A Milestone Celebration of the Growing Global Marathi Entrepreneurial Community

The 14th GMF Monthly Meetup was held on Sunday, 27th September 2026, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Creek, bringing together entrepreneurs, professionals, business leaders and members of the Marathi business community for a special gathering filled with networking, business presentations, meaningful conversations and celebration.

The meetup was particularly significant as it marked the Anniversary of Global Marathi Founders (GMF).

What began as a platform to bring Marathi entrepreneurs together has grown into a strong and increasingly connected business community. The anniversary gathering reflected this journey, with a large participation of members from diverse industries and backgrounds.

The event combined the regular GMF networking spirit with business presentations, member introductions, conversations and an opportunity to celebrate the collective contribution of everyone who has helped build the community over the past two years.

Event Details

Event: GMF 14th Monthly Meetup & 2nd Anniversary

Date: Sunday, 27th September 2026

Venue:
Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Creek
Dubai, UAE

Registration & Pre-Networking: 9:30 AM

Meeting: 10:00 AM Sharp

Breakfast: Included

Dress Code: Business Attire

A Landmark Gathering for GMF

The 14th meetup witnessed participation from 78 listed attendees, making it one of the largest GMF gatherings so far.

Entrepreneurs and professionals from technology, ERP and CRM, accounting, finance, HR, healthcare, tourism, architecture, engineering, consulting, trading, events, hospitality, wellness, media, real estate, design and several other sectors came together.

The diversity of participants reflected the growing breadth of the GMF community and created an environment where members could exchange knowledge, identify opportunities, make introductions and explore potential collaborations.

The gathering also included several couples, families, first-time participants and long-standing members, reinforcing the sense of GMF as a growing entrepreneurial family.

Two Years of GMF: From an Idea to a Growing Community

The 14th meetup was not just another monthly networking event. It was an opportunity to look back at two years of GMF's journey.

Over the past two years, GMF has continued to bring entrepreneurs together around a simple philosophy:

Connect • Collaborate • Grow

The anniversary gathering demonstrated how that philosophy has evolved into a real community where members support each other, share experiences, exchange referrals and create new business relationships.

Participants repeatedly highlighted the energy, unity and growth they experienced at the anniversary event.

One member described the gathering as:

"Powerful, impactful ... full of high energy."

Another participant reflected on the journey and said that what GMF has built in just two years is truly wonderful, expressing excitement about becoming part of the growing community and building meaningful connections.

Business Presentations and Meaningful Networking

Business presentations remained an important part of the meetup, giving members an opportunity to introduce their businesses, communicate their expertise and create awareness within the community.

The event also maintained GMF's core networking format, allowing members to meet entrepreneurs from different industries and explore opportunities for collaboration.

The structured 20-second business introductions were particularly appreciated by the GMF team.

Members demonstrated discipline in keeping their introductions concise, creating an opportunity for everyone to communicate their business while ensuring the event remained engaging and well-paced.

The GMF team emphasized that:

"Just 20 seconds of discipline, a small act of cooperation and everyone's small effort can become the beginning of a much bigger success."

The idea captured the spirit of the anniversary gathering—GMF's success is not the result of one person, but the combined contribution of its members.

A Community Built by Everyone

One of the strongest messages emerging from the 14th meetup was that GMF belongs to its members.

The anniversary event was made successful not by one individual, but through the collective participation, support and contribution of the entire community.

The GMF team expressed appreciation for everyone who arrived on time, participated actively, introduced their businesses, supported fellow members and contributed to the positive atmosphere.

The team also highlighted that the energy, discipline, affection and enthusiasm experienced during the anniversary event should become a regular part of every GMF meeting.

Special Appreciation for the Organizers and Contributors

The success of the anniversary event was supported by several members who took active responsibility for planning, coordination and execution.

Reshma Kadam and Mahindraa Paatil received special appreciation for their initiative and contribution.

Reshma shared a heartfelt message thanking everyone who attended and supported the event. She specifically acknowledged:

• Lavlesh Raut for creating the GMF platform.

• Sheetal Kunte for her continued support.

• Shweta Vispute for her energetic and engaging hosting.

• Mahindraa Paatil for initiating the idea and taking it forward.

• Ruchi Vichare for supporting the event with the venue.

She emphasized that the event became successful because of the collective efforts of everyone involved.

Energetic Hosting and Member Engagement

Shweta Vispute received significant appreciation for her role as host during the event.

Members highlighted her energy, creativity and ability to engage the audience, which added an enjoyable and lively dimension to the anniversary celebration.

One member described her hosting as "wow", while another specifically appreciated the way she brought energy and entertainment into the event.

Her contribution demonstrated how individual members can bring their own skills and personality to strengthen the overall GMF experience.

Celebrating Marathi Entrepreneurship in Dubai

The anniversary gathering also carried a larger message about Marathi entrepreneurship.

One member expressed that seeing so many successful Marathi entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners from different sectors under one roof was itself a major achievement.

The event challenged the common perception that Marathi people do not enter or succeed in business.

The gathering demonstrated the opposite—through hard work, determination, skills and a willingness to support each other, Marathi entrepreneurs are creating successful businesses across diverse industries.

The message was clear:

Marathi entrepreneurs are building, collaborating and succeeding on a global platform.

What Participants Said

Reshma Kadam – GMF Team

"A big THANK YOU to each and every person who attended and supported our GMF Event today. Your presence, energy and encouragement made the event truly special and memorable."

Reshma also expressed special appreciation to Lavlesh Raut, Sheetal, Shweta Vispute, Mahindraa Paatil and Ruchi Vichare for their individual contributions.

She concluded with the spirit that continues to define GMF:

"Together we connect, collaborate and grow."

Sachin Birewar – Suraj Innovations

Sachin Birewar described the event as:

"A wonderful event today, very well organised and beautifully conducted."

He appreciated reconnecting with fellow members and expressed his hope for more interactions, memories and opportunities to work together.

Tejashri Gaonkar – Gemini Ventures

Tejashri appreciated the anniversary gathering and also used the occasion to offer free consultancy to GMF members on matters including company formation, tax registration, VAT, Corporate Tax, accounting advisory, AML and e-invoicing across UAE and India.

This was another example of how GMF members contribute their expertise and create value for the wider community.

Shipsforce Marine and Offshore Engineering Services FZE LLC

The team appreciated the productive and inspiring nature of the event, highlighting the exchange of ideas, professional perspectives, hospitality and collaborative atmosphere.

They also expressed gratitude to GMF Founder Lavlesh Raut for creating the platform and bringing entrepreneurs together.

Kirti Deshpande – Candlit

Kirti shared her experience of joining the GMF family and attending a networking event for the first time.

She expressed that, as a small business owner, she gained valuable knowledge from the event and found the experience both positive and inspiring.

Her experience reflects one of GMF's important strengths—creating an environment where entrepreneurs at different stages can meet, learn and grow together.

Nikita Nigudakar – Saaj Shrungar

Nikita described the event as her first networking experience and shared that it was a beautiful and memorable experience.

She appreciated being welcomed into the GMF family and highlighted the opportunity to learn from inspiring people and make new connections.

Abhijit & Sunita Deshmukh

Abhijit and Sunita congratulated GMF on completing two successful years and described the event as exceptionally well organized.

They expressed their best wishes for GMF's continued growth and future initiatives.

Rajaram Khanolkar

Rajaram appreciated the event's energy and described it as:

"Powerful, impactful ... full on high energy."

He also acknowledged the contribution of the sponsors and organizers and expressed confidence in GMF's potential for exponential growth.

Creativebees Events – Vrushali Zagade

Vrushali appreciated the organizers for putting together a well-organized meetup and thanked Shweta for hosting the event.

She also congratulated Lavlesh Raut on completing two years of GMF and expressed her excitement about being part of future collaborations and the community's continued growth.

Abhijeet Patale

Abhijeet Patale congratulated the organizers and highlighted the event as an excellent example of the collective strength and unity of the GMF community.

He appreciated the growth achieved over the previous 24 months and specifically recognized the dedication of Lavlesh Raut, Deepak Patil and others who actively helped bring new members into the community.

He also appreciated Shweta Vispute and Sheetal Kunte for their continued support.

Networking Beyond Business

An interesting reflection from the anniversary event showed that the impact of GMF networking is extending beyond direct business relationships.

One member shared a heartwarming experience of discovering that their children were connected through school because their parents were both part of GMF.

The experience became a reminder that the relationships created through entrepreneurial communities can naturally extend into families and future generations.

As one participant expressed:

"Networking isn't just happening among us—our kids are networking too!"

This reflects the deeper community aspect of GMF, where business relationships can gradually develop into friendships, families and long-term connections.

A Platform for Giving Back

The anniversary also highlighted the willingness of members to contribute beyond their own businesses.

Members offered professional support, referrals, knowledge and expertise to fellow entrepreneurs.

The event reinforced the idea that GMF is not simply a place to promote a business. It is a community where members can share knowledge, support one another, open doors and create opportunities for others.

This culture of giving back is an important part of what makes the GMF network increasingly valuable.

The GMF Journey Continues

Completing two years is an important milestone, but the anniversary event made it clear that GMF's journey is only beginning.

The community has grown significantly through the combined efforts of its founders, early members, organizers, sponsors and every entrepreneur who has participated along the way.

The message from the anniversary gathering was simple:

GMF grows when its members grow.

And as more entrepreneurs join, introduce new businesses, share knowledge and create collaborations, the platform has the potential to become an even stronger global network for Marathi entrepreneurs.

The GMF team expressed its vision of bringing the same energy, discipline, warmth and enthusiasm into every future meetup.

A Message from GMF

The anniversary gathering concluded with gratitude toward every member who made the occasion special.

The GMF team emphasized that the success of the Annual Day was not created by one person. It was the result of everyone's small contribution—showing up on time, introducing their business, participating, supporting others and bringing positive energy.

The message was clear:

GMF is not just an organization. GMF is a platform built by all of us together.

The team thanked the entire community and encouraged everyone to continue supporting, motivating and growing together.

Challenge the Fear. GMF Is Here. 🌟

Looking Ahead

The 14th GMF Monthly Meetup and 2nd Anniversary was more than a networking event. It was a celebration of the people, relationships, businesses and collective effort that have shaped GMF over the past two years.

From a small entrepreneurial networking initiative to a growing community bringing together dozens of business owners and professionals, GMF continues to demonstrate the power of connection and collaboration.

The next chapter will be about taking this momentum further—welcoming more entrepreneurs, creating more collaborations, supporting more businesses and building an even stronger global Marathi entrepreneurial community.

Connect. Collaborate. Grow.

Together, We Build. Together, We Rise.

Global Marathi Founders (GMF)