‘Forbes India and GoKwik Future of Commerce’ explores dynamic shaping the industry

The Future of Commerce conclave presented by Forbes India and GoKwik, brought together industry visionaries, entrepreneurs, and experts who are pioneers in carving the future of commerce. The event held in Bengaluru, featured a series of talks and panels, which addressed key themes such as technological innovation, customer experience optimization, and the collaborative ecosystem driving the next phase of commerce.

In a world characterised by rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer dynamic, the Future of Commerce conclave was aimed at unravelling the evolving e-commerce landscape, digitalization, and shifting customer expectations.

Chirag Taneja, CEO & Co-founder of GoKwik, set the tone of the evening in his opening address, highlighting the significance of such discussions in shaping the future of commerce. Speaking on GoKwik’s journey, he said, "Innovation in commerce thrives on collaboration. GoKwik, in its short three-year journey, has addressed challenges, revolutionized payment methods, and contributed significantly to financial services. As we look ahead, we envision a future where India becomes a 15% digital market, and GoKwik is poised to shape the commerce landscape with foresight and innovation."

Distinguished speakers Ananth Narayanan (Founder, Mensa Brands), and K Ganesh (Serial Entrepreneur associated with BigBasket, Portea Medical, BlueStone, and HomeLane) participated in an engaging ‘Fireside Chat’ on 'Pioneering the Future of Commerce.' In another ‘Fireside Chat’ with Ashish Agrawal (MD, Peak XV) and Rajat Agarwal, (MD, Matrix Partners India), the duo decoded ‘A venture capitalist’s guide to e-commerce success’

In his session, Nik Sharma (CEO, Sharma Brands), provided a global perspective on the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) market.

In a panel discussion with Gaurav Khatri (Co-Founder & CEO, Noise), Priyanka Gill, (Group Co-founder, Good Glam Group), Manish Chowdhary (Co-founder, WOW Skin Science) and Prashanth Aluru (Co-founder & CEO, TMRW 'House of Brands'), the speakers shared their views on shifts in consumer behaviour and trends in the commerce industry.

The evening also saw a tech accelerators panel discussion with Vargab Bakshi (Vice President, Wix.com), Nitin Navneet Tatiwala (Vice President, FedEx Express MEISA Marketing) and Ananth Jayarajan (Technical Partnerships Lead, Shopify APAC).

The last session of the conclave delved into the transformative impact of fintech on payment ecosystems, redefining how consumers and businesses engage in transactions. The insightful panel featured Deep Agrawal (Head of Payments at PhonePe), Akshay Aedula (CRED); and Antariksh Parmar (Product Manager, ONDC).

From the rise of digital-first brands, move towards an omnichannel approach, optimisation of customer experience, enhancement of payment solutions, growing enabler requirements and creation of an overall collaborative ecosystem, the conclave successfully facilitated insightful discussions among visionaries who are paving the way for unprecedented yet sustainable growth.