Bhilwara, Rajasthan: Sangam i-TBI, under the Sangam Rise Foundation at Sangam University, successfully concluded Cohort 2.0 of Udbhavan 3.0–2026 on August 20–21, providing young innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their ideas, interact with experts and explore startup opportunities.

Dr. Manoj Kumawat, Principal Investigator and Program Coordinator, said the cohort received 106 applications from innovators across New Delhi, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Following eligibility screening and internal evaluation, 16 startups were shortlisted for pitching and expert interaction. Final recommendations were based on pitching performance, evaluations and feedback from industry experts.

Dr. Karunesh Saxena, Vice Chancellor and Chairman, Sangam i-TBI, emphasized the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship and thanked Mr. Praveen Roy and Dr. C. S. Yadav, DST Scientists, for their support. Dr. Alok Kumar, Registrar, appreciated the participants and highlighted the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among young innovators.

A special Prototype Showcase was organized on August 21, where participating innovators demonstrated their prototypes and solutions. The showcase was witnessed by Ms. Palak Modani, Member, Board of Management, Sangam University, along with faculty members and students.

On Day 1, Mrs. Pallavi Laddha, Director, Manomay Textile, and Dr. Priyanka Mehta, Director, Zikku, served as external jury members. Startups were evaluated on innovation, problem identification, solution effectiveness, market potential, feasibility and scalability. Prof. Rajendra Prashad Sharma, Director, IIFT, conducted an expert session covering international marketing, branding, global markets and expansion opportunities.

On Day 2, Mr. Ritwik Joshi, Co-Founder, Ability Advocacy, and Mr. Gaurav Badala, Startup Expert, evaluated startup ideas and provided feedback. Mr. Gaurav Chaudhary, COO, Sangam India Ltd., shared insights on scaling businesses from local markets to national and international levels.

According to Mr. Rajasve Kaushik, CEO, Sangam i-TBI, Gaurav Kanthaliya, Founder of JalSentrix, emerged as the winner and received a cash prize of ₹10,000. Harshit Tiwari, Founder of Yathartha Labs Pvt. Ltd., secured second position and received ₹3,000, while Manas Daga and Vishal Mundra, Founders of Smoka Pvt. Ltd., jointly secured third position.

The program was supported by the Sangam i-TBI team comprising Ananya Babel, Nikita Rathore and Nishant Pareek, along with mentors, faculty members, evaluators and the university administration.

Sangam i-TBI reiterated its commitment to “empowering, nurturing, and accelerating visionary entrepreneurs” and contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.