SBI College Youth Ideathon 2025 Announces Top 1000 Teams Advancing to Round 2

The SBI College Youth Ideathon (SBI CYI) 2025, India’s premier entrepreneurship competition for college students, has unveiled the Top 1000 teams advancing to Round 2. Organized by ThinkStartup in partnership with IIT Delhi and the Management Entrepreneurship Professional Skills Council (MEPSC), SBI CYI 2025 has witnessed overwhelming participation, with over 15,000 teams competing to showcase their innovative ideas. The competition acts a catalyst for young innovators across India, nurturing entrepreneurial talent and empowering students to transform ideas into viable ventures.

In the upcoming Video Pitch Challenge, the selected teams will present their ideas in a compelling two-minute video, evaluated by a distinguished panel of industry experts, startup mentors, and academic leaders. A novel addition to SBI CYI 2025 is the Social Score, which measures the traction and engagement of ideas on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, reflecting their real-world appeal and market potential.

The selected teams represent a broad spectrum of sectors, emphasizing innovation in key areas including AI and Automation, Education and Healthcare, Sustainability and Green Tech, Patent-Worthy Innovations, Market Readiness and Geographical Diversity.

Sanjeeva Shivesh, Program Director of College Youth Ideathon, expressed his excitement about the level of innovation, stating: “We are thrilled to witness the entrepreneurial spirit of students from across the country. The introduction of the Social Score ensures that ideas resonate beyond expert panels, capturing real-world engagement and validation.”

Shivani Kapoor, Founder, ThinkStartup, highlighted the program’s impact, saying: “Through our entrepreneurship mindset workshops in over 100 colleges and Masterclasses by global thought leaders, we have empowered thousands of students with insights on business growth and innovation. The journey so far has been inspiring, and we are excited to see how these young innovators evolve in the next stages of the competition.”

The Top 200 teams will receive a Rs. 5000 Prototyping Award and a Certificate of Merit, recognizing their exceptional innovation. These teams will also be invited to showcase their startups at IIT Delhi in early April 2025, providing them a prestigious platform to connect with industry leaders, investors, and academia. The final selection for the next stage will be based on judges’ evaluations and the Social Score, bringing these young entrepreneurs one step closer to pitching their ideas to investors and experts.

These Masterclasses, led by experts such as Prof. John Mullins (London Business School), Prof. Dhruv Nath (MDI Gurgaon), and Dr. Nikhil Agarwal (FITT, IIT Delhi), have provided invaluable learning opportunities to participants. The Entrepreneurs Talk Series, featuring startup founders, has further enriched the experience by offering real-world insights and inspiration.