Abstract:
Vadodara hosted NUVenture '26, an entrepreneurship fest organized by Navrachana Innovation Foundation to celebrate National Start-up Day under the Start-up India initiative. The event, focusing on execution-ready ventures, featured over 50 start-ups, with 10 revenue-generating firms shortlisted for a closed-door investor session called Venture Vault. Dr. Sachin Parikh emphasized the importance of academic platforms in fostering student-led innovation, while NIF director Dr. Sandeep Vasant highlighted the need for sustainable businesses. An MoU was signed with House of Starts to establish an AI-focused D2C cohort for state founders.
Description:
Vadodara: Reinforcing Gujarat's growing start-up momentum, Navrachana Innovation Foundation on Monday held NUVenture '26, its flagship innovation and entrepreneurship fest, at Navrachana University (NU), marking National Start-up Day under the Start-up India initiative. The event brought together start-ups, investors, mentors and students, with a focus on execution-ready ventures.
Of more than 50 start-ups from across Gujarat that applied, 10 revenue-generating firms were shortlisted to pitch at Venture Vault, a closed-door investor session.
Chief guest Dr Sachin Parikh, joint director of the directorate of technical education, Gujarat, underlined the role of academic platforms in nurturing student-led innovation.
NIF director Dr Sandeep Vasant said the eco-system must prioritize sustainable businesses over "flashy launches", stressing job creation and real-world impact. The investor panel featured representatives from GVFL, Kovin Tech, Syncoro Ventures, Epic Ventures and House of Starts. NIF also signed an MoU with House of Starts to launch an Al-focused D2C cohort for founders across the state.
