Why AI startups cost more, not less to build: Investor insights from ET Soonicorns Summit 2025
By
Binu Mathew
“We joke internally that founders seem to want to start only two kinds of companies, AI (artificial intelligence) and quick commerce in India,” remarked Ritesh Banglani, Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners, at the recent ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 in Bengaluru. But beneath this entrepreneurial enthusiasm lies a counterintuitive reality that’s reshaping how investors think about the next wave of startups.
