SUMMARY OF THE EVENT:

The Department of Commerce, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Business Studies, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram Campus, Chennai, organized the “Campus Innovators and Startup Enablers Programme” from 18.08.2026 to 22.08.2026 for UG and PG Commerce students. The five-day programme was designed to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among students and provide them with practical exposure to innovation, startup development, business pitching, investor readiness, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The programme brought together entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and startup ecosystem experts who shared their experiences, knowledge, and practical insights with the participants.

The programme commenced on 18.08.2026 with a session on “Fundamentals of Startup Pitching” by Ms. Usha Krishnaveni, Project Manager at IITM Pravartak. The session introduced students to the essential components of an effective startup pitch and emphasized the importance of clearly communicating a business idea, identifying the problem and solution, understanding the target market, and presenting the value proposition effectively. Students gained valuable insights into developing confidence and clarity while presenting innovative ideas before potential stakeholders and investors.

On 19.08.2026, the programme featured a success story session on “Journey of a Successful Entrepreneur” by Mr. Vishnuhari Harikumar, Co-Founder, Social Eagle. The speaker shared his entrepreneurial journey, experiences, challenges, and the lessons learned while building an enterprise. The session provided students with a realistic understanding of the entrepreneurial journey and highlighted the importance of perseverance, innovation, adaptability, and continuous learning. The interaction motivated students to view challenges as opportunities and encouraged them to explore entrepreneurship as a potential career pathway.

The third day, 20.08.2026, focused on “Pitch Deck Preparation and Investor Readiness”, delivered by Ms. Archana Stalin, Founder, myHarvest Farms. The session provided practical guidance on preparing a structured and compelling pitch deck for presenting startup ideas to investors and other stakeholders. The resource person explained the importance of presenting the business problem, proposed solution, market opportunity, business model, competitive advantage, and growth potential in a clear and convincing manner. Students gained a better understanding of investor expectations and the preparation required to transform an innovative idea into an investment-ready business proposition.

On 21.08.2026, a success story session titled “How Campus Ideas Become Enterprises” was conducted by Mr. Yokeshwaran Krishnavelu, Joint Managing Director – MAP. The session emphasized the potential of student ideas and campus innovations to develop into successful business ventures. Through practical experiences and entrepreneurial insights, the speaker encouraged students to identify real-world problems, develop innovative solutions, and take the initiative to convert their ideas into sustainable enterprises. The session inspired students to recognize the importance of creativity, collaboration, strategic planning, and execution in the entrepreneurial process.

The programme concluded on 22.08.2026 with the Student Pitch Day, which provided shortlisted student teams with an opportunity to present their innovative business ideas before a jury panel. Ms. Shanthi Komaravolu, Founder – Leonora Advisory LLP, and Mr. Manojkumar Karunakaran, District Program Manager – EDII TN, served as distinguished members of the evaluation and mentoring process. The students presented their ideas and received valuable feedback, suggestions, and mentoring from the experts. The session included jury panel review, constructive feedback, mentoring, selection of promising ideas, and recognition of student participants, providing practical exposure to the process of entrepreneurial pitching and idea evaluation.

Throughout the five-day programme, students actively participated in the sessions and demonstrated considerable enthusiasm and interest in innovation and entrepreneurship. The interactions with entrepreneurs and industry experts enabled them to gain practical knowledge about startup development, pitching techniques, business planning, investor expectations, and the challenges involved in establishing and managing an enterprise. The programme also helped students develop important skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, communication, presentation, teamwork, leadership, and decision-making.

Overall, the “Campus Innovators and Startup Enablers Programme” successfully created an engaging platform for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial aspirations among students. The programme enhanced their awareness of the startup ecosystem, strengthened their practical understanding of transforming ideas into business opportunities, and motivated them to explore entrepreneurship as a meaningful career option. By connecting students with experienced entrepreneurs and startup professionals, the programme contributed significantly to developing a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and enterprise creation among the young learners..