IIT Madras is hosting the 10th edition of its entrepreneurship summit, ‘e-summit ’25’, from February 28. The event, branded as the ‘Decade of Dynamism,’ will bring together over 1,000 founders, 50 investors, and 15,000 students from more than 400 colleges across the country. The summit will feature a live fundraising event called ‘PitchFest’ for the first time.
Around 100 startups will compete for funding from prominent angel investors. The annual e-summit provides a platform for participants to nurture innovative ideas and transform them into viable business ventures. Industry experts, venture capitalists, and students will attend the event.
Institute Director V. Kamakoti said, “PitchFest is an opportunity for students to showcase their ability to attract investments and demonstrate their entrepreneurial skills.”
The summit will also introduce the inaugural ‘biz bazaar,’ a marketplace where students can exhibit and sell their creations. E-cell faculty advisor Richa Agrawal remarked, “The biz bazaar acts as a preparatory event for students to get a flavor of business and entrepreneurship.
The summit is the culmination of a yearlong effort by the e-cell team both on campus and beyond.”
Other key features of the summit include a startup expo where students, investors, and professionals can display their products and services. Attendees will also benefit from a bootcamp for early-stage startups, an incubator-summit, and a nationwide fundraising event called Elevate. This initiative aims to foster collaboration between early-stage entrepreneurs, mentors, angel investors, and venture capitalists.
The e-summit will also spotlight social initiatives like ‘in-verse,’ which aims to empower the creative arts sector, and ‘Education-21,’ designed to help schoolchildren appreciate the potential of an entrepreneurial mindset. The startup ecosystem is evolving rapidly, with entrepreneurs facing challenges in securing funding, scaling businesses, and navigating competitive markets.
Hosting the e-summit’s dynamic decade
To bridge the knowledge gap and equip startups with practical strategies, E-Cell IIT Madras is hosting the Startup Essentials Conclave as part of E-Summit 2025 from February 28 to March 2 at IIT Madras. This conclave will provide founders and aspiring entrepreneurs with expert insights into finance, marketing, and business growth through workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities. E-Summit is a three-day entrepreneurial conference that brings together startup founders, investors, and industry leaders to foster innovation and business excellence.
It features four focused conclaves catering to different entrepreneurial needs: Youth Conclave, Innovators Conclave, Startup Conclave, and Startup Essentials Conclave. One of the standout elements of the Startup Essentials Conclave is Expert Edge 2025, a mentorship program offering one-on-one guidance from industry veterans in finance, marketing, and business growth. These sessions will help entrepreneurs refine strategies, address operational challenges, and gain insights from professionals with proven expertise in scaling businesses.
The conclave will feature workshops led by seasoned professionals, offering in-depth knowledge on crucial aspects of business growth. Some of the key sessions include Mastering B2B & D2C Growth, Investor Relations & Strategic Finance, Digital Marketing for Startups, Growth Marketing Showdown, and Financial Mastery for Startups. UnConference 2025 will facilitate an open-ended discussion platform featuring top marketing professionals, including Madhura Dasgupta and Prashant Puri.
This panel will explore emerging trends in branding, digital outreach, and consumer engagement, offering attendees an opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions and industry discussions. The Startup Essentials Conclave is structured to deliver practical takeaways, ensuring that entrepreneurs gain knowledge applicable to real-world business challenges. Some key benefits include expert guidance, actionable strategies, networking opportunities, and industry recognition.
IIT Madras is also set to host the Startup Expo on March 2 in Chennai. This platform will bring together over 100 startups to showcase their innovative products and services to a broad audience, including more than 150 industry experts and investors, and an expected 10,000 attendees. The Expo aims to provide startups with a significant visibility boost, offering opportunities for investment, industry collaborations, and talent recruitment.
Photo by; Gautam Krishnan on Unsplash
