Playing the long game: Nothing and Cobra Beer founders map out India strategy at Founders Forum India 2026

At a time when global boardrooms are recalibrating growth strategies amid geopolitical shifts and supply-chain realignments, India has emerged as a central pillar in expansion plans. But entering the country requires far more than capital and brand equity. It demands conviction, cultural fluency, and a long-term view.

That was the underlying message at Founders Forum India 2026, where Akis Evangelidis, co-founder and India president of London-based consumer tech brand Nothing, and Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer and member of the UK House of Lords, shared their playbooks for building in India.

From social media signals to strategic market

For Nothing, India was not an afterthought—it was a data-driven decision.

“When we started tracking social media engagement globally, a disproportionate share was coming from India,” Evangelidis said. A young, tech-savvy consumer base, high digital penetration, and an appetite for new-age brands made the market impossible to ignore.

India has since become a key growth engine for Nothing, with the company emerging as one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in its segment. The brand has also invested in offline retail, drawing significant footfall at store launches, and built a community-led product development model, including Indian users in beta testing and feedback loops.

But Evangelidis cautioned against underestimating the complexity of the market. “India is not a short-term play. If you enter with a five-year mindset, you may struggle. This is a 10–20-year opportunity,” he said.

He pointed to India’s evolving consumption patterns—premiumisation, rising aspirations, and brand consciousness—as structural tailwinds. “Consumers are increasingly willing to pay for design, experience, and identity—not just functionality,” he added.

A two-decade India lesson 

Bilimoria’s journey with Cobra Beer offers a longer historical lens.

Born in India and educated at Cambridge, Bilimoria founded Cobra Beer in the UK after identifying a gap in the market: traditional British lagers were too fizzy and bland to complement Indian cuisine. He developed a smoother beer positioned as the perfect accompaniment to food—a strategy that helped Cobra scale rapidly in the UK’s Indian restaurant ecosystem.

India, however, required patience.

Recalling the post-liberalisation years, Bilimoria described how India transformed from a supply-constrained economy to a consumption-driven one after economic reforms in 1991 and subsequent policy shifts in the early 2000s.

“You have to have faith in India,” he said. “The country has changed dramatically. The consumer who once had limited choice is now sophisticated and demanding.”

He noted that global players who committed capital and stayed invested through years of volatility are now seeing returns, stressing the importance of long-term commitment over tactical entry.

Localisation beyond marketing

Both founders stressed that localisation in India must go beyond advertising campaigns.

For Nothing, that has meant aligning with India’s manufacturing push, strengthening supply-chain partnerships, and building retail presence across key metros. Community-building, too, has been central. The company engaged early supporters through crowdfunding initiatives and continues to integrate user feedback into product decisions.

For Cobra Beer, localisation involved navigating India’s complex regulatory environment and state-level alcohol policies and building trusted partnerships on the ground.

“The most important thing is to have a reliable partner in India,” Bilimoria said. “Relationships matter enormously.”

Institutional bridges—from high commissions to industry chambers—also play a role in easing entry and fostering bilateral trade ties, particularly between the UK and India, he added.

India as a strategic counterweight

The discussion also touched on broader macro shifts. As global companies adopt “China-plus-one” strategies and diversify supply chains, India’s scale, demographic dividend, and manufacturing ambitions are increasingly central to corporate strategy.

Evangelidis highlighted India’s emergence as both a consumption and production hub. Government-led initiatives aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing have strengthened the case for companies to integrate India into global supply chains rather than treat it as a standalone sales market.

Bilimoria framed the India-UK corridor as a natural partnership: British strengths in innovation, financial services, legal services, and higher education complementing India’s scale, digital infrastructure, and talent pool.

No shortcuts

If there was one clear takeaway from the session, it was this: India does not reward opportunism.

“Don’t take shortcuts,” Evangelidis advised founders eyeing the market. “Invest in relationships—with consumers, with partners, with policymakers. Build foundations.”

Bilimoria echoed the sentiment. “Take a long-term view and believe in the country,” he said.