Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, inaugurated the 16th edition of TechSparks, YourStory’s premier startup-tech event, urging founders to embrace their "authentic intelligence" amidst the surge of artificial intelligence (AI).
At TechSparks 2025, held from November 6 to 8 in Bengaluru, India’s largest startup-tech conference focused on the theme "India 2030: Powered by AI." Shradha emphasized that entrepreneurs must not lose sight of their authentic intelligence, which is rooted in intuition, emotional depth, and real-life experiences—qualities no machine can replicate.
"For the next three days, feel from the heart, learn, and work. And never underestimate your authentic intelligence, your own intelligence. We should protect ourselves, our authenticity."
Marking 16 years of contributing to Bengaluru’s thriving startup ecosystem, Shradha reflected on her journey:
“I moved to Bangalore around 16 or 17 years ago. At that time, the word 'startup' was barely used. I had moved from Mumbai—though I am originally from Bihar—and everyone said, 'You are going to the tech city.'”
Shradha’s call to action reminds leaders to trust their own inner wisdom despite the rapid growth of AI technologies, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human experience in entrepreneurship.
Author's summary: Shradha Sharma motivates founders at TechSparks 2025 to embrace their genuine intuition and emotional intelligence as vital assets in an AI-driven world.