- Three-day conclave discusses agriculture, technology, startups, investment and incubation
The Chhattisgarh Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conclave 2026 was held from September 28 to 30 at Krishi Mandapam, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur. The three-day conclave, themed “Innovation, Inspiration, Impact – Empowering Youth for a Self-Reliant Chhattisgarh,” brought together youth, innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, scientists, financial institutions, industry representatives, and policymakers to discuss the potential of innovation and entrepreneurship.
On the first day of the conclave, September 28th, an inaugural function was held at Krishi Mandapam. The event was attended by dignitaries from various fields, including the Honorable Governor of Chhattisgarh, Shri Ramen Deka. Representatives from various institutions included Dr. Girish Chandel, Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University; Prof. Rajiv Prakash, Director, Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai; Prof. Sameer Bajpai, Director, National Institute of Technology, Raipur; Shri D.K. Gawli, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Raipur; Prof. O.P. Vyas, Director, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Naya Raipur; and Dr. Jawahar Surishetty, Vice Chancellor, Rungta International Skills University, Bhilai. The first day’s technical session focused on “Youth Innovation for a Developed Chhattisgarh – Perspectives on Agriculture, Technology, and the Financial Ecosystem.” Ideas were shared on identifying local problems, the importance of innovation-based solutions, technology, financial support, and institutional incubation. The inspiring session inspired young people to pursue creative thinking, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship.
- Discussion on Startups, Investment and Innovation Economy
On the second day, September 29th, a discussion was held on “Building Chhattisgarh’s Innovation Economy: Empowering Youth through Startups, Technology, Investment, and Industry.” Participating in the session were Mr. Hemendra Mathur, Co-Founder, ThinkAg; Mr. Pradeep Godhule, Deputy General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Raipur; Mr. Somesh Sharma, Founder, AugTech NextWealth; Dr. Vivek Kumar Tripathi, Research Director, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University; and Prof. Hulas Pathak, Chief Executive Officer, IGKV R-ABI. In the session “From Idea to Impact: Startup Journeys of Entrepreneurs” (from idea to impact): Mr. Priyank Patel, Founder, Nukkad Cafe; Mr. Arpit Chauhan, Founder, Erki Motors; Mr. H.F. Saifi, Director, Cropway; and Dr. Ravindra Dubey, Founder, Fibonacci Learning Pvt. Ltd., shared their entrepreneurial journeys. Dr. Girish Chandel, Prof. Rajiv Prakash, Prof. Sameer Bajpai, Prof. O.P. Vyas and Shri P. Kavishwar interacted with the participants.
- Emphasis on local innovation, startups and incubation
In the session titled “Local Innovation, Global Potential – Startup Success Stories from Chhattisgarh,” G.V. Himanshu, Mohit Sahu, Sagar Sahu, and Amit Patel shared their entrepreneurial experiences. This was followed by an interactive policy discussion on “Youth, Innovation, and the Future of Chhattisgarh,” featuring Mr. Abhinash Mishra, Collector, Dhamtari; Mr. Kumar Biswaranjan, Chief Executive Officer, District Panchayat, Raipur; Mr. Vishnu Vaibhav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer, IBITF, Bhilai; and Ms. Jayanti Mahapatra. In the sessions titled “Building Tomorrow’s Startup Ecosystem” and “Incubation and Accelerated Growth Opportunities in Chhattisgarh,” experts provided information on technical guidance, incubation, market linkages, financial support, and accelerated growth opportunities for startups.
- Startup Exhibition and Presentation Competition the centre of attraction
Various innovations, products, and enterprises were showcased at the “Startup Exhibition” held during the conclave. A “Startup Presentation Competition” was also held, where startups presented their innovations, products, technical solutions, and business ideas to experts. Various presentation sessions were held at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai, the College of Agriculture, and the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur.
- Concluded with a conversation with the founders
On the third day of the conclave, September 30th, a “Dialogue with Founders” session was held, giving participants the opportunity to learn from the entrepreneurial journeys, challenges, and experiences of successful entrepreneurs. This was followed by the announcement of the winners of the Startup Presentation Competition and the closing ceremony. Experts from academia, research, agriculture, technology, finance, industry, administration, and the startup sector participated in the three-day conclave. The program focused on connecting youth with innovation and entrepreneurship, developing practical and sustainable solutions to local problems, incubating and connecting startups to the market, and strengthening collaboration between academia, research, industry, and governance.
The first prize for the best innovative startup was awarded to Global Innovations Pvt. Ltd., the second prize to Pakara Aquaculture and the third prize to Metolutions Pvt. Ltd.