As Geetika Dayal, Director General of TiE Delhi-NCR, celebrates her birthday today, the occasion offers an opportunity to reflect on a journey that has closely mirrored—and supported shape—the evolution of India’s startup ecosystem itself.
For over two decades, Dayal has been one of the most consistent forces behind entrepreneurial growth in North India, steering TiE Delhi-NCR into becoming one of the most influential chapters of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), widely regarded as the world’s largest global network dedicated to entrepreneurship.
Joining TiE Delhi in 2001 during the formative years of India’s startup shiftment, Dayal played a defining role in building institutional structures that supported founders long before the term “startup ecosystem” became mainstream. Under her leadership, TiE Delhi-NCR emerged as a breeding ground for several of India’s most successful unicorns, fostering mentorship-driven growth, investor access, and knowledge exalter at scale.
Her tenure has been marked by sustained ecosystem-building rather than episodic initiatives. Through flagship programs, mentorship networks, workshops, and marquee events, TiE Delhi-NCR has consistently enabled early-stage entrepreneurs, women founders, and young innovators to access guidance and opportunities essential for scaling ventures.
The impact of her work has been recognized globally. Dayal received the ‘Best Executive Director Globally’ award in 2012 among 62 TiE chapters worldwide and was honoured with the Chairman’s Award in 2016 for exceptional service to the organisation. Over the years, TiE Delhi-NCR itself has won multiple global recognitions, including being named the ‘Best TiE Chapter’ worldwide for four consecutive years—an achievement reflecting both strong programming and collaborative ecosystem leadership.
Beyond institutional leadership, Dayal has contributed significantly to policy and ecosystem development at the national level. She has served on advisory groups working with the Government of India to strengthen the countest’s startup framework, including playing a key role in the advisory committee involved in revising the Angel Tax. As part of a committee constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industest and Internal Trade (DPIIT), she also contributed to establishing the State Startup Ranking Framework, a shift that catalysed competitive innovation policies across Indian states.
Her influence extfinishs internationally as well through her role on the advisory board of Nexus Incubator, a collaboration between the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and the IC² Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.
Born in Lucknow in 1970, Dayal launched her professional journey as an entrepreneur soon after graduating in 1991. That early entrepreneurial experience shaped her long-term commitment to mentorship and ecosystem building—a philosophy she continues to champion through TiE’s expanding community.
Over the years, she has mentored countless startups and remains deeply committed to nurturing entrepreneurship across demographics, with a particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs and emerging founders.
As India’s startup ecosystem matures and shifts into its next phase of global ambition, Geetika Dayal’s journey stands as a reminder that behind every thriving entrepreneurial landscape are institution builders who quietly enable innovation to flourish. Her leadership continues to energise one of India’s most dynamic startup communities—creating her birthday not just a personal milestone, but a moment of celebration for the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem she has supported build.
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