Since time immemorial, Innovation and entrepreneurship have always been at the heart of progress, and IIT Kharagpur’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2025 proved to be the ultimate summit where visionaries, business leaders, and ambitious students came together to shape the future of startups. Held from February 7 to 9, 2025, this entrepreneurship summit was an inspiring confluence of ideas, talent, and cutting-edge advancements, serving as a beacon for those passionate about building the next big thing.
A Legacy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
IIT Kharagpur, which is India’s largest technical institution, has been a center for innovation and entrepreneurship for a long time. Established in 1951, the institute has played a crucial role in transforming India into a self-reliant, technology-driven nation. Host to thousands of students and business leaders from all over the world, the Entrepreneurship Summit at IIT Kharagpur is organized by the Entrepreneurship Cell, one of India’s largest non-profit student-run organizations that supports pioneering new startups.
GES 2025: A Powerhouse of Innovation and Startups
This year, GES 2025 featured a stellar lineup of global leaders, venture capitalists, and business leaders, all dedicated to mentoring and guiding young student entrepreneurs. The distinguished speakers were:
- Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google & Alphabet
- Abhijit Roy, MD and CEO at Berger Paints
- Suresh Prabhu Former Railways Minister
- Karthi Kumar Marshan Former CMO of Mastercard
- Kanav Hasija Co-Founder & CPO of Innovaccer
- Alakh Pandey, Founder & CEO of PhysicsWallah
- Ritesh Agarwal, CEO & Co-Founder of OYO
- Sean Sohn, CEO of Krafton India
- Vishal Chaudhary, Co-Founder of Zetwerk
- Pulkit Jain, Co-Founder of Vedantu
These world leaders shared precious knowledge about innovation, startups, and scaling businesses, that inspired thousands of students to start their journeys as entrepreneurs.
Empresario: Turning Innovative Ideas into Startups
A key feature of the entrepreneurship summit was Empresario, IIT Kharagpur’s annual business model competition. This provided young innovators with an unparalleled opportunity to pitch their startups before a panel of industry judges, venture capitalists, and angel investors. With a massive prize pool of INR 85 Lacs, students received funding and mentorship to transform their ideas into successful ventures.
Empresario saw over 100 startups pitch their innovative products and solutions to international leaders. IIT Kharagpur nurtured innovation and entrepreneurship, helping young minds bring their creative ideas to market.
The Future of Innovation and Startups
Besides Empresario, the summit included workshops, networking events, and expert panel discussions, making it a hub for next-gen entrepreneurs. Students from various institutions, including RCM, had the opportunity to interact with business leaders, attend mentorship sessions, and streamline collaboration opportunities with industry pioneers.
The entrepreneurship summit was not just about pitching startups—it was about fostering an ecosystem of innovation. IIT Kharagpur made sure that students who participated came out with a thorough knowledge of the latest trends in business, innovation, and entrepreneurship as well as the future of start-ups.
RCM at GES 2025: A Testament to Entrepreneurial Spirit
The success of GES 2025 was manifest in the increasing participation of young minds from premier institutions of the country, including RCM. This year, several students from RCM took part in several startup events, competing with some of the best talent across the nation. This engagement provided them the opportunity to hone their skills, meet with corporate executives, and network with investors, opening the doors to limitless doors in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Founded in 1982 at the Regional College of Management (RCM), we strive to provide our students with the information, tools, and guides to thrive in the start-up world. Such events as GES 2025 strengthen our resolve to continue developing entrepreneurial talent and a culture of innovation.
As we look forward to the next big wave of startups, the lessons learned from IIT Kharagpur’s entrepreneurship summit will continue to inspire our students at RCM to dream big, innovative, and lead the future of business and entrepreneurship.
