'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In a trailblazing confluence of entrepreneurship and mind sports, India witnessed the inaugural Founder Poker Series, a first-of-its-kind event that swapped pitch decks for poker chips and brought together the country’s most dynamic startup founders and business leaders at the table - not to raise capital, but to raise the stakes.
Co-hosted by PokerBaazi, India’s largest poker platform, and Offline, an invite-only network for scaled-up founders across India and the UAE, the Founder Poker Series marked a unique chapter in India’s startup culture, spotlighting poker as a skill-based mind sport that mirrors the calculated risks and strategic thinking of entrepreneurship.
With over 120 founders, CXOs, and industry trailblazers from sectors including fintech, healthcare, coffee, AI, sports-tech, legal-tech, and more, the exclusive event blurred the lines between boardroom strategy and poker-table smarts.
Trending
The final 18 who battled it out at the grand finale included marquee names such as Matt Citharanjan (Blue Tokai), Ashish Shah (Pepperfry), Ankit Maheshwari (Innovaccer), Aakarsh Nayyar (Aliste), Revant Bhate (Mosaic Wellness), Pranav Ahuja (Xeno), Saurav Suman (Proho), Rohan Desai (Medflix), Shivam Singla (Leegality), Sudeep Singh (Feather & Spun), Vaibhav Jain (Hubilo), Varun Ganjoo (Baazi Games) Utsav Somani (Offline), Vinit Kore (BigHit Sportz), Anirudh Bhardwaj (Recur Club), Sumit Lakhani (Awfis), Ravi Mittal (Socioboxx), and Karn Nagpal (Rosmerta Technologies & My Raasta).
From Brewing Coffee to Playing the Perfect Hand, Matt Chitharanjan, Co-founder and CEO of Blue Tokai, walked away with the trophy, cementing his place not just as a pioneer of India’s specialty coffee movement but now also as a Poker champion.
“Founders are always making calculated steps on people, on ideas, on timing,”
said Matt Chitharanjan.
“Poker felt like a natural extension of that world. It’s about reading situations, managing risks, and trusting your instincts. That’s not just a game, that’s a Tuesday at a startup.”
The series was more than a contest, it was a community moment. The founders bonded over flops and folds, discussed exits and equity between hands, and revealed the person behind the pitch. In a world often obsessed with hustle, the poker table offered a rare pause, where calculated risk and mental sharpness reigned supreme.
As the chips settled, one thing became clear: whether in startups or on the felt, India’s founders are playing a long game, one that rewards courage, clarity, and conviction.
