The 3-Day Venture Development Bootcamp, organized by the E-Cell of Birla Global University (BGU) in collaboration with the Wadhwani Foundation, and powered by B-HIVE – the Innovation and Incubation Centre of BGU, is a special experiential track of GFI 2026 scheduled from March 11 to March 13, 2026.
This intensive program is designed to help participants transform their existing innovative ideas into validated, scalable, and investor-ready ventures through structured mentoring, milestone-based progression, and professional pitch deck development.
The initiative leverages the Wadhwani Entrepreneurship Network IGNITE platform, which empowers students and professionals with structured venture-building frameworks, startup labs, and guided practice ventures to create high-potential startups.
The bootcamp follows a milestone-driven pedagogy with structured evaluation, screening, and selection rounds culminating in the Venture Pitch Challenge. The total cash prize pool for the competition is ₹40,000.
Bootcamp Highlights
Bootcamp design
The bootcamp is comprised of 03 Milestones, covering from Problem-Opportunity identification to Financial Projection of the Venture. This is covered in Two Season.
Season 1 : Coverage of Milestone 1 followed by Venture Pitch deck Challenge (During GFI2026, 11-13 March 2026)
Season 2 : Coverage of Milestone 2&3 through the IGNITE 4.0 Venture Development & Acceleration Support platform, Wadhwani Foundation. (Post Conference, GFI2026).
Jury Panel:
There will be three jury panels for the parallel tracks of Pitch deck presentation and evaluation for the Idea2Impact Challenge.
Who can participate in this bootcamp?
Any student who is currently pursuing/completed 10+2 or bachelor’s or master’s degree, with an innovative idea demonstrating strong potential for impact and scalability, is eligible to participate.
Can students from Birla Global University (BGU) participate and win prizes?
BGU students are welcome to take part in the bootcamp and will receive participation certificates upon completion. However, they are not eligible to win the cash prizes.
What is the registration fee for the event?
The registration fee is ₹499 for a team of 3 members. If your team has more than three people, each additional member will cost ₹199 each. (Registration is free for BGU students).
Is there an elimination process?
There is no elimination round. Following the venture pitch deck presentations and the jury evaluation, the Idea2Impact winners will be announced on 13 March 2026 during the closing ceremony of GFI 2026.
What is the total prize money available?
The total prize pool is ₹40,000. This will be distributed among five selected teams: the 1st and 2nd place winners, and three Runners-Up.
Is there any support available after the bootcamp ends?
Yes. The Idea2Impact Bootcamp is designed as a structured multi-stage journey. After completing Season 1 (Bootcamp Phase), participants progress to Season 2, where they are required to complete Milestones 2 and 3 through the IGNITE 4.0 platform, followed by expert evaluation.
What happens after successful completion of all milestones?
Upon successful completion of all three milestones and global expert evaluation, participants will receive a Certificate of Achievement from the Wadhwani Foundation. High-potential ventures may further be onboarded as incubatees at the Birla Hub for Innovation, Venturing & Entrepreneurship (B-HIVE), where they can access structured mentoring, incubation support, and eligible seed funding assistance from Birla Global University’s Incubation and Innovation centre.
What are the "Milestones" mentioned in the program?