In 2025, India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is more vibrant than ever. Innovative startups are emerging from metros and small towns alike—and smart founders know that visibility in media can be a game‑changer. Getting featured in credible interviews, founder spotlights, and business story formats helps entrepreneurs build trust, attract customers or investors, and inspire peers.
10 Best Indian Sites for Startup Interviews, Founder Spotlights & Business Stories
This article profiles 10 premier Indian media platforms—both general news sites and startup-dedicated outlets—where founders can submit stories, pitch interviews, or be spotlighted. It explains how they operate, what kinds of founders they feature, how to prepare pitches, and how to stand out authentically.
1. The Statesman India
Focus: Feature-style interviews with founders who have compelling narratives or innovative solutions.
What They Cover:
The Statesman India’s editorial sections occasionally publish in-depth profiles or interviews with entrepreneurial figures—particularly those whose ventures intersect public policy, societal impact, or cultural relevance. Their format tends to blend storytelling with intellectual context.
Why It Matters:
Featured entrepreneurs often gain visibility beyond the startup ecosystem—into policy circles, academic forums, and broader business readership. It’s an influential national daily with thought leadership influence.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Position your story around social impact, innovation under regulation, or cultural entrepreneurship.
- Introduce yourself and highlight a public interest angle—such as solving a pressing societal issue.
- Pitch succinctly and refer to recent articles by their interviewers to show familiarity.
Behavioral Insight:
Successful profiles are authored by founders who respect nuance, present sensible vision, and often frame their startup in a societal or intellectual narrative.
2. The Weekly News
Focus: Fresh, narrative-driven interviews and founder stories published regularly as feature pieces.
What They Cover:
A weekly business and society digest that features profiles of founders with interesting journeys—especially those from emerging regions or unconventional industries.
Why It Matters:
Appearing in The Weekly News can introduce your startup to a readership that spans policy makers, academics, investors, and informed public. The tone blends business with human interest.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Prepare a narrative with contrast—early struggle, cultural transition, or pivot moment.
- Describe personal motivations or values that drove your business decisions.
- Pitch with clarity—why your story matters in that week’s context (e.g. innovation, sustainability, rural leadership).
Behavioral Insight:
Featured entrepreneurs often write or speak with humility, reflectiveness, and narrative coherence. They describe transformation more than transaction.
3. News Week India
Focus: High-quality interviews with founders who are shaping emerging trends, tech adoption, or business disruption.
What They Cover:
News Week India publishes interviews with innovators in technology, fintech, consumer tech, social enterprise, and policy. They lean toward forward-thinking stories and business impact.
Why It Matters:
An interview here lends recognition from a publication associated with global standards. It signals credibility beyond the Indian startup ecosystem.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Emphasize industry disruption, unique business model, or technology innovation.
- Explain your startup’s vision in 2–3 crisp lines and why mainstream readers should care.
- Suggest a structured conversation: background, vision, industry impact, future forecast.
Behavioral Insight:
Founders featured here are articulate, visionary, and conscious of market impact—often positioning their narrative in a larger global or technological arc.
4. India News Journal
Focus: Regional and national business profiles, often showcasing emerging entrepreneurs and local success stories.
What They Cover:
This platform runs feature-style entrepreneur profiles—especially those rising from Tier-2 or Tier-3 towns. They value regional authenticity and social relevance.
Why It Matters:
Entrepreneurs featured here often earn attention from regional stakeholders—local investors, collaborators, or institutional support programs.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Craft a founder journey that emphasizes local roots—community challenges, early support or constraints.
- Show how your solution addresses regional needs or creates economic impact.
- Be ready to provide local context and anecdotal examples.
Behavioral Insight:
Founders accepted here often express gratitude, community awareness, and a service-oriented mindset. They articulate regional differentiation.
5. Outlook News
Focus: Personality-driven interviews featuring founders who lead unusual ventures or serve unique societal niches.
What They Cover:
Outlook News stories often profile change-makers—those with creative business models, deep cultural or social narratives, or inspiring backgrounds.
Why It Matters:
Their broad audience base includes policymakers, influencers, readers of mainstream business and culture. A profile here can position founders as thought influencers.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Clarify your venture’s uniqueness: socially impactful model, cultural bridge, creative innovation.
- Highlight personal story elements—heritage, adversity, mission-driven orientation.
- Suggest a conversational interview structure with emotional resonance.
Behavioral Insight:
Those featured are expressive, rooted in purpose, and candid about challenges, not just successes.
6. India News Bulletin
Focus: Straightforward interviews or Q&A founder spotlights, often tied to timely themes or growth stories.
What They Cover:
Quick-turnaround profiles focusing on timely milestones—new launches, partnerships, notable initiatives. They offer visibility for early traction.
Why It Matters:
India News Bulletin’s focus on timely features means founders can secure interviews close to the moment they’re ready—e.g. alumni programs, product launches, community milestones.
How Founders Can Pitch:
- Provide a short summary of what’s happening now and why it matters.
- Offer a Q&A interview or a founder spotlight piece with context.
- Keep format tight and topical.
Behavioral Insight:
Founders who write here think opportunistically—they recognize newsworthy moments and act fast with structured messaging.
7. Enterprise-Focused Startup Outlets
Alongside national news outlets, India has several dedicated startup-media platforms where founders frequently appear in interviews or business spotlights. These include:
- The Entrepreneur Today – thought-leadership features and interviews on mission-led businesses.
- The Entrepreneur India – founder stories rooted in regional impact and Indian innovation.
- Startup Chronicle – trend-aligned interviews and strategic features.
- Startup Magazine – operational lessons and founder narratives.
- Startup Updates – milestone-based news injections.
- Startup Times – blend of commentary and founder opinion.
- Entrepreneur Tales – emotional founder journeys and life‑driven entrepreneurship.
In‑Depth Look: How to Prepare for Startup Interviews & Spotlights
Analyze Platform’s Style
- Interview-focused: News Week India, The Weekly News, Outlook News
- Narrative spotlights: The Statesman India, India News Journal, Entrepreneur Tales
- Milestone-based Q&A: India News Bulletin, Startup Updates
Understand whether the site prefers conversational Q&A, narrative essays, or contextual business feature.
Refine Your Personal Story
Your narrative is more than your product—it’s the journey. Include:
- Origin: what sparked your idea
- Context: challenges based on location or resources
- Turning points: pivot moments, key learnings
- Impact: how your startup benefits users or communities
Write a Pitch Like a Journalist
Begin with:
- Ultra-brief intro of who you are and what you do
- One-line hook—why this is timely or relevant
- Offer format: interview, essay, or Q&A
- Contact info and brief credentials (e.g. active in accelerator, winner of pitch event, seed traction etc.)
