IIT Bombay's Eureka! 2026: The Biggest Opportunity for Startup Founders
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Returning for its 29th edition, IIT Bombay’s Eureka! 2026 is set to bring together aspiring founders, early-stage startups, mentors, investors, and leading voices from the startup ecosystem. The competition offers months of networking, one-on-one mentoring, investment opportunities, incubation, and practical insights into building scalable businesses.
Last date for registration: 23rd August 2026
Register for Asia’s largest Startup Launchpad: https://www.ecell.in/eureka/
Last year, Eureka! received over 43,000 entries, with entrepreneurs and startups progressing through three rigorous rounds spread across five months. This year, winning startups stand to receive incentives worth over INR 2 crore.
IIT Bombay’s Entrepreneurship Cell (E-Cell), one of Asia’s largest student-run entrepreneurship organizations, has received support from UNESCO, Make in India, Startup India, and Digital India for its work in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. For nearly three decades, E-Cell has connected founders with mentors, investors, institutions, and other important parts of the startup ecosystem.
Eureka! 2026 is designed particularly for early-stage entrepreneurs, including founders at the ideation and MVP stages. Participants will receive sector-specific mentoring and one-on-one guidance, with a focus on areas such as business models, product development, and go-to-market strategies.
This year’s edition brings incentives worth over INR 2 crore, access to 50+ venture capitalists, guidance from 300+ mentors, and sponsored pitch opportunities in the USA and Dubai. Top startups will also have an opportunity for a direct interview with the General Partner of Y Combinator for its next cohort.
Selected startups can also access incubation opportunities from leading incubators such as SINE IIT Bombay, NSRCEL IIM Bangalore, Razorpay Rize, and others. Investment opportunities will be available through 50+ VCs, with previous editions featuring firms such as 100X, 3one4 Capital, IIMA Ventures, and Ankur Capital.
The competition begins with an intensive first round featuring on-stage mentoring, where founders work on strengthening their business models and learn the fundamentals of creating a business model canvas. Previous mentors have included industry professionals such as Kanchi Daiya from Indian Angel Network and Piyush Surana from Tomorrow Capital.
Shortlisted startups then progress to the VC round, featuring workshops aimed at refining their business models and products. Founders are evaluated on factors including the viability of their ideas and the strength of their unique value propositions.
The finalists move to the final stage, where they prepare to pitch their ventures at IIT Bombay’s E-Summit 2026, the institute’s annual business conclave. The final pitch will be presented before a panel of industry experts, including jury members from leading venture capital firms and experienced leaders from the startup ecosystem.
Winners will receive incentives worth over INR 2 crore, with partners including NVIDIA, Razorpay Rize, CleverTap, and AngelList India. Beyond India, Eureka! 2026 will also give select startups fully sponsored pitch opportunities in the USA and Dubai, opening doors to international investors and startup ecosystems.
Presented by IIT Bombay’s E-Cell and backed by Startup India, MeitY Startup Hub, and startup missions across the country, Eureka! 2026 offers founders a chance to learn, pitch, connect with investors, and take their businesses to the next stage.
Registrations close on 23rd August 2026.
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