Startups continue to dream big and grow with Leap To Unicorn Season 2

As the Indian growth story gathers pace, the world looks towards us to provide cutting edge innovations for a new era of smart and sustainable development. At the heart of these high hopes are India’s innovators and entrepreneurs, who are overcoming old challenges using modern technology, and together form the world’s third largest startup ecosystem. To go along with their ingenuity and determination, India’s startups now have the funds and mentorship they need to succeed, in the form of Leap To Unicorn, a platform for startup growth created by IDFC FIRST Bank, in association with Moneycontrol and CNBC-TV18. Season 1 of the initiative saw the India’s brightest startups win big funds, setting the stage for an exciting and enthralling Season 2.  

The immense scale of Season 1 of Leap To Unicorn was apparent from the beginning, when more than 5500 startups applied to be part of the program. A careful evaluation process selected about 600 startups to participate in a month-long bootcamp, featuring sessions with renowned industry veterans, VCs, and leaders on different facets of startup operations. Based on these invaluable lessons, bootcamp participants were able to refine their pitches further, which were evaluated to yield the top 100 and subsequently, the top 20 startups. Finally, the top 6 startups took the stage at a much-anticipated Grand Finale, where they received funding intent of up to Rs. 60 crore from an elite jury of VCs and investors. While the finalists won richly deserved recognition for their performance, the rest of the top 100 startups made a breakthrough of their own, being featured in a special edition of the prestigious Forbes magazine, which was unveiled at the event.  

Although the success of Season 1 has set big expectations for Season 2, it has also created a legacy of inclusive growth. Applicants for Season 2 of Leap To Unicorn can expect intensive mentoring, fundraise and networking opportunities, including the chance to pitch to a jury of renowned investors and VCs, including names that have been associated with funding and growth of successful startups in the past. This will be the stage that catapults the best startups to national prominence and gives them the funds and the expertise to scale new heights of success. All they have to do is try – and apply!

Think your startup is ready to make big leap? Apply for Leap to Unicorn Season 2.

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