Cities are built not only through concrete, but through culture: Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide at Bombay Chamber-BMC Namaste Mumbai Conclave

Welcoming the gathering, Sudhanshu Vats, President, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Managing Director, Pidilite Industries, reflected on the Chamber's nearly 190-year association with Mumbai's evolution and called for the city's next phase of growth to be driven not only by infrastructure but also by culture, tourism and collaboration.

"Bombay Chamber's story is closely interlinked with the story of Mumbai. As the city undergoes an unprecedented infrastructure transformation, we must now equally invest in its cultural identity, tourism and quality of life. Through Namaste Mumbai, we hope to bring together ideas, innovation and partnerships that will help build a more liveable, globally competitive and culturally vibrant Mumbai," he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Smt. Ashwini Bhide, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, BMC, said that while Mumbai is witnessing one of the country's largest infrastructure transformations, its next phase of growth must equally focus on strengthening the city's creative identity, cultural vibrancy and public spaces.

"Cities are built not only through concrete but through culture. Ease of doing business, ease of living and ease of movement are important, but a truly liveable city also requires ease of expression. People need spaces where they can express themselves, experience the creativity of others and participate in the city's cultural life," she said.

Highlighting Mumbai's unique character, she added, "Creation comes out of chaos. Mumbai has always turned its challenges into innovation and creativity. The new infrastructure we are building must now become a foundation for nurturing the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs and innovators."

Referring to projects such as the Coastal Road and Metro network, she said these investments should not only improve mobility but also create new public spaces that enrich civic life. She called for stronger collaboration between government and industry to build a city that is more beautiful, culturally vibrant and globally attractive, adding that infrastructure alone cannot define Mumbai's future.

The conclave featured two engaging panel discussions that examined Mumbai's identity and future opportunities.

The first session, "Branding Mumbai – One City, Many Identities," moderated by Priyanka Sinha Jha, COO, Screen Academy; Indian Express Screen Foundation for Excellence in Motion Pictures and Arts Technology, featured Smt. Ashwini Bhide, IAS, Jamnadas Majethia, Actor, Director & Producer, Ajit Andhare, Chief Operating Officer, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, and Gajendra Ahire, Producer & Director. The panellists explored how Mumbai can build a unified global brand by strengthening its heritage, theatre, cinema, public spaces and cultural infrastructure.

The second session, "Mumbai 3.0 – The Creative Capital Opportunity," moderated by Latha Venkatesh, Executive Editor, CNBC-TV18, brought together Shri Vishwas Mote, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Zone III, BMC, Dr. Indu Shahani, Founding President & Chancellor, ATLAS SkillTech University, Shri Rajiv Jalota, Retd. IAS, Former Chairperson, Mumbai Port Authority, and Uday Khanna, Past President, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry and former Independent Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, Castrol India, Pfizer and Pidilite Industries. The discussion highlighted the importance of integrating infrastructure with culture, education, tourism and industry partnerships to position Mumbai among the world's leading creative cities.

The afternoon session transitioned from dialogue to action with The Grand CivicTech Fund Quest, organised jointly by the Bombay Chamber and the BMC. Designed as a platform to connect promising CivicTech startups with investors and civic leaders, the initiative showcased innovative, technology-driven solutions to address Mumbai's urban challenges.

Representing the BMC, Shashi Bala, Chief – Business Development and Director, SMILE Council – CivicTech Incubator of BMC, outlined the vision of the Society for Mumbai Incubation Lab to Entrepreneurship (SMILE) Council, which was created to nurture entrepreneurs, transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses and contribute to Mumbai's growth as an international business and innovation hub. She shared that SMILE focuses on developing solutions that strengthen civic infrastructure and public services and currently supports 24 startups, with another 17–18 startups in the pipeline.

Highlighting what makes the incubator unique, she said, "Our vision is to nurture entrepreneurs, transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses and contribute to Mumbai's growth as an international business and innovation hub. What makes SMILE different is that startups don't just receive mentoring—they get the opportunity to test and refine their technologies in real-life civic situations by working closely with BMC departments, enabling solutions that can create a meaningful impact for the city."

Ashith Kampani, Chair, PE & VC Committee, Bombay Chamber and Chairman, CosmicMandala 15 Securities Pvt. Ltd., welcomed the finalists and jury members, noting that the Fund Quest was conceived to bridge the gap between innovative CivicTech startups, investors and government, enabling promising solutions to move from ideas to implementation.

Ten shortlisted startups presented their innovations before an eminent jury of investors and industry leaders and were evaluated on four parameters—Opportunity, Scalability, Capability and Monetisability. Niramai Health Analytix Pvt. Ltd., led by Dr. Geetha Manjunath, emerged as the CivicTech Champion, while EcoBio Consulting Pvt. Ltd. and Saltech Design Labs Pvt. Ltd. were declared the First and Second Runners-up, respectively. In addition to cash prizes, the top three startups will receive structured mentorship from industry leaders to support their growth and market adoption.

The Namaste Mumbai Conclave 2026 and The Grand CivicTech Fund Quest together showcased a unified vision for Mumbai's future—one where creativity, culture, innovation and entrepreneurship work hand in hand to shape the city's next chapter.