Ahmedabad : The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad has kicked off the 15th edition of its flagship startup summit ‘Empresario 2026’, a three-day event focused on next-generation youth innovators and India’s evolving startup ecosystem.
Held from March 12–14, the summit is bringing together over 1,000 students, startup founders, investors, industry mentors and ecosystem enablers to explore opportunities in innovation-led entrepreneurship and emerging startup sectors. The event was inaugurated by Arjun Modhwadia, Cabinet Minister for Science & Technology, Forest & Environment and Climate Change, Government of Gujarat, who highlighted Gujarat’s role as a strong entrepreneurial hub supporting innovation and startup growth.
“India is entering an era defined by ideas, innovators, incubation and investment. Empowering young innovators will strengthen the startup ecosystem and accelerate progress towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” Modhwadia said.
According to Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII, the summit aims to provide a platform where young innovators can convert ideas into scalable ventures. “India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is expanding rapidly with stronger institutional support, incubators and funding networks. The youth must leverage these opportunities to build solutions that address real-world challenges,” he said.
One of the major highlights of Empresario 2026 is the Tech Business Idea Pitch (BIP) Competition, which saw participation from over 1,000 students across 11 states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Gujarat. Following regional rounds, 115 early-stage innovators have been shortlisted to pitch their startup ideas before investors and industry experts in the ‘BIG PITCH’ final round during the summit.
Industry leaders participating in the event include Hiranmay Mahanta, CEO of Innovation Growth Hub (i-Hub); Dipan Sahu, Assistant Innovation Director at MoE Innovation Cell; Prachi Patwari, Executive Director at Nexus Infratech and Chairperson of GCCI Business Women Committee (2024–25); and Yatindra Sharma, Convenor of CII Gujarat Startup Task Force.
Speakers emphasised that India’s startup momentum is increasingly being driven by young founders emerging from campuses and innovation hubs.
“Platforms like Empresario help students identify market gaps, connect with investors and develop entrepreneurial thinking,” said Dr. Dipan Sahu from the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell.
The summit agenda includes panel discussions on innovation-driven careers, startup funding, market opportunities and scaling early-stage ventures, along with masterclasses and mentorship sessions for student entrepreneurs.
A key highlight of the summit will be a special session by startup investor and entrepreneur Aman Gupta on March 13, offering insights into building and scaling consumer startups. The event will also host a startup exhibition featuring products and innovations developed by 45 entrepreneurs, giving founders an opportunity to showcase solutions to investors, mentors and potential collaborators. With participation from students, founders, incubators, policy stakeholders and investors, Empresario 2026 aims to strengthen collaboration within India’s startup ecosystem and encourage the next wave of youth-led innovation.