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SMPL
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 23: Pune will witness a major gathering of entrepreneurs and investors later this month as the Franchise & Investor Summit 2026, organised by FD-Expo and powered by Franchise Discovery, prepares to connect franchise brands with business seekers from across the country. The event, scheduled at the Hyatt Hotel, is expected to attract over 1,000 investors and more than 40 brands, positioning itself as a focused business networking platform rather than a traditional exhibition. Moving Beyond Typical Exhibitions According to the organisers, the summit is designed around direct interaction. Instead of passive stalls, the format prioritises structured one-on-one meetings, practical discussions and data-backed evaluation of opportunities. Participants will include franchisors, startup founders, consultants, and investors exploring expansion or new business ventures. Sectors represented will range across Food & Beverage, Education, Retail, Healthcare, Logistics, Tours & Leisure, and FMCG. Among the participating brands are 99 Pancakes, Beyond Temptation, Indofast, Battery Pool, Gomini, Bachpan Play School, 90 Degrees, Kallol Cafe, Circle of Crust, Creamy Nuts, Baithak, Doctor Garage, Chai Garam, Maple Bear, Bata, Lakme Salon, VLCC, Mr. Sandwich, Waf Cafe, Mumbai Chai, Atul Bakery, Chat Adda, Go Waterless, Little Italy, Shree, Desire Instant Tea, Lazy Turtle, and Naturals Bite. Focus on Informed Investment Speaking about the initiative, Franchise Discovery CEO Shyam Singh said the goal is to make franchise selection more transparent and result-oriented. "Many investors struggle to evaluate opportunities due to the lack of clarity. The summit aims to create a credible environment where brands and investors can directly interact, understand business models, and build long-term partnerships." The event will include guided consulting discussions covering franchise formats such as FOFO, FICO, and FOCO, operational expectations, performance indicators, and long-term financial projections. Investors will also receive advisory support designed to help them select opportunities aligned with budget and location preferences. Expansion Across Emerging Cities The Pune edition is part of a larger national series planned across Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Vadodara, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Indore, Udaipur, and Patna. Organisers say the Patna edition is expected to be significantly larger, with projections of over 10,000 investors and 150+ opportunities, reflecting growing franchise interest in tier-2 and emerging markets. FD-Expo Director Rohit Jaiswal noted that the platform also promotes dealership and distributorship opportunities alongside franchising and aims to give startup brands exposure to serious investors. About the Platform Founded in 2019, Franchise Discovery operates as a technology-enabled B2B marketplace connecting brands directly with investors through verified leads, CRM support and advisory assistance. The company reports access to data from over 7,000 brands across India and the US and currently hosts hundreds of franchise and dealership opportunities across multiple categories. The organisation plans to expand its listings significantly over the next three years while building a data-driven platform intended to reduce investment risk and improve decision-making for new entrepreneurs. Future Vision Over the next three years, the company plans to expand its free brand listings and introduce AI-powered insights to help investors make better-informed decisions while reducing risk and improving startup awareness. At the same time, FD-Expo intends to scale its offline networking initiatives, building a strong combined online-offline ecosystem aimed at lowering business failure rates and improving the long-term success of new ventures. Event Information: www.fd-expo.com www.franchisediscovery.in (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
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