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To help create a competitive and best-in-class platform for India’s student entrepreneurs where they showcase their innovation and turn their dreams into reality, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Campus Fund are back again with the third edition of Grand Challenge.

Today, more than 69,000 startups have been recognised in the country, and over 100 of these startups are unicorns. New-age startups are solving problems in diverse sectors ranging from software, healthcare and life sciences, education, professional and commercial services, agriculture, to food and beverages amongst others.

India has emerged as the third largest startup ecosystem in the world, thanks to the innovative spirit of young Indians, a supportive ecosystem, and government initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make In India, Startup India, and the National Education Policy.

The success of the Indian startup ecosystem has ensured that the spirit of innovation reaches India’s future – its students. Fostering the entrepreneurial ambitions of students has a significant impact on the economy. This also helps explain the success of the Grand Challenge. The 22 student-led startups, who presented in the Grand Finale of the previous two editions, have collectively gone on to raise more than $7 million of funding from the likes of Campus Fund, Kalaari Capital, Titan Capital, Rocket Internet, Indian Angel Network, Chennai Angels amongst others.

While AWS provides state-of-the-art, on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to the biggest companies and governments across the globe; Campus Fund, India’s first and only dorm room fund, invests in select student-led startups, providing students with capital, mentorship, and guidance. Through the Grand Challenge, the two organizations aim to support India’s brightest and best students in their entrepreneurial ventures.

This time, Grand Challenge has partnered with the following organizations who will each play a key role leading up to the finale on December 15, 2022.

Applying to Grand Challenge

The Grand Challenge aims to transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India that will foster and nurture student-led startups. Current students, university dropouts and founders who have graduated in the last three years (2019 or afterwards) can apply to the challenge.

The competition is focusing on start-ups in the following sectors:

1. Mobility, Autotech, Robotics and Automation
2. Agritech, Cleantech, Sustainability and Circular Economy
3. Edtech
4. Fintech
5. Life Sciences and Mental Health
6. Web3/NFT/Crypto
7. Others

Once the applicants have submitted their entries, the competition will move through three rounds of elimination.

Before the Grand Finale, the student entrepreneurs will also have an opportunity to:

1. Interact with Deep Kalra, Founder, MakeMyTrip through a Fireside chat
2. Female student founders will get access to a workshop by WinP
3. Seek mentorship from sectoral experts/partners

Grand Finale

The final set of startups will participate in the Grand Finale on December 15, 2022.

The grand jury will deliberate over the finalists and declare the “Student Entrepreneur of the Year 2022” as the winner of Grand Challenge.

The top three winners will pitch to the investment committee of Campus Fund on December 17 and 18 for an investment of upto INR 3 crore to jumpstart their startup.

Alongside this, the winners will also receive:

1. Upto $25,000 in AWS credits
2. Incubation at NSRCEL IIM Bangalore
3. Entry to 14 Week NEN Ignite Program

Applications are open. You can apply now,

Applications will close on 15th September 2022