Startup Founders Discuss Art of Balancing Culture, Scale, and Chaos Leaders from some of India's fastest-growing startups came together to decode what really drives startups forward and what keeps their founders awake at night

Culture, chaos, and scale are three words that define every founder's journey from idea to IPO. At a recent panel titled "Inside a Startup's Mind: Culture, Scale and Chaos," hosted by Entrepreneur India, leaders from some of India's fastest-growing startups came together to decode what really drives startups forward and what keeps their founders awake at night.

The panel discussion featured Sandeep Deshmukh, Cofounder and CEO, Elastic Run; Anand Jain, Cofounder and CMO, CleverTap; and S. Karthik Venkateswaran, Cofounder and CEO, Jumbotail, who shared insights on navigating the startup lifecycle from managing uncertainty to preserving the DNA that defines a company's identity. The panel was moderated by Ayushman Baruah, Regional Bureau Head, Entrepreneur India.

Culture as the Foundation

For all three founders, culture emerged as the true starting point of every successful business. Deshmukh of ElasticRun called it "the capex investment of a company." He said, "Chaos is your daily opex, and scale is the outcome. If you don't set the culture right early, what you get at the end may not be scalable or sustainable."

Venkateswaran of Jumbotail took a nuanced view. "There are no right or wrong cultures – only strong or weak ones," he said. "The culture that works in your early days may not work when you are preparing for an IPO. As the company grows, the culture must evolve too."
CleverTap's Jain described culture as an anchor that allows flexibility without losing direction. "We operate in 15 locations across the world," he noted. "We are flexible on rituals but firm on principles. Transparency or respect, for example, should remain constant how it's practiced can vary locally."

Taming the Chaos

All three founders agreed that chaos is inevitable in startups and often necessary. "Chaos is neither good nor bad," Deshmukh said. "You need just the right amount. Too little, and you lose the hustle; too much, and you lose control."

Venkateswaran likened it to the law of conservation of chaos. "Problems never go away," he said. "They simply evolve as your company grows. The key is to respond rather than react."
Jain, meanwhile, shared how he personally deals with the constant churn. "As a founder, your mind rarely stops working," he said. "For me, trekking in the Sahyadris every weekend gives perspective. Sometimes the best ideas come when you are standing near a waterfall, away from the noise."

Scaling Without Losing Focus

With funding drying up and public markets rewarding profitability, the founders acknowledged that Indian startups are entering a new phase of discipline.

"The flavor of the season is profitability," Jain said. "Founders must track EBITDA margins and cash flows. Sustainable growth is what makes a company IPO-ready."
Deshmukh noted that scaling successfully requires rethinking both structure and people. "The team that thrives in chaos may not fit the profitability phase," he said. "Even founders have to evolve to meet new demands."

Venkateswaran emphasized that people remain the single most controllable variable. "If there's one thing to focus on, it's hiring," he said. "Hire right, not just fast. Don't outsource culture-building – it's too critical."

The Balancing Act

By the end of the discussion, one theme resonated across the panel – culture, chaos, and scale are not independent forces but interconnected phases of the same journey.

"Culture is the input, chaos is the process, and scale is the output," said Deshmukh. "You can't isolate one from the other."

For India's new generation of founders, the challenge is no longer just about building great products or attracting investors. It's about sustaining growth without losing the organizational soul – mastering just enough chaos to keep the spark alive.