About

SmartIDEAthon 2025 is a student pitching competition of ideas built on themes that are currently relevant to our nation, with the aim to create sustainable and resilient communities.

In its sixth edition, SmartIDEAthon 2025 is in collaboration with Startup India, Invest India, the Northeastern University Center for Emerging Markets (Boston), Northeastern University Center for Entrepreneurship Education (NUCEE), and Balavikas of Fairfax, USA. Building on the success of the past five editions, which facilitated over 6,000 applications from across India and offered cash and grants worth up to 80+ Lakhs, this year's event promises to be bigger and better.

SmartIDEAthon is much more than just an idea presentation. Participants have the opportunity to meet eminent entrepreneurs and startup founders, engage in inspiring sessions, and build valuable networks. The event also includes personalized coaching through intensive boot camps conducted by internationally trained venture coaches, ensuring that your ideas are refined and ready for success. This is what sets SmartIDEAthon apart, making it a unique and impactful experience for all involved. Join us at SmartIDEAthon 2025, where your innovative ideas can shape the future and create lasting impact.

Apply Now you can also apply at

Overview

80

Lakh+

Cash and Grants

5000

Startup Ideas

100

Pitches

50

Jury

30

Partners

29

State representations

Partners

Previous Partners and Sponsors

Timeline

08
OCT

08 OCTOBER, 2025

Call for Applications
31
OCT

31 OCTOBER , 2025

Idea Submission Deadline
12
NOV

12 NOVEMBER, 2025

First Round Selection of Ideas
14
NOV

14 NOVEMBER, 2025

First Bootcamp for Selected Ideas
18
NOV

18 NOVEMBER, 2025

Second Round Submission of Idea
25
NOV

25 NOVEMBER, 2025

Second Round Selection of Ideas
25
NOV

25 NOVEMBER, 2025

Advanced Bootcamp for Second Round Selected Ideas
27
NOV

27 NOVEMBER, 2025

Final Submission of Pitch
28
NOV

28 NOVEMBER, 2025

Semi-Finals
12
DEC

12 DECEMBER, 2025

Grand Finale

SmartIDEAthon 2025 Themes

Climate Action & Circular Economy
Micro-Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods
AI & Emerging Tech for Bharat
Frugal & Grassroots Innovation
Digital Public Infrastructure & Inclusion

Eligibility

The competition is open to all current students enrolled in any full-time undergraduate or postgraduate program in any educational institution across India and to recent graduates (who graduated not earlier than 2024). Both the Founder and Co-Founder should adhere to this
Only Indian citizens studying in India are eligible to participate in SmartIDEAthon - 2025
Teams in the advanced ideation, prototype, research or early traction stage will be eligible.
Only Founder/Co-Founder is eligible to apply and represent in SmartIDEAthon – 2025.
A student is only eligible to be part of one idea submission team. Once a team is shortlisted, we need each member to submit a letter from their college or their Student ID cards validating their student/alumnus credentials. One joint letter is acceptable if all team members are from the same institute.
The students should submit their bonafide certificates and photo-based student identification cards (ID cards) during the application process.
In the event of suspicion of candidature, the SmartIDEAthon - 2025 team has all the rights to ask for any additional documents to confirm eligibility.

The Process

A one-minute video pitch and a pitch deck should be submitted. Guidelines will be attached to the form.
Submitted ideas will be reviewed by a panel for completeness, relevance and innovation.
Shortlisted teams from Round 1 will be notified via email.

Up to 100 shortlisted applicants will be invited by entrepreneurship practitioners to an online boot camp session to help enhance their ideas and develop their pitching deck.
Shortlisted teams will also be provided with coaching sessions by trained venture coaches.
A presentation/pitch deck (up to 10 slides max) should be submitted after the boot camp.
As part of the Round 2 submission, the team would also need to submit a bona fide letter from the college/ Student ID cards identifying them as students/alumni (2025 or later graduates).
Submitted ideas will be reviewed by a panel for completeness, innovation, scalability and impact.
32 Shortlisted teams from Round 2 will enter the Semi-Final Round and be notified via email and phone.

All teams and their constituent members (founders and co-founders not exceeding two per team) qualified for the semi-final round will be invited to an advanced online boot camp session.
Each Semi-Finalist team will be assigned a personal venture coach to help prepare for the semi-final and final rounds.
Each Semi-Finalist team has to submit their final pitching deck of a maximum of ten slides and their video pitch one week before the Semi-Finals.
The Semi-Finals will be done online, and the results will be declared virtually. 8 teams will be shortlisted for the Finals, the same day after the Semi-Finals.
The Grand Finale will be organised at the GITAM, Visakhapatnam campus.
The selected participants will be provided with 3-tier AC train travel, accommodation and food in the GITAM student hostels on a twin-sharing basis. They are expected to make their own travel arrangements (which will be reimbursed) to check in at the GITAM Visakhapatnam campus on the designated day to participate in the Finals round in person ONLY.
Teams will get ample opportunity to network with industry experts, entrepreneurs and other prominent guests throughout the event.
In the semi-final round, each team will be provided 15 minutes (10 min pitch, 5 min Q&A) to pitch their deck of a max of 10 slides. The pitches will be closed-door to a panel of judges and a small team of venture coaches and observers.
Final pitches (10 slides, 10 minutes to present and 10 minutes for Q&A) will be to a live audience on stage in an auditorium setting.
The Finals will be judged by a panel of national and international experts.
The Grand Finale celebration will include a keynote by a VIP guest, followed by an awards ceremony.

Prizes and Accolades

SmartIDEAthon-2025 Winner

INR 2,00,000 cash prize
Fully sponsored two-week trip for two members (Founder and co-founder ONLY) to Boston worth INR 6,00,000). Includes visa fee, roundtrip economy airfare, food, stay and local transportation.
Access to Northeastern University’s NU-IDEA Ready-Set-Go Structured Venture Development Program and one-on-one coaching from VDC venture coaches worth INR 3,00,000.

SmartIDEAthon-2025 Runner-up

INR 1,00,000 cash prize
Partly sponsored a two-week trip to Boston for two members (Founder and co-founder ONLY), worth INR 3,00,000. This includes visa fees, food, stay, and local transportation.
Access to Northeastern University’s NU-IDEA Ready-Set-Go structured Venture Development Program and one-on-one coaching from VDC venture coaches worth INR 3,00,000.

Best Social Impact Business Idea

INR 50,000 cash prize
Fully sponsored two-week trip for one member (Founder or co-founder ONLY) to Boston worth INR 3,00,000). This includes visa fees, roundtrip economy airfare, food, stay, and local transportation.
Access To Northeastern University’s NU-IDEA Ready-Set-Go structured Venture Development Program and one-on-one coaching from VDC venture coaches worth INR 3,00,000

Best Woman-led Entrepreneurship Idea

INR 50,000 cash prize
Fully sponsored two-week trip for one woman member (Founder or co-founder ONLY) to Boston worth INR 3,00,000). This includes visa fees, roundtrip economy airfare, food, stay, and local transportation.
Access To Northeastern University’s NU-IDEA Ready-Set-Go structured Venture Development Program and one-on-one coaching from VDC venture coaches worth INR 3,00,000

Leben Johnson People’s Choice Award

INR 50,000 cash prize
Selected based on voting by the audience during the finals
All finalists are also eligible to participate in NUCEE’s Ready-Set-Go venture development coaching program for one-year, worth INR 3,00,000 each. Access to the modules is online, and individual personalised coaching is available for each module.
All semi-finalists and finalists will receive a certificate of recognition jointly issued by GITAM University and NUCEE, Boston, USA.
Cash awards are assigned to the team lead, and the team's responsible for deciding how the award is shared amongst themselves.
Distribution of awards will be through a Cheque/DD or online transfer to the team leader's bank account only after any TDS deductions.
Decisions of the judging panel and the organisers are final and binding and cannot be contested under any circumstances.

Dr. G.V.V. Rao Young Engineer Dreamer Awards (by Balavikas & RKM Vizag)

INR 50,000 (Winner), INR 25,000 (Runner-up), INR 15,000 (2nd Runner-up). Recognises engineering innovations solving societal challenges.
All Finalists : One-year venture coaching program (INR 2,00,000 value). Cash awards to team lead post-TDS. Jury decisions final.