Reinforcing its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent and translating innovative ideas into impactful solutions, SRM University–AP, Amaravati, organised PRARAMBH Demo Day (IGNITE) 2026. Spearheaded by the Directorate of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (DoIE) through the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CEL), the day-long event brought together student innovators to showcase their entrepreneurial vision through 34 startup pitches before an expert jury comprising industry leaders and venture mentors.
From sustainable energy and quantum-powered cybersecurity to circular economy solutions, the ventures reflected the university’s growing culture of innovation, where student-led ideas are encouraged to evolve into scalable, technology-driven enterprises addressing emerging societal and industry needs. Among the standout pitches were Bharrat Energy, developing green hydrogen-based solutions as a cleaner alternative to conventional LPG systems; Tsiphrion, focused on advanced quantum encryption for enhanced digital security; Aurevia, pioneering saffron cultivation through aeroponics; and OpenBin, leveraging waste-to-wealth technologies to advance circular economy principles.
Speaking on the transformative journey of campus entrepreneurship, Prof. Soumitra Dutta, Advisor, SRM Group, emphasized the importance of resilience, teamwork, and active mentorship. “A year ago, there was a vision to foster a culture of entrepreneurship across the university, and today we see the tangible results of that vision through the hard work of our students, faculty, and mentors,” he remarked. He urged student founders to view constructive feedback as a vital learning tool to refine their business models and build robust, cohesive teams. Emphasising that founding a startup involves betting equally on technology, market opportunities, and people, he encouraged students to proactively seek guidance and build strong collaborative capabilities.
Addressing the audience, Mr Srinivasan Thirumalai, Director – Entrepreneurship & Innovation, SRM University–AP, lauded the exceptional quality and enthusiasm of the startup pitches, noting that the batch demonstrated an extraordinary drive toward solving real-world challenges. He highlighted the rigorous evaluation structure—comprising three-minute pitches followed by interactive Q&A sessions with industry experts—designed to give young founders authentic exposure to real-world venture evaluation.
Highlighting the scale of the university’s entrepreneurial momentum, Mr Vijay N, Innovation Advisor at the Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, commended SRM University–AP for its dedicated efforts to build an institutional innovation ecosystem. He noted that registering nearly 3,000 students for the startup initiative represents a landmark milestone, adding that PRARAMBH marks the beginning of a sustained, long-term commitment to student-led enterprise.
The event concluded with strategic roadmap evaluations, further solidifying SRM University–AP’s mission to cultivate future job creators, bridge academic research with commercial viability, and empower student-led ventures to deliver meaningful societal impact.
