Among the marquee sessions at Innofest India 3.0, taking place 30th September – 1st October 2026 at the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, is a Panel Discussion titled “India-Global Business Dialogue: Connecting MSMEs & Startups to World Market.” True to its name, the panel brings together voices from two very different corners of the globe - South Korea and Austria to speak directly to India’s startup and MSME community, reflecting just how far Innofest India has extended its reach since its earlier editions.
A Fest That Thinks Beyond Borders
Innofest India, organised by FUISI (Federation of Unicorn Innovative Startup and Industries) in collaboration with the Poddar Group of Institutions, has always positioned itself as Rajasthan’s largest entrepreneurship fest. But with its third edition, the ambition on display goes well beyond regional scale.
Innofest India 3.0 is expected to draw a footfall of over 10,000, with participation from 400+ startups, 100+ investors, and 100+ industrialists and corporates. Increasingly, that participation is international in character.
The India-Global Business Dialogue panel is one of the clearest signals of that shift. Rather than limiting its conversations to domestic funding or local mentorship, Innofest 3.0 is actively bringing in global trade bodies, foreign incubators and cross-border business leaders to sit on stage with Indian founders and MSME owners.
It is a deliberate statement: Rajasthan’s startup ecosystem is ready to engage the world stage, not just the national one.
This international focus also adds another dimension to Innofest as a Rajasthan startup event. The fest is creating a platform where local and regional entrepreneurs can connect with international perspectives, explore new markets and understand the possibilities that exist beyond India's domestic business landscape.
The Panelists
Mahima Jinah Kim - Founder, Unicorn Incubator, South Korea
As the founder of Unicorn Incubator in South Korea, Ms. Kim brings a first-hand understanding of how Asian startup ecosystems identify, nurture and scale high-growth companies. Her participation opens a direct channel between Indian founders and the South Korean innovation and incubation landscape, a market increasingly interested in cross-border collaboration with India.
Hans-Jörg Hörtnagl - Head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, New Delhi
Representing Austria’s official foreign trade promotion organisation in India, Mr. Hörtnagl’s role puts him at the intersection of Austrian and Indian business interests. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA works to facilitate trade, investment and partnership opportunities between the two countries, making his presence highly relevant for MSMEs and startups eyeing the European market.
Together, their presence at Innofest gives the fest a genuinely cross-continental character, something few regional startup events in India have managed to build into their core programming.
Why Global Connections Matter for Indian Startups
For a growing startup or MSME, entering an international market can bring significant opportunities, but it also comes with questions.
Which markets are the right fit? How does a business identify international partners? What regulatory requirements need to be understood? How can an Indian company build credibility with overseas customers and investors?
These are the kinds of questions that become more relevant as Indian businesses look beyond domestic growth.
The India-Global Business Dialogue aims to bring these issues into a practical conversation. Instead of treating global expansion as a distant ambition, the session creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs to understand the first steps involved in building international relationships.
For startups, this could mean discovering potential incubators, investors, technology partners or distribution networks. For MSMEs, it could mean understanding how to approach new markets, establish trade relationships and position their products and services for international buyers.
From Jaipur to the World
One of the most important aspects of the session is its location.
By bringing international business representatives and startup ecosystem leaders to Jaipur, Innofest is helping place the city within a larger conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation and global business.
The event's wider startup exhibition in Jaipur / Rajasthan further strengthens this opportunity by bringing together businesses and ideas under one roof. Entrepreneurs can showcase what they are building while international delegates and ecosystem stakeholders get an opportunity to discover emerging businesses from the region.
This creates a two-way exchange.
Indian startups get exposure to global opportunities, while international participants get a closer look at the entrepreneurial talent, products and innovations emerging from Rajasthan and India.
Why This Session Fits Innofest’s Larger Purpose
Innofest India was built on the philosophy of “Creating Job Creators”, a vision championed by Dr. Anand Poddar, Chairman & Founder of the Poddar Group of Institutions and FUISI.
That mission has never been just about helping founders raise their next round. It is about building an entrepreneurial ecosystem robust enough to create real, lasting employment.
Sessions like the India-Global Business Dialogue extend that mission outward, recognising that job creation increasingly depends on Indian startups and MSMEs being able to trade, partner and compete internationally, not just domestically.
There is also an important connection between education and entrepreneurship in this ecosystem. The academia's role in startup ecosystem development is becoming increasingly significant, as institutions can help students and young entrepreneurs gain exposure to industry, innovation, entrepreneurship and international business opportunities.
Through its institutional ecosystem and entrepreneurship-focused initiatives, Innofest provides another bridge between academia, industry, investors and entrepreneurs.
.Making “Going Global” More Practical
For many Indian startups and MSMEs, the idea of “going global” can feel abstract, a distant milestone rather than an achievable near-term goal.
This is exactly the gap Innofest is trying to close by bringing in people who work on cross-border business every day.
The conversation is expected to explore areas such as:
- What international investors and incubators look for in Indian startups
- How MSMEs can prepare for international trade and partnerships
- Opportunities for Indian businesses in European and Asian markets
- How trade promotion organisations can support market entry
- The importance of international networking and strategic partnerships
- Practical steps founders can take before expanding overseas
These conversations can be particularly valuable for founders who have already established a product or service in India and are considering their next stage of growth.
Why Global Connections Matter for Indian Startups
For a growing startup or MSME, entering an international market can bring significant opportunities, but it also comes with questions.
Which markets are the right fit? How does a business identify international partners? What regulatory requirements need to be understood? How can an Indian company build credibility with overseas customers and investors?
These are the kinds of questions that become more relevant as Indian businesses look beyond domestic growth.
The India-Global Business Dialogue aims to bring these issues into a practical conversation. Instead of treating global expansion as a distant ambition, the session creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs to understand the first steps involved in building international relationships.
For startups, this could mean discovering potential incubators, investors, technology partners or distribution networks. For MSMEs, it could mean understanding how to approach new markets, establish trade relationships and position their products and services for international buyers.
From Jaipur to the World
One of the most important aspects of the session is its location.
By bringing international business representatives and startup ecosystem leaders to Jaipur, Innofest is helping place the city within a larger conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation and global business.
The event's wider startup exhibition in Jaipur / Rajasthan further strengthens this opportunity by bringing together businesses and ideas under one roof. Entrepreneurs can showcase what they are building while international delegates and ecosystem stakeholders get an opportunity to discover emerging businesses from the region.
This creates a two-way exchange.
Indian startups get exposure to global opportunities, while international participants get a closer look at the entrepreneurial talent, products and innovations emerging from Rajasthan and India.
Why This Session Fits Innofest’s Larger Purpose
Innofest India was built on the philosophy of “Creating Job Creators”, a vision championed by Dr. Anand Poddar, Chairman & Founder of the Poddar Group of Institutions and FUISI.
That mission has never been just about helping founders raise their next round. It is about building an entrepreneurial ecosystem robust enough to create real, lasting employment.
Sessions like the India-Global Business Dialogue extend that mission outward, recognising that job creation increasingly depends on Indian startups and MSMEs being able to trade, partner and compete internationally, not just domestically.
There is also an important connection between education and entrepreneurship in this ecosystem. The academia's role in startup ecosystem development is becoming increasingly significant, as institutions can help students and young entrepreneurs gain exposure to industry, innovation, entrepreneurship and international business opportunities.
Through its institutional ecosystem and entrepreneurship-focused initiatives, Innofest provides another bridge between academia, industry, investors and entrepreneurs.
.Making “Going Global” More Practical
For many Indian startups and MSMEs, the idea of “going global” can feel abstract, a distant milestone rather than an achievable near-term goal.
This is exactly the gap Innofest is trying to close by bringing in people who work on cross-border business every day.
The conversation is expected to explore areas such as:
- What international investors and incubators look for in Indian startups
- How MSMEs can prepare for international trade and partnerships
- Opportunities for Indian businesses in European and Asian markets
- How trade promotion organisations can support market entry
- The importance of international networking and strategic partnerships
- Practical steps founders can take before expanding overseas
These conversations can be particularly valuable for founders who have already established a product or service in India and are considering their next stage of growth.
Strengthening Innofest’s Place on the Global Startup Map
With international delegates, foreign trade bodies and cross-border investors now becoming part of its agenda, Innofest India 3.0 is doing more than hosting a panel, it is building a reputation.
Each edition of the fest has grown not just in numbers but in the seriousness and diversity of the conversations it hosts. Sessions like the India-Global Business Dialogue are helping expand the definition of what a startup fest can offer.
For Indian entrepreneurs, the opportunity is increasingly about more than funding. It is about access - access to markets, people, knowledge, partnerships and global networks.
That is what makes international participation particularly important.
As Innofest India 3.0 brings together startups, investors, industrialists, policymakers, institutions and international business representatives, it is creating an environment where local ideas can connect with global opportunities.
And that broader ambition is helping Innofest strengthen its position as a top startup fest in India,one that not only celebrates entrepreneurship but actively works to connect Indian businesses with the wider world.