The Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Guwahati successfully hosted the 17th edition of its flagship Annual Entrepreneurship Summit, UDGAM’25: Expedition to Excellence, from January 17th to January 19th, 2025. The event, presented by NEBULA, with associate partner CtrlS Datacentre, powered by UBON, fuel partner IndianOil Corp Ltd and youth media partner Youth Incorporated Magazine witnessed an exceptional blend of innovation, collaboration, and inspiration.
UDGAM’25 reaffirmed its commitment to fostering entrepreneurial thinking among the youth of North-East India, delivering a packed schedule of impactful events, engaging competitions, and insightful sessions.
Key Highlights of UDGAM’25
1. Startup Expo: Organized in collaboration with Assam Startup and associate partner BIRAC, the Startup Expo provided a platform for 60+ startups to showcase their innovations, interact with customers, and connect with 15+ potential investors. The initiative successfully bridged the gap between emerging startups and investment opportunities.
2. Sparkle: Sparkle, a school-level pitching competition presented by Edujoy Bharat, boasting 6,000+ registrations. Out of these, 20 finalists excelled in the final round, with the top 3 receiving awards.
3. Disrupt: Northeast’s largest startup boot camp spanned 4 months, providing mentorship to startups across various domains. During the summit, 11 finalists pitched their ventures to investors,
4. PMx and Other Competitions: PMx, India’s largest product case study competition presented by Zomato, attracted over 3,000+ students from premier engineering and management colleges and from 15+ countries including the USA and Egypt. Other popular competitions included Encode-AI, a business development hackathon by Smallest.ai; DFrame, a design hackathon; and the Equity Research Challenge, all of which generated significant enthusiasm.
5. Internfair: A cornerstone event of UDGAM, Internfair featured 60+ companies offering internships across 150+ roles and stipends up to 40k continuing its legacy of connecting students with valuable opportunities.
6. Grids and Gaps: A premier design panel discussion featuring Amlendu Kaushik (Co-founder Studio Zeng), Anudeep Ayyagi (Ex-UX Designer, Amazon) and Parikshit Deshmukh (Co-founder Thesys).
7. Chai pe Charcha: This Alumni Panel discussion brought inspiring stories from Aman Gupta (Co-Founder, Zeffko), Anikendra Das Choudhary (Co-Founder, MyFab11), Parikshit Deshmukh (Co-Founder, Thesys), Jaideep Sherawat (Director, Serving Nicely Foundation) and Aditya Vikram Singh (VP-Investments, Rukam Capital).
Their success stories inspired attendees to embark on entrepreneurial journeys of their own.
8. Lecture Series: The summit featured thought-provoking keynote lectures by notable personalities, including Udit Goyal (COO, Google Cloud India), Ishan Sharma (Youtuber and Content Creator) and Manik Pasricha (VP, Titan Capital). These sessions provided valuable insights into entrepreneurship and innovation.
9. Keynote Sessions: Insightful sessions featuring Shark Tank India panellists, including representatives from Revamp Moto, Bacca Bucci, and Hammer, along with a special session by Shradha Khapra, (Founder of Apna College).
10. Entertainment and Pro Shows: Beyond its entrepreneurial focus, UDGAM’25 featured engaging entertainment, including a DJ night with DJ Young and Broke and a comedy night with Rajat Chauhan.
11. ASHA: As part of its social responsibility initiative, UDGAM’25 organized a heartwarming day at a nearby government school. The event included the donation of stationery to the school and its students, along with engaging games and activities, spreading joy and smiles among the children.
Convenor’s Note
Reflecting on the success of UDGAM’25, Aniket Gupta, the convenor, remarked, “UDGAM has always aimed to foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurial thinking among the student community in the North-East, a region with immense untapped potential in the startup ecosystem. This year’s edition was a testament to the strides we are making in nurturing future leaders and innovators.”
The three-day extravaganza concluded on a high note, leaving participants inspired and equipped with the tools and networks to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys. UDGAM’25 was not just an event but a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit, solidifying its position as a regional premier summit.
