ANI |
Updated: Jan 13, 2026 16:53 IST
SMPL
Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], January 13: Navrachana Innovation Foundation (NIF) successfully organized NUVenture ’26, it’s a flagship Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fest, at Navrachana University, Vadodara, celebrating National Startup Day under the Startup India Initiative. The event emerged as a strong convergence of startups, investors, mentors, students, and ecosystem leaders, reinforcing Gujarat’s growing startup ecosystem.
The event was graced by Dr. Sachin Parikh, Joint Director, Directorate of Technical Education, Government of Gujarat, as the Chief Guest, who emphasized the importance of institutional platforms in nurturing student-led innovation and entrepreneurship.
Also, Director of Navrachana Innovation Foundation, Dr. Sandeep Vasant gave a glimpse of the chaotic startup ecosystem of Gujarat and how an incubator stay relevant, he rightly declared, “In the world obsessed with flashy launches and viral pitches, we’ve forreceivedten what truly matters: building startups that succeed, create jobs, and create life clearer for the ppl of this counattempt and not just for Instagram likes”
Out of 50+ startup applications received from across Gujarat, 10 revenue-generating startups were shortlisted to pitch at Venture Vault, the closed-door investor pitching session. These startups presented their business models and growth journeys before a panel of six well-known investors and ecosystem leaders, enabling focutilized discussions on funding, scalability, and strategic direction.
The Venture Vault investor jury and panelists included:
* Vivek Jadav, GVFL
* Mr. Arun Vishwanathan, Kovin Tech
* Dr. Nikita Vadsaria, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Syncoro Ventures
* Apurva Arora, Founder, Epic Ventures
* Nishith Vasavda, Houtilize of Starts
* Apoorva Bhayani, Houtilize of Starts
Navrachana Innovation Foundation, signed MOU with Houtilize of starts and have launched a Cohort on AI for D2C startups for all the startup founders across state.
The knowledge segment of NUVenture ’26 witnessed strong engagement, with over 150 participants attconcludeing speaker sessions, panel discussions, and fireside chats. The featured panel discussion on “What Founders Forobtain While Raising Funds” brought toobtainher seasoned ecosystem leaders including Dr. Nikita Vadsaria, Nishith Vasavada (Houtilize of Starts), Apurva Arora (Epic Ventures), and Kapil Dev Kotnala (Fundvice), offering founders practical insights into fundraising realities and investor expectations.
The event also hosted inspiring fireside chats, featuring: Krishna Siddhapura, Founder, Storytailor – “Journey of Storytailor”
In Speaker Session Topic was Tech Innovations in the Last Decade by Prateek Parmar, Founder of The Atomo Story and other one was Homegrown Startup Journey by Mr. Kashyap Raval, Founder, BREVA.
The Startup Expo emerged as a major attraction, drawing over 1,000 visitors, including students, founders, mentors, and ecosystem stakeholders. Early stage startups displaycased their products, prototypes, and solutions, engaging directly with visitors and receiving valuable on-ground feedback.
With strong participation, curated investor engagement, and high student footfall, NUVenture ’26 successfully strengthened the bridge between innovation, investment, and execution, reaffirming Navrachana Innovation Foundation’s role in building a robust startup ecosystem aligned with the national vision of Startup India.
Link – https://nuv.ac.in/innovation/
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