About
GITAM (Deemed to be University) , established in 1980, is one of India's leading multidisciplinary universities with campuses in Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and GIMSR. Guided by its vision of creating a knowledge-driven institution, GITAM empowers students through innovation, research, entrepreneurship, and industry-focused learning. The university offers a vibrant ecosystem where ideas are transformed into impactful solutions, preparing students to address real-world challenges and contribute meaningfully to society.
GITAM Innovation Challange 2026 is a national student pitching competition built on ideas that matter to our country today, with the aim of creating sustainable and resilient communities.
Now GITAM Innovation Challange 2026 runs out of GITAM's Venture Development Centre in Hyderabad, in collaboration with GITAM i-TBI, GITAM TEC, the Bower School of Entrepreneurship,Wadhwani Foundation, and Balavikas, USA. Building on six years of momentum and thousands of applications from across India, this year's edition brings a prize pool and ecosystem value of over ₹50,00,000 - including cash prizes, one-on-one venture coaching, and incubation support - across two tracks:
Junior Track - for school students in Class 10-12, now with in-person regional rounds
across GITAM's Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam campuses
Main Track For UG students & graduates from 2025 onwards carrying an Idea, a Prototype, or an early -stage venture.
GITAM Innovation Challange is much more than just an idea presentation. Participants get to meet entrepreneurs and startup founders, take part in inspiring sessions, and build valuable networks along the way. The event also includes personalised coaching through online bootcamps and, new this year, in-person regional rounds for the Junior Track - giving more students the chance to pitch face-to-face before the Grand Finale. This is what sets GITAM Innovation Challange apart, making it a unique and impactful experience for everyone involved. Join us at GITAM Innovation Challange 2026, where your ideas can shape the future and create lasting impact.
Choose Your Track
Choose the track that best fits your stage - whether you're a school student with a promising idea or a founder building the next big venture.
Junior Track
School Students
Class 10-12
Who can apply
School students (Class 10-12)
Team Size
2-4 members, same school
Idea Stage
Concept / Early Idea
Registration Fee
₹499 per team
Prize Pool
Cash Prize
Screening
Online + Regional Round (3 Campuses)
Mentorship
Group Bootcamp + Panel Coaching
Grand Finale
Dedicated Session, Hyderabad Campus
Main Track
UG Students & Graduates
Graduates from 2025 onwards
Who can apply
UG students & graduates from 2025 onwards
Team Size
2-4 members (Lead + Co-lead)
Idea Stage
Idea, Prototype or MVP
Registration Fee
₹699 per team
Prize Pool
Cash Prize
Screening
Online Rounds + Offline Finale
Mentorship
Online Bootcamps + 1:1 Coaching
Grand Finale
Main Stage Finale, Hyderabad Campus
Registration Window:
Starts on 05 Aug 2026 and closes on
15 Sep 2026.
50
Lakh+Cash and Grants
5000
+Startup Ideas
100
+Pitches
50
+Jury
30
+Partners
29
State representations
Partners
Previous Partners and Sponsors
Timeline
-
05
AUGUST05 AUGUST, 2026
Registration Opens
-
15
SEP15 SEPTEMBER, 2026
Registration Closes
-
10
OCT10 OCTOBER, 2026
Round 1 Shortlisting
-
15-29
OCT15-29 OCTOBER, 2026
Online Bootcamp - Round 2
-
12
NOV12 NOVEMBER, 2026
Main Track: Semi-Finalists Announced (40)
-
1st
week NOV1st week of NOVEMBER, 2026
Junior Track: Regional Finalists Announced (100)
-
25-26
NOV25-26 NOVEMBER, 2026
Main Track: Online Semi-Finals
-
28
NOV28 NOVEMBER, 2026
Junior Track: Offline Regional Rounds
-
11
DEC11 DECEMBER, 2026
Grand Finale, at GITAM Hyderabad
Registration Fee
Junior Track - School Students | Class 10-12
₹499 per team
Prize Pool + SEED Program access: ₹1,00,000 cash + up to ₹16,00,000 in ecosystem value
Main TRack - College Students & Recent Grads
₹699 per team
Prize Pool + Coaching & Incubation: ₹4,90,000+ cash + up to ₹25,00,000 in ecosystem value
GITAMInnovationChallange 2026 Themes
-
Planet and Sustainability
-
Bio Economy & Agriculture
-
DeepTech & Manufacturing
-
Sports & Fitness
-
D2C & Consumer Brands
Eligibility
Junior Track
- School students in Class 10-12, studying at any recognised Indian school.
- Team size: 2-4 members
Note: Only the Lead and Co-Lead will be invited to participate in the Grand Finale. - Indian citizens only. An idea at the concept stage is enough to apply.
- A school ID or a principal's letter is needed at the shortlisting stage.
- Shortlisted teams need to be able to travel to their nearest GITAM campus - Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or Visakhapatnam - for the in-person Regional Round.
Main Track
- Current UG students, or graduates from 2024 onwards, from any Indian institution.
- Team size: 2-4 members
Note: Only the Lead and Co-Lead will be invited to participate in the Grand Finale. - Ideas at the ideation, prototype, or MVP.
- One submission per participant. A student ID or bonafide letter is required at shortlisting.
- We reserve the right to ask for additional documents to verify eligibility, if needed.
The Process
- All teams submit a 1-minute video pitch and a pitch deck online.
- Guidelines for the video and deck will be shared along with the registration form.
- Registration window: 3rd week of 5 th August - 15 th September 2026.
- Desk Screening Jury reviews submissions for quality, relevance & completeness
- Online Bootcamp Mentoring, coaching, submit improved deck (10 slides)
- Round 1 - Desk Screening
- A jury reviews all submissions for completeness, relevance, and quality of thinking.
- Top 100 teams are shortlisted and notified by email.
- Round 2 - Online Bootcamp & Refinement
- Shortlisted teams join an online bootcamp with mentors to sharpen their idea and pitch.
- Teams submit a refined pitch deck (up to 10 slides).
- Top 40 teams move forward, and each is assigned a personal venture coach.
- Semi-Finals & Finals
- Semi-Finals: A 15-minute virtual pitch (10 min pitch + 5 min Q&A) to a jury panel. Top 10 teams qualify for the Grand Finale.
- Grand Finale: Live, on-campus pitch in Hyderabad on 11th December 2026. Format: 10 slides, 10 min pitch + 10 min Q&A, on the main stage in front of a live audience, jury, and investors.
- Round 1 - Desk Screening
- A jury reviews all submissions for completeness, relevance, and quality of thinking.
- Top 100 teams are shortlisted and notified by email.
- Round 2 - Online Bootcamp & Refinement
- Shortlisted teams join an online bootcamp with mentors to sharpen their idea and pitch.
- Teams submit a refined pitch deck (up to 10 slides).
- Top 40 teams move forward, and each is assigned a personal venture coach.
- Regionals - Offline Regional Round
- In-person pitching at the nearest GITAM campus - Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or Visakhapatnam.
- Combined, the top 15 teams across all three campuses qualify for the Grand Finale.
- We cover travel, accommodation, and food for every team that reaches the Grand Finale.
- Live, on-campus pitch in Hyderabad on 11th December 2026.
- Format: 5 slides, 5 min pitch + 5 min Q&A, in front of a jury, investors, and the wider GITAM community.
Prizes and Accolades
Junior Track
-
Winner
- ₹50,000 cash prize - Awarded to the top-scoring school team at the Grand Finale.
- Trophy + Certificate - A keepsake recognition of the team's achievement.
- Mentorship access - Ongoing guidance from GITAM VDC mentors to help take the idea further.
- Press feature - Media visibility through GITAM and partner press channels.
-
Runner-up
- ₹30,000 cash prize - Awarded to the second-best school team.
- Certificate - Official recognition of the team's performance.
- Mentorship access - Continued support to develop the idea beyond the competition.
-
2nd Runner-up
- ₹20,000 cash prize - Awarded to the third-best school team.
- Certificate - Formal acknowledgment of the team's achievement.
- Mentorship access - Guidance to help the team build on their concept.
-
All Junior Track Finalists
- Access to the LEAD Program, delivered by the Bower School of Entrepreneurship - A structured leadership and entrepreneurship curriculum for young innovators, valued at approximately ₹2,00,000 per team.
Main Track
-
Winner
- ₹2,00,000 cash prize - Awarded to the top college-level venture at the Grand Finale.
- Trophy + Certificate - Recognition of the team's standout achievement.
- Free 6-month incubation at GITAM i-TBI (worth ₹3,00,000) - Hands-on support to help turn the idea into a real venture.
- Direct Nomination for SIA Award 2027 by Impact Hub Hyderabad.
- Winner facilities: workspace access, mentor network, press feature, and access to the GITAM VDC investor and alumni ecosystem - Everything a founding team needs to keep building after the event.
-
Runner-up
- ₹1,00,000 cash prize - Awarded to the second-best team in the Main Track.
- Certificate - Official recognition of the team's achievement.
- Direct Nomination for SIA Award 2027 by Impact Hub Hyderabad.
- Free 6-month incubation at GITAM i-TBI - Continued structured support to grow the venture.
- Mentorship access - Guidance from experienced venture coaches.
-
2nd Runner-up
- ₹50,000 cash prize - Awarded to the third-best team in the Main Track.
- Certificate - Formal recognition of the team's performance.
- Direct Nomination for SIA Award 2027 by Impact Hub Hyderabad.
- Free 6-month incubation at GITAM i-TBI - Support to help the venture move from idea to execution.
Best Social Impact Business Idea
- ₹50,000 cash prize - Awarded to the third-best team in the Main Track. Certificate
- Formal recognition of the team's performance.
- Direct Nomination for SIA Award 2027 by Impact Hub Hyderabad.
- Free 6-month incubation at GITAM i-TBI - Support to help the venture move from idea to execution.
Best Woman-led Entrepreneurship Idea
- INR 50,000 cash prize
- Fully sponsored two-week trip for one woman member (Founder or co-founder ONLY) to Boston worth INR 3,00,000. This includes visa fees, roundtrip economy airfare, food, stay, and local transportation.
- Access To Northeastern University’s NU-IDEA Ready-Set-Go structured Venture Development Program and one-on-one coaching from VDC venture coaches worth INR 3,00,000
Leben Johnson People’s Choice Award
- ₹50,000 cash prize - Awarded to the third-best team in the Main Track. Certificate
- Voted live by the audience during the Grand Finale, celebrating the team the crowd connects with most.
- Formal recognition of the team's performance.
- Direct Nomination for SIA Award 2027 by Impact Hub Hyderabad.
- Free 6-month incubation at GITAM i-TBI - Support to help the venture move from idea to execution.
All GIC Finalists
- A full year of 1:1 venture coaching from the GITAM VDC coach network, worth ₹2,00,000 per team - Every finalist gets sustained, personalised mentorship long after the Grand Finale ends.
Dr. G.V.V. Rao Young Engineer Dreamer Awards
Sponsored by Balavikas, USA (via RKM Vizag)
- Winner: ₹50,000 | Runner-up: ₹25,000 | 2nd Runner-up: ₹15,000 - Special recognition for engineering innovations that address real societal challenges.
Prof. Greg Collier
Director of International Program, NUCEE
Prof Ravi Ramamurti
Professor of international Business & Director, Northeastern University
Sadhguru
Founder, Isha Foundation
Suresh Garg
CMD, Zeon Lifesciences
Sameer Desai
V.P Marketing & Operations, APAC
Prashant Warier
CEO, Qure.ai
Piyush Verma
Founder, Manush Labs
Raktim Chattopadhyay
Founder & CEO, Esperer
Bharath Kumar
Co-Founder, Zerocode
Malini Parmar
Co-Founder, Stonesoup.in
Muralidhar Nayak
Co-Founder & CIO, Paymatrix
Praveen Dorna
Pavan Kumar
Co-Founder, CEO
President Address - SmartIDEAthon 2022
Vice Chancellor Address - SmartIDEAthon 2022
Hygienity Solutions Pvt Ltd Testimonial
Fleetwings Testimonial
Fleetwings Testimonial
Band Ranga performance at SmartIDEAthon 2022 Concert Night
GIC 2023 video
GIC 2024 video
Contact
GITAM Deemed to be University
Rudraram, Patancheru mandal, Hyderabad - 502329.
Telangana, India
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