Showcasing India’s Brightest Young Innovators, Top 10 College Startups were announced & Vivek Wadhwa delivered an Inspiring Closing Keynote
#YouthIdeathon2025 #StartupIndia #StudentInnovators #EntrepreneurshipRevolution #CYI2025 #YoungMindsBigIdeas #IITDelhi #FutureFounders
The energy was electric at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi – India’s epicenter of entrepreneurial innovation – as the Grand Finale of SBI College Youth Ideathon (CYI) 2025 unfolded in a powerful showcase of creativity and ambition. Touted as the country’s top entrepreneurship launchpad for college students, the event brought together India’s brightest young minds and their game-changing ideas.
Jointly powered by IIT Delhi, MEPSC (under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship), and ThinkStartup Foundation, with State Bank of India (SBI) as the title sponsor, CYI 2025 has truly ignited a nationwide movement. With over 44,000 students from 1,000 colleges across 200 cities participating and 15,000+ startup ideas submitted, it stands as a celebration of India’s unstoppable youth innovation engine.
Through rigorous rounds of evaluation, mentoring, and shortlisting, the top 100 student teams were invited to IIT Delhi for the two-day Grand Finale. These young entrepreneurs showcased their innovations, interacted with top mentors and investors, and competed in live pitch rounds. The Final Pitch featured the Top 15 student startups, who presented to a jury of VCs, founders, and innovation leaders. The Top 10 winners were announced at the closing ceremony, with each winning team receiving a prize of Rs. 1 lakh.
Delivering a stirring closing keynote, Vivek Wadhwa, renowned tech entrepreneur and futurist, inspired the finalists, saying, “The future belongs to those who dare to dream and execute. You have the power to build groundbreaking solutions that will define the world of tomorrow.”
According to Anil Pokhriyal, CEO, MEPSC, “These students are not just building startups—they are building hope, equity, and impact. The diversity and depth of ideas from across India have been truly inspiring.”
Prof. Narayanan D Kurur, Dean, Academics at IIT Delhi, emphasized the role of institutions in fostering innovation: “IIT Delhi is committed to empowering young entrepreneurs from all over India. CYI 2025 reflects this mission, bringing together the brightest minds to solve real-world challenges.”
Shivani Kapoor, Founder, ThinkStartup, added, “This generation of students isn’t waiting for opportunities; they’re creating them. Their fearless approach to problem-solving is truly inspiring.”
Sanjeeva Shivesh, Program Director, CYI, summed up the spirit of the event: “The Youth Ideathon has proven that India’s next wave of entrepreneurs is already here, driven, passionate, and ready to lead.”
CYI 2025 – TOP 10 WINNING TEAMS
- Heat & Eat (Dayananda Sagar University)
Startup: Self-heating food boxes for hot meals on the go – no electricity or fire needed. - GFoot (IIT Delhi)
Startup: Low-carbon footwear tech reducing emissions by 80%, redefining sustainable fashion. - Neuroxo Labs (GL Bajaj Institute of Management)
Startup: India’s smartest and most affordable muscle-controlled prosthetic arm. - The PathFinders (NIT Jalandhar)
Startup: AI-powered autonomous robot for disaster relief, surveillance, and security. - Arvora (Delhi Technological University, NSUT)
Startup: Wellness and lifestyle brand with offerings from organic sanitary pads to wildforest honey. - ReZen (Jaypee University of Information Technology)
Startup: A mental health platform offering therapy, meditation, and emotional wellness tools. - Afforda (BITS Pilani – Pilani & Goa Campuses)
Startup: Pay-as-you-stay hotel model offering hourly booking options for travelers. - MemoTag (Masters’ Union, ISB Hyderabad)
Startup: Wearable device offering smart, real-time caregiving support for dementia patients. - Shakti Group (Chitkara University)
Startup: AI-based disaster response tech using thermal imaging, LiDAR, and live 3D mapping. - SheSafe India (Madras Christian College, Karunya Institute of Science and Technology)
Startup: Smart, accessible panic-alert system ensuring safety for women and children.
The Sheatwork Award was conferred upon Team Vitality from Government Polytechnic Jehanabad, Bihar. Their startup, Vitality, is creating a portable support system to help women manage PCOD and PCOS symptoms, empowering menstrual health awareness from the grassroots level.
Beyond student awards, CYI 2025 also recognized key contributors to India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem including Entrepreneurship Catalyst Awards (Presented to colleges fostering student entrepreneurship), Innovation Evangelist Awards (Recognizing faculty mentors guiding student innovators), E-Cell Awards (Honouring top-performing student entrepreneurship clubs). Collectively 50 teams were felicitated as part of the CYI 2025 to motivate spirit of entrepreneurship in youngsters.
Top 10 student startups during CYI 2025 showcased bold, impact-driven innovations — from self-heating meal kits and low-carbon footwear to AI-powered rescue bots and digital mental health platforms. Standout ideas included Heat & Eat’s fire-free food box for travelers, GFoot’s sustainable shoe soles from IIT Delhi, Neuroxo Labs’ affordable prosthetic arm, and ReZen’s all-in-one wellness app. Whether redefining safety with SheSafe, empowering caregiving through MemoTag, or reimagining hospitality with Afforda, these ventures reflect the creativity, compassion, and technological prowess of India’s youth.
The Grand Finale witnessed participation from over 1,000 attendees, including students, academic leaders, startup founders, investors, and government dignitaries, making it one of the most influential student entrepreneurship events in the country.
Ruby Sinha
Shree Lahiri
