Author: Bihar Say | Amrita |

They Left Saran. Now They Are Coming Together to Build Saran.

For years, young people from Saran have left home for better education, jobs and opportunities. They moved to Patna, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai and even abroad.

Now, some of them are looking back.

A growing network of founders, entrepreneurs, professionals, mentors and advisors is coming together through Saran Ventures to build something that Saran has long needed: a stronger local ecosystem for startups, entrepreneurship and innovation.

From “Mahool Nahi Hai” to “Let’s Create It”

The idea began with Prabhat Kr. Singh, Founder & CEO of Digital Hashtag and Founder of Saran Ventures. Originally from Chapra, Saran, Prabhat noticed a familiar pattern among entrepreneurs and professionals from Bihar.

Many wanted to contribute to their home state. Yet they often found limited local networks, mentorship and opportunities.

In 2019, he began visiting Chapra and speaking with students, entrepreneurs and professionals about startups and technology. That effort led to Jaago Saran, a community initiative focused on creating awareness around entrepreneurship and innovation.

The idea was simple: if people kept saying “Mahool nahi hai”—there is no ecosystem—then why not start building one?

From Conversations to a Growing Community

The initiative gradually moved from social media conversations to offline networking.

One important gathering during Chhath Puja brought around 32 people from different backgrounds and sectors. They discussed agritech, edtech, technology, services and the challenges of building businesses in the region.

More importantly, the conversations highlighted a bigger issue. Saran had talent and ambition, but people lacked connections between founders, professionals, mentors, investors and local businesses.

That thinking eventually led to Bihar Ventures Foundation, with Saran Ventures operating as an initiative focused on entrepreneurship, innovation and ecosystem building.

Saran May Be Home, But the Network Is Everywhere

Not everyone connected to Saran Ventures lives in Saran today.

Many founders and professionals work in cities such as Delhi NCR and Kolkata. Therefore, Saran Ventures has opened chapters in Delhi NCR and Kolkata, with a Bengaluru chapter also planned.

These chapters aim to connect people from Saran and Bihar who live outside the state and give them a way to contribute their experience, knowledge and networks back home.

A Community Built by Many

Saran Ventures is not a one-person story.

Its early contributors include Vijay Kumar, Founder of EduGaon and former founding member at Tata Digital; Avinash Kumar, Director at Work to Zone; Saurabh Nagvanshi, Director at Offerplant Technology; Vikash Singh, Director at Vxplore Technologies and Clinic Pay; and Nilesh Dikshit, Founder of Just Go Fix.

The initiative also has advisors with experience across technology, cybersecurity, government and international business. Their presence brings national and global experience into a community rooted in Saran.

What Has Saran Ventures Built So Far?

The ecosystem is still young, but it already has some foundations in place.

• 60+ members across startups, entrepreneurship, mentoring, investment, MSMEs and IT
• A network of 40+ IT professionals on LinkedIn
• Connections with professionals in Luxembourg, Germany and London
• A plug-and-play facility with capacity for around 30 startups
• One major startup meet and four to five networking meetups
• More than 3,000 social media followers and 57,000+ impressions
• Consulting support for startups in technology, marketing and branding

These numbers are not comparable with established startup hubs. However, the significance lies elsewhere.

Building an ecosystem in a Tier-2 or Tier-3 region takes time. It requires networks, infrastructure, mentorship and, above all, people willing to stay connected to their roots.

What Could This Mean for Saran?

The real opportunity is not about turning Saran into another Bengaluru overnight.

Instead, it is about making sure a young person with a business idea can find guidance. It is about helping local MSMEs understand technology and digital transformation. It is about connecting entrepreneurs with professionals and investors.

Most importantly, it creates a bridge for people who left Bihar but still want to contribute.

Saran Ventures is now exploring partnerships around entrepreneurship training, private incubation, education and social impact. Its broader five-year vision is to build a more self-sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The journey is still beginning. Yet perhaps that is what makes the story interesting.

Because ecosystems rarely appear overnight. They grow when people decide that their hometown deserves more than nostalgia.

They left Saran for opportunity. Now, they are bringing their experience, networks and ideas back to help create opportunity at home.

Saran may be the starting point. But the bigger story is about what happens when a community decides to build its own “mahool.”

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