BITS Pilani is back with the 20th edition of its startup accelerator: Conquest

The Indian startup ecosystem has experienced consistent growth in recent years, with innovative solutions emerging from across the country. Early-stage startups in India have been facing tough challenges for the past few years. According to the Indus Valley Report by Blume, Indian venture funding has plummeted by over 60% in 2023, reducing the venture market to a quarter of its size in 2021. With early-stage funding dropping by two-thirds, it has become increasingly difficult for new ventures to thrive in this competitive landscape.

In the face of these challenges, renowned for its entrepreneurial culture and as the birthplace of unicorns like Swiggy and Redbus, BITS Pilani stands as a beacon of innovation whose students have been spearheading Conquest - India’s largest student-run startup accelerator, for the past twenty years. Conquest offers early-stage startups from all sectors essential mentorship and resources, enabling rapid and effective growth through crucial initial stages.

Conquest is backed by an extensive network of investors, mentors, founders, and other prominent stakeholders within the Indian ecosystem. This student-run program operates on a zero-cost, zero-equity model, offering startups the entire accelerator experience completely free of charge. Additionally, it awards equity-free grants to the top startups from each cohort, having already distributed over 1 crore rupees in grants over the last three editions alone.

Some past Conquest cohort members include the likes of Atlan(valued at $500M), Findr(#1 on ProductHunt on launch), LoveLocal (raised $30Mn), Thinkerbell Labs (featured on Shark Tank India), and many others. Conquest works on a competitive yet supportive landscape where the registered startups are all rigorously evaluated to select the most promising early-stage startups to form the year’s cohort. The cohort undergoes an online mentorship program for 7 weeks, including weekly calls with experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts who provide personalized guidance and counselling to each startup. Some past mentors have included profiles like Mayank Gupta (CFO  - Cardekho) Saurabh Jain (CEO - Livspace), Pankaj Goyal (CTO - BharatPe), and Vivek Bansal (CFO-Incred). The selected cohort also gets access to resources worth over $300K from AWS, Notion, and other such platforms. 

The online program is followed by an intensive offline week in Bangalore, featuring a diverse array of knowledge sessions and workshops. During this week, cohort founders have the opportunity to engage in networking events and mixers, fostering stronger connections within the ecosystem and building meaningful bonds with fellow members. 

The program culminates with Demo Day, attended by over 300 founders, CXOs, investors, and influencers. The event features speaker sessions and panel discussions with prominent personalities such as Pranav Pai (Founder of 3one4 Capital), Ashish Singhal (Co-Founder & CEO, Coinswitch), and Vishesh Khurana (Co-Founder, Shiprocket), among others. After pitching in front of an esteemed jury, investors, and other attendees, the top cohort members are awarded equity-free grants.

This year, Conquest has also introduced a Sustainability Track in collaboration with Pepsico India, dedicated to supporting innovative solutions from Indian entrepreneurs. This initiative is crucial, as sustainable innovations have seen significant growth in response to consumer demand, technological advancements, and global awareness. With many corporations and governments committing to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the importance of sustainable solutions is more evident than ever.

Conquest kicked off registrations for its twentieth edition with a Launch Event at The Circle Works, Gurgaon. The accelerator is in the last phase of onboarding startups for this year’s cohort with registrations closing on May 31st. Aspiring founders can register their startups now at conquest.org.in.