UPES Future Founders Challenge 2026 Attracts 500+ Teams from 150 Schools Across India

Delhi, November 4, 2026: UPES, through its Runway Incubator, successfully hosted the second edition of the Future Founders Challenge (FFC) 2026, a national-level entrepreneurship competition designed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among school students.

Held from November 1 to 3 at the UPES campus in Dehradun, the competition attracted more than 1,500 students from over 150 schools across 23 states and 100+ cities. More than 500 teams submitted over 750 innovative ideas, with 30 shortlisted teams advancing to the three-day national challenge.

The initiative provided students from Classes 9 to 12 with an opportunity to transform their ideas into potential business ventures, develop entrepreneurial skills and pitch their concepts before experienced founders and industry leaders.

Raipur School Wins ₹1.5 Lakh First Prize

The competition featured a prize pool of approximately ₹5 lakh, recognising promising ideas and entrepreneurial potential among young participants.

Students from N. H. Goel World School, Raipur, secured the top position and received a cash prize of ₹1.5 lakh. The first runners-up from BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, received ₹1 lakh, while the second runners-up from City Montessori School, Lucknow, won ₹50,000.

Additionally, seven teams received merit awards of ₹25,000 each.

Beyond the cash rewards, the top three teams earned a place in Takeoff 6.0, Runway Incubator’s flagship pre-incubation programme for early-stage startups. This opportunity will allow the young innovators to further develop their business ideas and explore pathways towards building viable ventures.

The top 10 finalists were also recognised across eight non-financial categories, including Best CEO, Best COO, Best CFO, Best CMO, Best Presentation, Best Prototype, Best Technology Idea and Best Sustainability Idea.

Industry Leaders and Founders Mentor Young Innovators

The Future Founders Challenge featured interactive workshops, entrepreneurial storytelling sessions and competitive pitching rounds, giving participants practical exposure to the startup ecosystem.

The preliminary round jury comprised seven founders and business operators representing different sectors: Abhijeet Rathod of Agrijoy, Richa Bansal of Saarathee, Shraddha Negi of Juicyverse, Udit Handa of Cynoteck, Shikha Prakash of Padaav, Prayas Mittal of Swift and Saurabh Saxena of JaagrMind.

Following the preliminary evaluation, the top 10 teams advanced to the final round, where they presented their business ideas before a jury comprising Kshitij Doval of UNHU, Saurav Sinha, Founder of Homversity, and Shivali Sugand of Green Grahi.

The programme opened with an inaugural address by Manish Madaan, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Registrar of UPES. Rahul Nainwal of Runway Incubator led a storytelling workshop, while Saurav Sinha delivered the keynote address, sharing entrepreneurial insights with the participating students.

UPES Highlights the Importance of Early Entrepreneurship Education

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES, said that entrepreneurship begins with the confidence to approach problems differently and the conviction to develop meaningful solutions.

He emphasised that the Future Founders Challenge reflects UPES’s belief in nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset at an early stage. The competition allows school students to move beyond classroom learning, brainstorm ideas, test their concepts in real-world settings and learn from experienced entrepreneurs.

Prof. Rahul Nainwal, Chief Executive Officer, Runway Incubator, and Senior Director & Head, School of Business, UPES, highlighted the growing entrepreneurial ambition among school students.

He noted that the second edition has witnessed remarkable growth and provides participants with exposure to the complete entrepreneurial journey, from identifying real-world problems and developing business propositions to pitching ideas before experienced industry professionals.

According to him, the challenge is more than a competition, offering young innovators an opportunity to discover their entrepreneurial potential, build confidence and take their first meaningful steps towards developing impactful solutions.

Building a Stronger Foundation for India’s Startup Ecosystem

Building on its inaugural edition in 2025, the Future Founders Challenge continues to create opportunities for school students to interact with practising entrepreneurs, industry mentors and investors.

The initiative encourages participants to identify real-world challenges, develop innovative solutions and explore the possibilities of turning their ideas into businesses.

The programme also aligns with India’s broader innovation and entrepreneurship priorities, including Startup India, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Atal Innovation Mission.

Through the Runway Incubator, UPES aims to strengthen the connection between school-level innovation and the wider startup ecosystem. By providing mentorship, hands-on learning and incubation pathways, the university seeks to help young innovators move from conceptualising ideas to developing solutions and potentially launching businesses.

As entrepreneurial education gains importance in India’s evolving startup landscape, initiatives such as the Future Founders Challenge highlight the value of introducing business thinking, innovation and problem-solving skills at the school level.

About UPES

Established under the UPES Act, 2003, of the State Legislature of Uttarakhand, UPES is a UGC-recognised private university offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across seven schools.

According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, UPES ranks 45th among universities in India, with additional rankings of 18th in Law, 36th in Management and 43rd in Engineering.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, the university secured a position in the 501–600 global band and ranked fifth in India. It also achieved the 299th position globally in Research Quality.

The university has been recognised as India’s No. 1 private university in academic reputation by the QS World University Rankings 2026 and is among the top 2% of universities worldwide.

UPES offers programmes through its seven schools: Advanced Engineering, Computer Science, Design, Law, Business, Health Sciences & Technology, and Liberal Studies and Humanities.

With more than 20,000 students, 1,500 faculty and staff members, and a network of over 40,000 alumni, UPES continues to focus on education, research, innovation and industry engagement.