Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge 2027

Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge 2027 is a national program under the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue. It supports young startup founders and working professionals developing technology-driven solutions for social and economic challenges.

• Startup applicants must meet Startup India DPIIT criteria or be registered as an MSME; these are alternative routes, so no hard Eligibility Tag is populated.
• Startup applicants must have an industry-ready innovative solution addressing a social cause.
• Working professionals from government, private organizations, NGOs or academia may apply with an employer certificate and NOC.
• Applicants must submit a pitch deck, idea summary, final report and solution video or image as applicable.
• Only one idea and one team participation are permitted per applicant.

• First prize of INR 1.5 lakh.
• Second prize of INR 1 lakh.
• Third prize of INR 75,000.
• Fourth prize of INR 50,000.
• Fifth prize of INR 30,000.
• INR 5,000 poster or prototype support for every national-finalist team.
• Travel support up to INR 10,000 per team for eligible interstate travel to a regional nodal institute.
• Online mentoring and a two-day offline bootcamp at IIT Kanpur.
• National showcase, investor and policymaker networking, visibility and recognition certificates.

• Applications first undergo administrative and eligibility screening.
• Shortlisted teams participate in an offline regional demonstration and jury pitch.
• Three teams per state or union territory progress at the regional level.
• IIT Kanpur selects one national finalist per state or union territory.
• Thirty-six finalist teams attend the national showcase and deliver a three-minute jury pitch.