Competition Structure
All participating startups have to fill the Google Form and submit the Pitch Deck of their startups, preferably in the specified format Specified Format. The submissions will undergo a round of screening and 20* startups will be shortlisted for each location (Bangalore, Mumbai,Pune, Delhi NCR) to participate in UpStart Nationals at the various locations.
After the screening round, the shortlisted startups will get a chance to present at UpStart Nationals in front of a panel of Venture Capitalists (details about the VC Panel can be found below) in 7+5 Pitching Format. This will be followed by mentoring sessions of the shortlisted startups from this round.
Five* shortlisted startups will have subsequent, four weeks long one to one mentoring and brainstorming sessions with a mentor. Mentors will spend a considerable amount of time exclusively on one startup. Startups get to discuss their ideas and business plans to build a proper legal, operational and structural framework. Along with invaluable advice from one of the most experienced Entrepreneur-cum-Mentors in the country, startups also get to enhance their network manifold with help from them.
Following the mentoring sessions, the shortlisted startups will be invited to E-Summit’23 at IIT Kanpur for the finale, One-Minute Elevator Pitches. (Elevator pitches present the overview of the company, and it needs to be succinct and thoughtful, and to clearly articulate your business strategy). Shortlisted startups will move to the Final Pitching round.
Startups will have time till the next day to build upon their Plan and modify their Pitch based on the inputs they received. They will then participate in a 10-minute pitch (followed by Q&As) to present their improved Business Plans before the Upstart panel of judges. The start-ups will accordingly be given their final positions based on the Judging Criteria**