Maachao Disrupts the Local Events Market, Meet the Young Founder from Siliguri Behind It

In an industry crowded with wedding planners and luxury event agencies, a young entrepreneur from a quiet town in West Bengal is proving that there’s an untapped goldmine in India’s small-event economy.

Maachao, a tech-driven event services startup founded by 24-year-old Kushal Bali, recently secured a million pre-seed round led by the Department of Industries, Government of Bihar an unusual but strategic move by the state to back homegrown innovations aimed at Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

The startup offers a simple but powerful promise: book cakes, gifts, decorations, photographers, and makeup artists in just a few clicks, no calls, no bargaining, no chaos. Within months of its launch, Maachao has already handled over 500 successful bookings across cities like Siliguri, Darbhanga, and Delhi, boasting a 4.9-star customer satisfaction rating.

“Everyone’s talking about unicorns solving big problems, but the everyday hassle of planning a birthday or surprise party is a pain point no one addressed properly,” said Anjali Mehta, a Delhi-based investor and startup mentor. “Maachao is solving that problem with heart and simplicity.”

But behind the platform is a story that’s even more compelling than the product.

Kushal Bali grew up in Siliguri, a city not exactly known for producing tech entrepreneurs. He began his journey at 14, working odd jobs and eventually finding opportunities with brands like Flipkart, Amazon, Fashion TV, FICCI, and Punjab Kings (IPL). By the time he was 19, he was already immersed in corporate roles. But it was the frustration around organizing local events,inconsistent quality, poor vendor coordination, and no single booking system that led him to build Maachao.

“There was no blueprint for me. I just knew that if families could order food with one tap, they should be able to book a birthday setup just as easily,” said Kushal in an interview. “Celebrations should bring joy, not stress.”

While most startups target top-tier cities, Maachao’s early success lies in its focus on underserved cities and towns, where demand for affordable, reliable event services is high but options are fragmented.

What sets Maachao apart is its asset-light, hyperlocal model. Instead of hiring in-house decorators or owning inventory, the platform onboards verified local vendors under strict quality controls and delivers the service under the Maachao brand.

“This model gives them scale without heavy burn,” noted Amit Sinha, an early-stage startup advisor. “It’s like the UrbanClap of small-town parties, but without the frills.”

The startup’s recent fundraise especially from a state-backed institution is a rare feat for a founder with no prior funding, no Ivy League background and no big city startup exposure.

“Kushal is the kind of founder who reminds us why India’s startup future isn’t limited to Bengaluru or Gurgaon,” said one of the officials involved in the government-led round. “He’s building something valuable for the heartland and doing it with zero entitlement.”

As of now, Maachao is gearing up to expand into 10 more cities by the end of this year, including Patna, Lucknow and Guwahati. The roadmap includes a franchise model for hyperlocal scalability, a vendor management system, and AI-based event planning recommendations.

And while the product continues to evolve, Bali’s vision remains rooted in something very simple giving every celebration, no matter how small, the attention it deserves.

Maachao is available at www.maachao.com
You can follow their latest work and customer stories on Instagram at @maachaoindia