Mumbai, November 2: WalkAbout, India’s peer-to-peer community for active agers, concluded its WalkAbout Startup Accelerator Program for entrepreneurs aged 55 and above with a Demo Day at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) in Andheri West, Mumbai on October 31st, 2026. The event marked the culmination of a 12-week program that supported 100 entrepreneurs aged 55 and above as they started, structured and grew their businesses.
Participants took part in practical online business sessions, in-person workshops, peer learning groups and one-on-one mentorship from WalkAbout Startup Advisors. They worked on refining their products, pricing and brand stories, and each completed the program with a clear business plan.
The finalists, selected for their progress and readiness, pitched their ventures to a jury of seasoned leaders: Dr. Shweta Loonkar, Co-Founder and Director, KS Publication Pathway LLP; Puneet Kapoor, Partner, SVP India, formerly with Kotak Mahindra Bank, Citibank and American Express; Vivek Bhatnagar, business leader and entrepreneur; Aiswarya Simon, Associate, WISE Tech, SPJIMR; Deval Delivala, Founder and CEO, WalkAbout; and Ashwini Kapila, Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer, WalkAbout. The finalists shared their entrepreneurial journeys and outlined their plans for growth, receiving feedback and insights to help take their businesses forward. Their ventures spanned senior living, consumer products, apparel and accessories, education services and arts and crafts.
The winning venture was YoToyz, founded by Yogesh Kulkarni, 56, from Pune, Drawing on 25+ years in the classroom, Yogesh is building what YoToyz, www.yotoyz.com, describes as India’s first fully fabric-based early-years curriculum: washable, sensory-rich learning kits that give young children an alternative to plastic toys and screens. The kits are made by women artisans in Pune, giving them steady, dignified work. The jury recognised YoToyz for the clarity of its business, its understanding of the market, its creativity and the social impact built into its model. As part of the program’s continued support, YoToyz will receive funding linked to the achievement of key business milestones, along with ongoing mentorship to help turn its plans into action and support future growth.
“It was inspiring to see the WalkAbout Startup Accelerator cohort pitch their ventures, share the journeys behind their businesses and present their vision for growth. Our members bring decades of skills, networks and resilience, and seeing them turn that experience into enterprise is a reminder that ambition has no age limit. Beyond building businesses, this journey is about creating income, purpose, confidence and new possibilities at every stage of life”, said Deval Delivala, CEO and Founder, WalkAbout.
“Startup success stories often celebrate young entrepreneurs, but Colonel Sanders of KFC reminds us that some of the most remarkable entrepreneurial journeys can unfold later in life. In sectors such as FinTech and B2B, decades of industry experience, deep customer understanding and professional networks can be powerful competitive advantages. WISE Tech was pleased to support WalkAbout in unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of individuals aged 55 and above,” said Manoj Mohan, Executive Director, WISE Tech, SPJIMR.
The impact of this accelerator extends beyond Demo Day. Participants who did not reach the finals or win sponsorship will remain part of the WalkAbout Entrepreneur Circle, a founder community offering access to meetups, expert sessions and future cohorts. Through this continued support system, WalkAbout aims to help entrepreneurs aged 55 and above sustain their momentum, strengthen their businesses and pursue new opportunities beyond the program.
