iCreate Invites Applications for the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge 2018

• Applications for the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge 2018 have commenced and deadline for entry submission is August 26, 2018

AHMEDABAD, India, July 23, 2018  :   As a build-up towards the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019, the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (iCreate) is working closely with the Government of Gujarat as one of the Knowledge Partners for the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp and Technology Summit 2018, as well as the lead organiser for Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge 2018.

The Vibrant Gujarat StartUp and Technology Summit 2018 will take place from October 11-13, 2018. This is supported by organizations like Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA). The 3-day event is aimed to provide an excellent opportunity for collaborations and propel investments towards the startup and IT ecosystems. It will also bring in experts to discuss NextGen sectors like AI, IoT, Blockchain and Big Data. The Summit will see an expected footfall of over 10,000 attendees ranging from startups, students, startup enthusiasts, investors, service providers, young professionals, incubators and government officials and will comprise various workshops, seminars, networking opportunities, etc.

As part of this Summit, iCreate, among other organizations like Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), SkyQuest, Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), LJ and Kadi Sarva Vidhyalaya Kelavani Mandal will be leading the national-level Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge.

iCreate will also host Road Shows in 8 out of the 30 identified Indian cities i.e. Surat, Mehsana, Rajkot, Shimla, Kochi, Patna, Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam, to spread the message of Vibrant Gujarat 2019, the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp and Technology Summit in October 2018 and the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge 2018.

About Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge 2018:

This year’s StartUp Grand Challenge focuses on 8 areas: AgriTech, HealthTech, FinTech, Manufacturing 4.0, Smart and Shared Mobility, Women-Centric Solutions, Maritime and Military Intelligence and Governance 2030.

• Applications: In English, Gujarati and Hindi are invited for 3 levels of startup stages to win attractive prize monies of up to INR 3 Cr, the highest amount thus far as prize money for any startup challenge in India.
• Eligibility criteria: The Grand Challenge is open to people of all nationalities, age groups and qualifications. Only startups registered/incubated in India will be eligible to compete for Grand Challenge Prize Money, whereas all foreign applications that are selected will have an opportunity to be featured in ‘Empowered by Innovation’ publications of UN ESCAP Sustainable Business Network Innovation task force, global profiling on www.sdgsolvers.org as well as Coffee Table book on startups to be released during Vibrant Gujarat StartUp and Technology Summit 2018.
• Evaluation criteria: Based on the following: thoroughness of entry, innovation, practicality, tech-feasibility, business feasibility, scalability and team competency.

A total of 44 winners will be selected for prizes are categorized as follows:

For Level 1: Idea Stage – 25 prizes of INR 10,000 each

For Level 2: Blooming Stage – Total 3 prizes: 1st prize of INR 3 lakh, 2nd prize of INR 2 lakh and 3rd prize of INR 1 lakh

For Level 3: Scale-up Stage – Total 16 prizes, comprising of Four Super Jury Prizes: 1st prize – INR 30 lakhs, 2nd prize – INR 27 lakhs, 3rd prize – INR 25 lakhs, 4th prize – INR 22 lakhs, and 12 consolation prizes of INR 12 lakhs each

Winners of the Idea and Blooming Stage and shortlisted entries for Scale-Up Stage will be informed in September 2018 via email, followed by 2 rounds of pitching to juries and Super Juries for the ultimate 16 Scale-Up Stage winners. The winners will be awarded and facilitated during the 3-day Vibrant Gujarat StartUp & Technology Summit in October 2018. Incubation Support will be given to all top 100 startups under the StartUp support policies of Government of Gujarat.

Mr. Anupam Jalote, CEO of iCreate, said, “The upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit is going to be bigger, better and wider. If you have an innovative or revolutionary business or even just an idea, we welcome you to share your thoughts with us. With various renowned business leaders, investors, sector experts and industry bodies associated with the Grand Challenge, we can certainly identify and build successful companies that are able to address the challenges faced by our country. The Grand Challenge is our endeavour towards building a cohesive ecosystem that is at par with the best in the world.“

For more information and to apply for the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp Grand Challenge, please visit: http://vgstartup.com/grandchallenge; you can also email at connect@icreate.org.in.

To register for the Vibrant Gujarat StartUp and Technology Summit 2018, please visit: http://vgstartup.com/registrations