find meaning in shared purpose rather than individual profit. That ethos cannot emerge from a playbook. It is shaped, year after year, by the people who choose to be part of it. And nobody takes a bigger leap of faith than our partners.
In 2024, when I joined as a consultant, I arrived with instincts shaped by a world where success is measured in a monetary return on investment. SaaSBoomi had me unlearn some of that. The pace was new, the incentives were new, and so was the energy. Less than a year later, the community trusted me enough to hand me the showrunner role for Annual ’25. We closed most partnerships as early as December then.
This January, preparations for Annual ’26 began with zero commitments. Macro-economic conditions across the world have made conversations harder. Forty-five days later, we had nine partners locked in. And we made no commitments on the size of the logo, speaker spots or booths. Every single partner walked through that door with one intention: to support the community.
They wanted to be in the same room as 1000+ founders and support them individually as well as collectively. Their belief in the power of Indian innovation isn’t something we take lightly.
Behind the neat-and-tidy list of sponsors are nine very distinct stories. We cherish each one. So let me tell you more about what brought them here.
The Anchor
Avataar has been with this community the longest and the most consistent partner since 2024. They brought a sense of continuity and understanding while also not shying away from committing financially. Mohan and Nishant have always been closely aligned with the community, and with Rapti joining their team this year, the engagement felt even more intentional.
The Deep Mind
Google took time to come on board, but some of the strongest partnerships are built brick by brick. We’d been talking for a while, and this year their focus in the AI space seemed to align naturally with where our ecosystem is headed. With each round of discussion, their reasons to participate deepened.
The Conversationalist
Meta came in through the WhatsApp Business team. Their journey was step-by-step too: We had introductions, in-person meetings, and several conversations before the shape and scope of the engagement became clear. It was unusual and heartwarming when Meta modified their standard partnering approach for us. The roundtable they participated in eventually led to the creation of an informal playbook to guide founders.
The Insider
Wingify’s partnership was hardly by accident. Years of presence in our community meant the alignment was present. This outreach, as our innovation partner, just made it official. When the goals are so clear on both sides, the process doesn’t need to be complicated. And we are grateful for that.
The Bedrock
HSBC has consistently shown up for this community, and that history meant the conversation with Dilip could get straight to the heart of the matter. There was no need to explain the ecosystem or make the case for Annual. They already knew and understood it.
The Pathfinder
Avalara came in with a singular and meaningful aim. As our global expansion enablement partner, they wanted to engage with founders exploring global forays, particularly into the US. Rather than broad visibility, they chose to host a focused breakfast mixer on scaling and expansion. In this kind of format, more contextual, rooted discussions actually happen. And founders walked away with crucial feedback on their product and pricing.
The Benefactor
OpenAI’s participation stood out for its clarity of intent. We’d been in meetings throughout the year, and after our participation in the OpenAI Summit, things fell into place. As the awards partner, their engagement centred on encouraging founders, and they offered generous credits to attendees and award winners. That kind of support extends beyond the event itself.
The Kindred Spirit
Infinity joined as our registration partner, and our compatibility was clear from the start. As a young, YC-backed company, they’re building in the same ecosystem as many of the founders who walk through the door at Annual. Being the first touchpoint for every attendee is no minor responsibility, and they approached it with exactly that idea: Founders building for founders. I want to call out that, despite being a young company, their faith in us was unwavering.
The Catalyst
Jungle Ventures walked in as the entertainment partner, and that part of Annual carries its own magic. It’s where the room shapeshifts from structured sessions to open, free-form connections. With their help, the transition was seamless rather than jagged, smoothened by the Sufi tunes of Kaashi the band. The evening succeeded because of a mix of relationships on both sides: guided by Rishabh on the partner end, and Aditya Sanghi within our own volunteer network.
Nine partners walked in through nine different entry points. A few arrived through years of regular involvement, others through multiple conversations that ticked all the right boxes. Some had a sharp, specific goal in mind, others just felt drawn to the community and trusted all the rest would follow. That’s a harder fit to manufacture than a booth or a speaking slot, and a more durable one too.
Avinash often says that it takes a village to put together the Annual. I want to acknowledge our sponsor experience team – Sehar, Gautham, Anubhav, and Surya, who put their time, energy, and, in many cases, contact books towards the success of our landmark event. They not just kept their commitments, but often exceeded them.
For me personally, this journey (from a short-term consultant to showrunner to, now, someone who gets to write the important story of how our partnerships came together) has been proof that when the purpose is real, the best people find their way to it. And that sometimes, starting from zero is exactly the right place to begin.
