India, July 12 -- India's startup ecosystem has matured rapidly over the past decade. With more than 175K DPIIT-recognised startups and 121+ unicorns, the country fosters the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. Not to mention, this ecosystem is growing at a breakneck speed.

For context: The homegrown startup ecosystem has minted as many as nine unicorns since January 2024, while 14 startups have made their public market debut. Not just this, Indian startups have raised more than $161 Bn since 2014, witnessing a cumulative valuation of $650 Bn, as per Inc42 analysis.

However, behind this growth is the brigade of unsung heroes - CXOs, growth heads and product leaders, who have long been operating in the shadows of founders and e...