BENGALURU — Dismantling traditional classroom hierarchies to nurture the next generation of business leaders, ISBR hosted the Future Founders Masterclass led by Dr. Manish Kothari, President of ISBR Group of Institutions. Transforming a conventional lecture into an interactive founder-to-founder dialogue, the session provided aspiring student entrepreneurs with practical coaching in pitching, confident communication, and strategic business thinking.
Event Overview at a Glance
| Program Parameter | Event Details |
| Event Name | Future Founders Masterclass |
| Organising Institution | ISBR Group of Institutions, Bengaluru |
| Session Leader | Dr. Manish Kothari (President, ISBR) |
| Core Theme | Pitching Mechanics, Founder Mindset, “Think Big” Philosophy |
| Key Platform Highlighted | ISBR Future Founders, Startup and Family Business Ecosystem |
| Target Beneficiaries | First-Generation Founders & Family Business Successors |
| Key Outcomes | Elimination of apologetic language, iterative pitch refinement, active peer ideation |
Future Founders Engagement Framework
The masterclass established a practical pathway for transitioning students from passive classroom learners into active, articulate business builders.
Breaking Hierarchies: A Founder-to-Founder Dialogue
The session opened in a quiet classroom filled with ambitious students carefully rehearsing questions. Dr. Manish Kothari immediately reconfigured the room’s dynamic with a single statement:
“Please drop the ‘Sir.’ Call me Mr. Kothari. Today, it’s founder to founder.”
By removing administrative distance, the masterclass invited students to step into the mindset of equal peers preparing for real-world market entry.
Cultivating Pitch Confidence & Reframing “Think Big”
1. Eliminating Hesitancy in Communication
Dr. Kothari noted that while students possessed brilliant business concepts, their delivery was frequently hedged with apologetic phrases such as “Maybe…”, “I think…”, or “Sorry, but…”.
- Active Practice: Confidence was framed as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait.
- Iterative Refinement: Students were challenged to pitch their ideas repeatedly—making each iteration shorter, sharper, and bolder.
- Core Rule of Founder Pitching: Lead directly with the problem, take clear ownership of the solution, and never apologize for ambition.
2. Grounding “Think Big” in Authentic Experience
Rather than presenting “Think Big” as a generic motivational slogan, Dr. Kothari shared his personal entrepreneurial journey, detailing early doubts, uncertain phases, and critical decision-making moments. Seeing an established leader discuss early obstacles provided students with a realistic, achievable roadmap for their own ventures.
High-Energy Ideation & The Dual-Path Ecosystem
The session evolved from hesitant listening into high-energy ideation, with students actively pitching, debating, and refining concepts with peers.
The ISBR Future Founders, Startup and Family Business Ecosystem
The masterclass offered a window into ISBR’s broader institutional vision through its dedicated ecosystem platform, designed for two distinct paths of ambition:
- The First-Generation Founder: Providing budding entrepreneurs with structured mentorship, professional networks, seed guidance, and execution support.
- The Family Business Successor: Equipping next-generation leaders with modern management tools, strategic vision, and innovation frameworks to scale inherited legacies.
Why ISBR Stands Out for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
The Future Founders Masterclass reflects ISBR’s commitment to practical, leadership-led management education. By offering direct access to organizational leaders, embedding confidence training into the core ethos, and treating student ideas with professional seriousness, ISBR creates an environment where future founders don’t have to wait for permission to build.
