Mumbai, Sep 18: K J Somaiya Institute of Management hosted the 11th edition of Startup Launchpad on 15 September 2026 at its Mumbai campus. Organised by Pathfinder, the institute’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Cell, the event featured pitches from 17 early-stage startups before a panel of investors and industry professionals.
Nuviatech Devices Pvt. Ltd. was named the winner of Startup Launchpad 11.0, with EasyKiya as the First Runner-Up and SuperbAI as the Second Runner-Up. The participating startups presented their ventures and business models to the panel, receiving feedback and questions on their ideas, markets and approach to growth.
The panel comprised Deepali, Chairperson of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Vishnu Gavkare, Founder, Wecos; Kamran Shaikh, Co-Founder, En Fuse Solutions; Gaurang Shetty, CEO & Chief Innovation Catalyst, riidl, Somaiya Vidyavihar University; Isha Kale, Senior Investment Analyst, BharatCom; and Rimjhim Charan, Co-Founder, 100Krafts & Women Entrepreneur. The founders directly interacted with the panel to understand how investors and industry stakeholders assess early-stage businesses.
The participating startups represented a range of sectors and business ideas. NuviaTech Devices, Kanjiplus, Tailors2U and BookMyBirthdayParty were among the startups that presented their ventures during the event. In addition to the pitching round, the programme included interactions and networking between founders, investors, mentors, students and industry professionals.
For students, the event provided an opportunity to see startup pitches and investor interactions first-hand and gain exposure to areas such as business models, market validation, funding and entrepreneurship. The impact of Startup Launchpad and other initiatives organised by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Cell at KJSIM has been examined through a longitudinal study. Recently published in the South Asian Journal of Management, the study highlights the progressive development of entrepreneurial intentions among students who participated in these programmes over time, underscoring the role of sustained entrepreneurial engagement in nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset .
Startup Launchpad has now featured more than 500 startups across its 11 editions. The initiative has included ventures at different stages of development and has provided a setting for founders to present their businesses and interact with investors and industry professionals. Among the startups that have participated in earlier editions are EzPac and Patilkaki, which later appeared on Shark Tank India.
Dr. Ramachandran Raman, Director & Dean, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, said:
“It’s easy to start an initiative. The real test is sustaining it, and we’ve done that for 11 years. More than ever, business schools need students who don’t just join companies, but think entrepreneurially, and our alumni have carried that culture forward. That’s why we keep building on it: mentoring students, helping them develop their ideas, and connecting them with experts who can take those ideas further.”
Prof Deepali Mishra, Chairperson, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Cell at K J Somaiya Institute of Management, said:
“What stood out to me this edition was how prepared these founders were to hear constructive, feedback and act on it in real time. That willingness to be challenged, rather than just applauded, is often what separates an idea that stays an idea from one that actually finds its footing.”
Startup Launchpad enables startups to interact with investors, any subsequent investment or collaboration discussions are taken forward independently between the respective parties.
The event also saw the launch of KJSIM faculty member Dr. Deepali Mishra’s book, Design Thinking, published by Pearson.
Through Pathfinder, the institute continues to facilitate interactions between students, startups, investors, industry professionals and academia, with the event also giving students an opportunity to take on roles in organising and executing a startup-focused initiative.