Ashwamedha — Online Pitch Competition by Entrepreneurship Cell, IIM Tiruchirappalli
Introduction
Ashwamedha is an online pitch competition organised by the Entrepreneurship Cell, IIM Tiruchirappalli in association with Young Indians and YuTry. This event targets early-stage, pre-revenue startups and idea-stage teams, providing a platform to validate ideas, receive mentorship and compete for a prize pool. Teams of 1–4 members can register between 18 Feb 2026 and 24 Feb 2026 (EOD). Over multiple rounds, participating teams will submit a concise slide deck, deliver an elevator pitch, and refine business models for a grand finale judged by industry experts and investors. The competition emphasizes clarity, innovation and execution readiness.
Who Can Participate & Key Dates
Eligibility and timeline are straightforward and focused on early-stage innovation.
- Organiser: Entrepreneurship Cell, IIM Tiruchirappalli (in association with Young Indians and YuTry).
- Target participants: Early-stage, pre-revenue startups and idea-stage teams.
- Team size: 1–4 members.
- Registration period: 18 Feb 2026 to 24 Feb 2026 (EOD).
- Format: Online.
Registration & Round 1 — Idea Submission
Round 1 starts with formal registration and a compact idea presentation designed to capture the essence of your startup quickly and clearly.
- Registration and submission: Teams register and submit a 5–6 slide PPT presenting their idea.
- Submission focus: The slide deck should succinctly convey the problem, proposed solution, target audience, and an initial view of feasibility—kept to 5–6 slides as required.
- Objective: Secure shortlisting to proceed to the elevator pitch round by clearly articulating the concept within the slide constraints.
Round 2 — Elevator Pitch & Shortlisting
Shortlisted teams from Round 1 will move to a structured elevator-pitch stage where presentations are evaluated against clear criteria.
- Format: Shortlisted teams present a structured elevator pitch.
- Evaluation criteria:
- Problem clarity
- Innovation
- Feasibility
- Scalability
- Outcome for Top 10: The top 10 teams after this round each receive ₹5,000 and 4–5 months of mentorship.
Grand Finale — Round 3, Prizes & Mentorship
The finale is focused on refined business models and readiness for execution, judged by industry experts and potential investors.
- Format: Shortlisted teams present refined business models to industry experts and investors in the grand finale.
- Final evaluation focus: Execution readiness, financial viability and growth potential.
- Winners and prize pool: The competition features a stated prize pool worth ₹2,50,000. Listed cash awards include ₹2,00,000 and a mention of ₹50,000 for Top 10 Teams. The top 3 winners are awarded from the prize pool.
- Mentorship: In addition to cash, top 10 teams receive 4–5 months of mentorship to support refinement and scaling.
Conclusion
Ashwamedha by the Entrepreneurship Cell, IIM Tiruchirappalli (in association with Young Indians and YuTry) is a focused online pitch competition for early-stage, pre-revenue startups and idea-stage teams. With registration open from 18 Feb 2026 to 24 Feb 2026 (EOD) for teams of 1–4 members, the three-round process moves from a compact 5–6 slide submission to an elevator pitch and a grand finale judged on execution readiness. Participants gain mentorship, cash awards from a ₹2,50,000 prize pool and exposure to industry experts and investors—making Ashwamedha a concentrated opportunity to validate and advance nascent ventures.