Network18 @ IIT Bombay’s 21st E-Summit 2025: Ideas, capital and the next generat
Two days of ideas and conversations, where leaders, founders and students came together at IIT Bombay’s 21st E-Summit 2025
Last Updated: Jan 14, 2026, 18:12 IST2 min
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On December 11th and 12th, IIT Bombay played host to the 21st edition of its flagship E-Summit, Asia’s largest entrepreneurship conclave that brought together India’s brightest entrepreneurial minds, global leaders, and ambitious students.
Day One: Setting the Stage
Day one set the agenda for the Summit with keynote sessions from some of India’s most influential leaders. Mr Anil Agarwal (Founder, Vedanta Resources), Smt. Smriti Irani (Former Union Minister), Mr Aman Gupta (Co-Founder and Former CMO of BOAT), Mr Kunal Bahl and Mr Rohit Bansal (Founders, Titan Capital) were just some of the many who set the tone with insights on leadership, scale, resilience and India’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape.
Network18 in Conversation
Neha Bothra, Associate Editor, Forbes India moderated a conversation with Dr. Arokiaswamy Velumani (Founder, Thyrocare Technologies) titled “How to Build Big Without Burning Cash: The Thyrocare Playbook.” The discussion centred on sustainable growth, how to scale while maintaining control on costs, processes and unit economics.
In another session, Chandra R. Srikanth, Executive Editor, Moneycontrol spoke with Ashish Chauhan (CEO, NSE) in “IPO India: The Rise of Public Startups and Retail Investors.” The conversation examined how the IPO environment is evolving, including the growing participation of retail investors and the implications for companies that want to build toward public listing standards.
The Ecosystem in Motion
Beyond the main stage, E‑Summit 2025 emphasised hands-on learning and real-world exposure. The finals of Eureka!, IIT Bombay’s business model competition, saw startups pitch to an expert jury. The National Entrepreneurship Challenge (NEC) and Eureka! Junior widened participation across age groups, while i‑Hack challenged participants to solve practical problems under time constraints.
The summit’s ecosystem areas were among the busiest parts of the day. The Networking Arena facilitated structured interactions between founders, mentors, investors, and incubators. The Ten Minute Million (TTMM) saw three startups secure INR 35 Lacs on day one through rapid-fire pitching. The Startup Expo, with over 50 companies, enabled direct engagement with customers, and the Incubator Summit offered early-stage teams guidance on growth pathways.
Running in parallel, the Internship and Job Fair (IJF) connected students with recruiters and hiring teams serving as a practical bridge between campus talent and industry demand. Competitions like Ace the Case, Capital Quest, and Fishtank tested participants’ strategic and creative mettle, rounding off an eventful first day.
Day Two: Global Perspectives and Digital Frontiers
The momentum continued with keynotes from Mr Benedetto Vigna (CEO, Ferrari) and Ms Rubika Liyaquat (Consulting Editor, News18 India). Their sessions explored leadership, technology and the intersection of media and entrepreneurship. A special session on entrepreneurship versus higher studies by Mr Rakesh Mathur (Founder, Gupshup.ai) and Mr Vijender Chauhan (Influencer and Motivational Speaker) offered clarity for students navigating career pathways.
Other sessions featured Mr Ankur Warikoo (Founder, WebVeda), Mr Pranjal Kamra (Author), Ms Nandita Sinha (CEO, Myntra) and Mr Demetris Skourides (Chief Scientist, The Republic of Cyprus), who brought perspectives from content, startups, global ventures and personal branding.
On the TTMM stage, five startups pitched, with two securing funding on the second day. A notable addition was the Influencer Summit, which linked entrepreneurship with digital identity and the creator economy.
A Legacy Reinforced
Awards ceremonies celebrated winners of Eureka!, NEC, and Entre-MUN, honouring the innovation and perseverance of the students part of the E-Summit. Over two dynamic days, the summit became a crucible for ideas, collaboration, and opportunities, cementing its reputation as a launchpad for the next generation of innovators.
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First Published: Jan 14, 2026, 18:15
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