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BITS Pilani Launches 20th Edition of Conquest Startup Accelerator

The image features a vibrant promotional banner for Conquest 2024, showcasing a design dominated by a bold orange background. On the left, a graphic of a confident male entrepreneur stands beside visual representations of business analytics and financial growth, including charts, graphs, and a dollar symbol. The central area displays the event's name "CONQUEST 2024" in large, white block letters, with a stylized pencil icon adding a creative touch. On the right, a semi-circle with a jagged line graph completes the design, symbolizing the dynamic and upward trajectory expected in this startup accelerator event.
By
Anurag Trivedi

India's startup landscape has been blossoming, marked by a surge of innovative ideas nationwide. However, over the last few years, early-stage startups have encountered formidable obstacles. The Indus Valley Report from Blume reveals a stark decrease in venture funding by more than 60% in 2023, diminishing the market to just a quarter of its 2021 size. The reduction in early-stage funding, by two-thirds, poses significant challenges for emerging companies in this robust environment.

Amid these hurdles, BITS Pilani shines as a hub of entrepreneurial spirit, historically producing unicorns such as Swiggy and Redbus. For two decades, BITS Pilani students have led Conquest, India’s premier student-run startup accelerator. Conquest provides vital mentorship and resources to early-stage startups across various industries, fostering their development during critical phases.

This unique accelerator is supported by a wide-ranging network of investors, mentors, and influential figures in the Indian startup ecosystem. Conquest operates on a no-cost, no-equity basis, offering a complete accelerator experience free of charge. It also presents equity-free funding, having disbursed over 1 crore rupees in the last three editions.

Notable alumni from Conquest include Atlan, valued at $500 million; Findr, which topped ProductHunt on its debut; LoveLocal, which secured $30 million; and Thinkerbell Labs, featured on Shark Tank India. The program rigorously assesses startups to select the most promising for its annual cohort. Over seven weeks, the selected startups engage in an online mentorship, interacting with established entrepreneurs and industry veterans like Mayank Gupta (CFO of Cardekho), Saurabh Jain (CEO of Livspace), Pankaj Goyal (CTO of BharatPe), and Vivek Bansal (CFO of Incred). The cohort also benefits from resources valued at over $300,000 from companies like AWS and Notion.

Following the online sessions, the program includes a comprehensive offline week in Bangalore, where founders participate in workshops and networking sessions to build valuable industry connections. The culmination of Conquest is the Demo Day, attended by more than 300 founders, CXOs, and investors. Esteemed figures like Pranav Pai (Founder of 3one4 Capital), Ashish Singhal (Co-Founder & CEO of Coinswitch), and Vishesh Khurana (Co-Founder of Shiprocket) partake in this event, where standout startups receive equity-free grants after presenting to a distinguished jury.

This year, in partnership with Pepsico India, Conquest introduced a Sustainability Track to support eco-friendly business solutions, a sector gaining traction due to increased consumer interest, technological progress, and global environmental commitments.

Conquest recently commenced its twentieth cycle with an opening event at The Circle Works in Gurgaon. The accelerator is nearing the final stage of startup admissions for this year, with registration concluding on May 31st. Entrepreneurs interested in participating can apply at conquest.org.in.