Startupedia'26 Begins At IPE Shamirpet, Brings Students And Investors Together At National Startup Summit
Startupedia'26 aims to convert business ideas into reality by connecting young innovators with investors. ETV Bharat serves as the digital media partner for the summit.
Published : February 26, 2026 at 6:39 PM IST
Hyderabad: The 12th National Startup Summit Startupedia'26 kicked off on Thursday at the Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE) campus in Shamirpet, Hyderabad, bringing business school students and investors onto a single platform. Students from universities across the country thronged the campus, creating a vibrant buzz as the two-day event got underway.
Speakers set the tone by asserting that problems spark innovation and that business students must adapt their skills to rapidly changing conditions to succeed with innovative projects. The inaugural day featured engaging keynote addresses and panel discussions that drew keen participation from students.
IPE Director Prof. Srinivasa Murthy said the institute felt proud to host the national-level summit for the 12th consecutive year. Academic Dean Prof. V. Srikanth described Startupedia as a strong platform for nurturing business ideas and highlighted observation, interest and agreement as key milestones in business management.
Startupedia'26 aims to convert business ideas into reality by connecting young innovators with investors. ETV Bharat serves as the digital media partner for the summit.
Speaker series, panel discussions and mentorship sessions continued throughout the day as part of the event schedule.
After student registrations, the chief guests and organisers formally inaugurated the summit by lighting the lamp. Chief guest Union Bank of India Hyderabad Zonal Manager Kameswara Rao described Startupedia as a "crossroads of innovation" and a turning point for new ideas.
He said the startup policy would encourage innovative pitches and provide loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹10 crore, with MSME projects eligible for funding between ₹5 crore and ₹10 crore.
Darapaneni Chennappa Naidu, founder of MeraEvents, an event organiser firm, said real-life problems give rise to innovation and recalled how the internet era, once feared for job losses, ultimately generated numerous employment opportunities.
Entrepreneur sessions added depth to the programme. Ambulator Private Limited Co-founder Jeeten Desai, delivered a presentation on "Climate Technology, Green Unicorn".
IPE Professor Vijay Kumar Reddy moderated a group discussion featuring TCS Assistant Manager Praveen Agarwal, Unnayan Defence Technologies Co-Founder and Director Vaibhav Joshi, SleepAlfa Co-Founder and CEO Jishnu Saurabh Srinivas, and Joly AI Founder and CEO Jaya Bharadwaj, who shared their entrepreneurial journeys and stressed the need to sharpen strategies for business excellence.
Students expressed excitement over participating in Startupedia'26, calling the exposure to real-world challenges invaluable. One student Jadev from Bits Pilani Hyderabad said the summit gave them a rare opportunity to learn business strategies and interact directly with experts and CEOs from successful companies across sectors.
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