Key Points

The two-day event, organised by the Gujarat government's Education department, will see the participation of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the State Higher and Technical Education Minister Rushikesh Patel at the opening ceremony.

Bringing together the country's most dynamic voices in innovation, entrepreneurship and investment, the conclave will feature more than 1,000 startups, 5,000 innovators, 100 industry mentors, 50 plus venture funds, and leading policymakers on a single platform.

Spread across September 23 to 24, the event aims to set a new benchmark for India's startup ecosystem by bridging the gap between early-stage ventures and top investors.

A highlight of the conclave will be investor pitching sessions, where more than 50 shortlisted startups will present their ideas across multiple parallel tracks before India's leading venture capitalists.

These sessions are expected to unlock funding opportunities worth Rs 250 crore, building on the success of the Startup Conclave 2023.

Ahead of the event, investors' interest has already resulted in letters of intent and financial commitments of Rs 150 crore for promising startups.

The conclave will also showcase 170+ startups from 20 states, including those selected by Startup India, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and innovations for defence excellence (iDEX).

Exhibitions will span critical sectors such as defence, aerospace, healthcare, clean energy, agritech, deep tech, and social impact innovations, underlining India's entrepreneurial drive towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

The thematic pavilions will highlight Gujarat's strengths in electric vehicles, semiconductors, augmented reality/virtual reality, fintech, green hydrogen, drones, and space technologies.

The opening session will feature the release of a Startup Conclave Coffee Table Book, NEP-2020 Dashboard, and Indian Knowledge System Compendium.

The state government will also facilitate the signing of 50 MoUs between startups, investors, and financial institutions, alongside the distribution of funding cheques and Letters of Intent to selected ventures.

In addition to exhibitions and B2B networking opportunities, the conclave will host plenary sessions and roundtable conferences on key themes such as emerging opportunities in sunrise sectors, the journey of India's unicorns, the role of women-led startups, and the impact of digital transformation.

A special Unicorn Roundtable, chaired by Minister Rushikesh Patel, will bring together unicorn founders, policymakers, and investors to shape the future of India's innovation economy.

The Startup exhibition, a central attraction of the conclave, will offer startups direct access to policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and mentors.

Experts from platforms such as iDEX, Startup India, MeitY Startup Hub, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Gujarat Venture Finance Limited, and Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) will participate, offering B2B mentorship, go-to-market strategies, and investor linkages.

- IANS