BENGALURU: Just as the new season of Indian Matchmaking is the talk of the town, recent statistics from matrimonial sites show men who work in startups are preferred by women as their life partners which was not the case previously
Finding the perfect match with the right qualities can be quite a daunting task. Just as we’ve witnessed on the latest season of Indian Matchmaking which released recently, where participants had a long checklist. “Probably just cute, and a nice smile,” said one. “She should be 5’ 8’’, and would have to get along with my dog,” said another. “If the guy has a tattoo, that’s a huge plus. If someone has enough hair to do a man-bun, great!” said yet another.
And now, there seems to be yet another criterion. Statistics from matrimonial sites reveal that in recent years, men who are working in startups are preferred by women as their life partners. It seems cupid is invested in these Unicorn high-flyers. Those days are gone when NRIs were much sought-after. Now it’s time to be vocal for locals.
Sindhu Biswal, head of growth, BetterHalf, explains that the rejection rates were high for people working in startups around three years ago but it has now changed. On matrimonial platforms, a majority of users are working in startups and occupy some of the top positions. “Success rate is very high for men in startups, which was not the case before,” he says.
The reason could be that the disparity in salaries of those in startups and other organisations have been reduced. Startup sharks are earning much higher than their MNC counterparts, due to which parents have also begun accepting them, Biswal points out.
Adhish Hemendra Zaveri from Shaadi.com echoes Biswal, saying, “In the last five years, the number of entrepreneurs registering on our platform has gone up by almost 90 per cent. There are around 1.3 lakh registered entrepreneurs at present.”
He explains that the principal reason behind the phenomenon is the recent boom in startups and the funding ecosystem, adding that most families see financial stability in India as a prerequisite before marriage.
The relatively easy access to capital has ensured that startup founders don’t have to wait too long to secure finances, he says.
The 31-year-old co-founder of 5ire, a blockchain platform, Pratik Gauri recalls days when those in the civil service and IITians were elevated to a venerated position, and people chased them under parental or societal pressure.
Speaking about his journey, he says he always took the road less travelled and so, he is the founder of his ninth startup. In the world of startups there are no guarantees or a list of holidays, and dinner dates could be suddenly cancelled, but they are equally thrilling and adventurous.
“The acceptance from a life partner to marry someone working odd hours and the factor of stability has come with time. Earlier, there was not much awareness about the idea of starting something from an idea and working towards it. With change, for example, couples are now working together and striving to build a brand,” he says.