Why Infra.Market Sees Startup Mahakumbh As A Launchpad For Bharat’s Infrastructure Future

As the Indian real estate market makes steady rise to reach a trillion-dollar valuation by 2030, construction activities are growing in sync, especially in Tier-I and Tier-II cities. The growth of the construction sector, however, staggers over hurdles in sourcing quality raw materials like cement and steel at stable prices. 

Every project needs to face challenges like endless negotiations with suppliers, price fluctuations and delayed deliveries. Such deterrents not only hinder the country’s infrastructure growth, but also limit the potential for the $90 Bn construction materials industry. 

“There was an immediate need to plug this gap,” said Aaditya Sharda, cofounder of Infra.Market. “To keep up the momentum of the real estate market” Sharda devised technology-based solutions to simplify the procurement of construction materials and make the fragmented industry more efficient. 

Inc42 spoke to the Infra.Market cofounder on the sidelines of Startup Mahakumbh, the country’s biggest congregation of startups, innovators, investors, and policymakers. “Startup Mahakumbh is an excellent opportunity for startups to explore business opportunities and tap into a supportive network that accelerates growth,” Sharda said as he talked about the making of Infra.Market to disrupt a traditional sector with advanced technology. 

The second edition of the annual event kicked off on April 3, 2025 at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam. The three-day event, closing on April 5, has brought thousands of startups, investors, and government stakeholders, with a strong focus on sector-specific growth, public-private collaboration, and innovation under one roof. 

As the interaction with Inc42 progressed, Sharda shared what makes him a strong believer in the opportunities that events like Startup Mahakumbh throw up to Indian entrepreneurs and how he benefited from the event’s first edition himself. 

Here are the edited excerpts from the conversation…

Inc42: What key factors do you believe are essential for startups looking to innovate in traditional sectors like construction material?

Aaditya Sharda: We disrupted the construction materials industry with a differentiated business model, which is key for any startup looking to innovate in a traditional sector. While every building materials brand aspires to rank among the best in their respective categories, Infra.Market’s approach has been to capture the highest wallet share from a customer, rather than strive for market leadership. 

Following a platform-based approach, we offer more than 15 building material categories, a range that no other brand provides at such a scale, becoming a true one-stop shop for project owners, architects, and contractors.

Timely product fulfillment is another crucial aspect of our business and to ensure this, we operate more than 250 fully owned manufacturing plants, which is more than anyone has in the sector. Our manufacturing, logistics, and demand planning processes are also driven by in-house technology integration, which has become a differentiator. 

Inc42: What advice would you give to first-time founders about adapting to their roles as their companies grow?

Aaditya Sharda: As I built Infra.Market, my leadership style has evolved significantly. Initially, I was deeply involved in every decision, but as we scaled, we brought in industry veterans and gave them full freedom to build their respective verticals using industry-best practices. We created multiple companies within one, and that’s the strength of the senior leadership talent we have. 

The expertise of industry leaders brings experience and insight to the table that immensely help in refining the business strategy, streamlining operations and navigating the complexities of the construction sector.

At Infra.Market, we tried to solve specific problems that others had not and scaled once we were confident that the business was on the right track. 

The key to our success has been focusing on innovation, market knowledge, and learning from failures to drive profitable growth. A crucial lesson in this journey was learning which capabilities to build in-house and which ones to acquire or bolt on. By striking this balance, we could grow more efficiently without overextending ourselves.

I would suggest the first-time founders stay grounded in this approach, focus on innovation, embrace learning from setbacks, and always prioritise profitability over growth in the long term. If you can’t sustain what you’re building, it’s difficult to create lasting value.

Inc42: How do you think Indian startups can position themselves best to leverage emerging technologies like AI and ML while also addressing potential ethical concerns?

Aaditya Sharda: As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) continue to disrupt industries across sectors, we can use it to our advantage in ways that improve the overall efficiency of our operations, quality of our products and the overall business model. 

Infra.Market uses technology to ensure highest standards in operations. AI helps us to remain accurate and reliable even in a rather traditional sector.

I can give you an example. We have integrated IoT (internet of things) with batching systems in our concrete plants that enable us to track specific mix designs and track our material consumption in real-time. With this, we can see if the correct quantities of raw materials are being used according to the specifications of the project and do all that with little human intervention. This not only makes us accurate in our operations but also gives us the trackability and transparency which are crucial for any business. 

But yes, ethical concerns are there and, as these technologies continue to advance, it is more crucial for startups to address these concerns and use AI and ML responsibly in their operations. 

Inc42: You’ve stressed on customer-centricity and executional excellence. How can early-stage startups instill these principles in their operations from the beginning?

Aaditya Sharda: Early-stage startups will have to build customer-centricity and executional excellence right from the scratch and grow alongside their customers while also ensuring that this process is agile and they respond to the market needs swiftly. 

From day one, the startups should set clear standards and try their best so that every product or service exceeds customer expectations. Building a culture of accountability within the team is another crucial step that drives executional excellence, while maintaining close connections with customers ensures the company stays focused on solving real problems.

We follow these closely throughout our entire project lifecycle. We work closely with builders, contractors, architects and government bodies to ensure that they get whatever products they want with no hassle. 

Inc42: How do you see Startup Mahakumbh evolving to become a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration and innovation in India’s startup ecosystem?

Aaditya Sharda: Startup Mahakumbh can evolve into a platform for cross-sector collaboration, where startups from different industries come together to share insights, explore joint ventures and collaborate on solving large-scale challenges. 

This collaborative ecosystem can help drive innovation not just within individual sectors but across industries, creating multi-dimensional solutions that have a broader impact. The focus should be on bringing together expertise from diverse sectors to inspire new ways of thinking and doing business.

Inc42: In what ways can Startup Mahakumbh contribute to positioning India as a global innovation hub and attracting international attention to its startup ecosystem?

Aaditya Sharda: India’s entrepreneurial spirit, diverse talent, and tech-driven solutions hold immense potential to attract global attention that helps in cross-border collaborations and unlocking of new markets and funding opportunities.

We believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to growth. While our strategy centres on identifying which capabilities we can build in-house and which ones we should acquire through partnerships, this tailored approach has been key to our success in the construction materials industry. For others, the path may look different, but the core principle of adapting, innovating, and creating synergy remains universal.

Startup Mahakumbh serves as a key platform connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to showcase India’s strengths in innovation, tech integration, and manufacturing. By increasing visibility and attracting global attention, it provides startups with the resources to scale internationally, positioning India as a leader in global innovation and boosting the economy.