6 teams selected for incubation at SPPU Startup Olympiad

The Startup Olympiad was hosted by SPPU’s Center for Innovation, Incubation, and Linkages (CIIL). The event witnessed a turnout of budding entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, and academicians from across three districts of Maharashtra — Pune, Ahilynagar (formerly Ahmednagar) & Nashik. The Startup Olympiad served as a platform for students, researchers, and early-stage startups to pitch their innovative business ideas to a jury.

The competition featured multiple rounds, including ideation, prototype demonstration, and business model evaluation. The winners of the Olympiad were awarded cash prizes, incubation support, and exclusive mentorship from CIIL. The university also announced that registrations for the 2026 edition will open soon.

Manav Srivsastava, an undergraduate arts student from D. Y. Patil Arts, Commerce & Science College and creator of the Accessible Railway Tickets for the Visually impaired travellers, told The Indian Express, “The tickets bought by visually impaired people at Indian Railway counters are not accessible to them. I created this ticket that incorporates braille writing, and also a QR code that can be scanned to get the information.” Being visually impaired himself, Srivastava said that he incorporated the QR code as not all visually impaired people can read braille.

Dr. Devidas Golhar, Director of Innovation, Incubation & Linkages at SPPU, said, “The enthusiasm and creativity displayed by students reflect the bright future of India’s startup ecosystem. We are committed to supporting these young entrepreneurs in scaling their ideas.” Mr Yogesh Brahmankar, Innovation Director at the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, presented the keynote address at the event.