Ankur Bisen on the Collapse of Decorum and Founder-Led Feuds in India’s Startup Ecosystem
In an article published by
Storyboard18,
Ankur Bisen, Senior Partner & Head of Consumer, Food & Retail at
Technopak Advisors, provides key insights into the ongoing transformation of India’s startup ecosystem.
Addressing the increasing trend of public feuds and aggressive marketing tactics within the Q-commerce sector, Ankur contextualizes the current shift by drawing parallels to past industries.
The Rise of Public Bickering in the Indian Startup Scene
Reflecting on the evolution of India’s FMCG and auto sectors in the 80s and 90s, Ankur notes the stark contrast in business decorum that characterized the growth of these industries compared to the current wave of Indian startups.
He observes, “If you rewind to the 80s and 90s, when India’s FMCG or auto sectors were growing, there was no public bickering. There was a decorum. What we’re seeing today is a collapse of that value system in the Indian startup ecosystem.”
The comment highlights the increasingly combative nature of the Q-commerce sector, where players like Zepto, Blinkit, and others engage in high-stakes, public-facing brand wars.
While competition has always been a part of business, Ankur suggests that these public spats set a dangerous precedent, especially given the aspirational status of startup founders among India’s youth.
The Impact of Indian Founder-Led Feuds on Brand Loyalty
For Ankur, the impact of founder-led reputation management can extend beyond the business itself.
He calls attention to the broader consequences, including how such behavior influences consumer trust and sets a poor benchmark for younger generations.
He also questions the core promise of the Q-commerce sector, which he believes is “oversold” in India’s tier-2 and rural markets, citing high fulfillment costs and limited scalability.
As Q-commerce platforms face increasing competition and pressures from investors, these public spats may provide short-term visibility, but they could come at the cost of long-term brand value and customer loyalty.
Supporting Strategic Retail Transformation
Ankur Bisen’s insights into the evolving dynamics of India’s startup ecosystem highlight Technopak’s expertise in guiding businesses through the challenges of Q-commerce growth, founder-led brand strategies, and navigating competitive market landscapes.
Whether it’s category expansion, private label strategy, or Q-commerce profitability, our insights are built on decades of experience and real-world data.
We work closely with clients to evaluate emerging categories through a multi-lens approach—consumer behaviour, infrastructure, margin potential, and operational scalability.
As the retail ecosystem evolves rapidly, our role is to balance ambition with execution reality.
This feature in The Morning Context aligns with Technopak’s ongoing work in:
Q-commerce and hyperlocal retail consulting
Private label strategy for high-growth categories
Cold chain and last-mile innovation
Omnichannel and direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy advisory
At Technopak, we believe the future of retail will be built on precision, adaptability, and consumer-first thinking—not just speed.
Need help assessing a new category or go-to-market model?
Reach out to Technopak for tailored, forward-looking consulting across Q-commerce, food retail, e-commerce, broader retail transformation, and consumer strategy.
