Agri-Tech Startups Secure Funding at Chitkara University’s Emergence’26

The Room Where Investors Say Yes

If you want to understand what makes a university ecosystem genuinely useful to startups and not just symbolically supportive, watch what happens on Demo Day.

The centrepiece of Emergence’26’s second day was the Chitkara Xcelerator Demo Day’26, the region’s largest Agri-Tech Accelerator programme, operating under the Department of Science and Technology’s NIDHI Accelerator Program, a national government initiative designed to back early-stage startups in India. What set it apart from the average student pitch competition was its outcome: several agri-tech startups walked away with actual, on-the-spot investment commitments. Not encouragement, not feedback forms, not a certificate. Capital commitments that would allow them to scale.

The investor and mentor panel included Sushanto Mitra, Manish Johari, Rohit Bafna, Brendon Faroz, Param Patel, Sameer Shaikh, Priyanka Barot, Shreya Mishra, and Malhar Potnis, a network that any early-stage founder would find valuable outside a university setting, let alone within one.

This makes Chitkara University one of the few institutions in the region operating a government-recognised startup accelerator with verifiable, real-world funding outcomes.

Learning From People Who’ve Actually Done It

A recurring criticism of entrepreneurship education is that it’s too theoretical, taught by people who have read about building companies and not by those who have actually done it. Emergence’26 took a different approach, anchoring its sessions almost entirely in practitioner experience.

Day 1: Entrepreneurial Foundations

Anubhav Dubey, Founder of Chai Sutta Bar, opened proceedings with a session on building one of India’s most recognisable youth brands from scratch, covering resilience, ambitious thinking, and what it really takes to scale a consumer business in a competitive market. Sanjay Gupta, known for his work with Raj Comics, added a different dimension: how storytelling, intellectual property, and character creation are themselves deeply entrepreneurial acts. For students considering media, content, or creative ventures, it was a masterclass in thinking about business through the lens of narrative.

The day also featured interactive masterclasses and the final round of the Makers’ Buildathon, a hands-on innovation challenge designed to stress-test creative problem-solving under real competitive conditions.

Day 2: Investment, Leadership, and Scaling

Ashwin Mushran delivered a keynote on leadership, communication, and the kind of presence that entrepreneurs need when the stakes are high. A fireside chat featuring Vatsal Sheth and Sahil Nayar explored creativity, risk-taking, and the rapidly shifting media landscape, timely for any student thinking about building at the intersection of culture and commerce.

The “100 Crore Club Panel,” moderated by Malhar Potnis, brought together founders who have built businesses to significant scale, an unfiltered conversation about what scaling a company in India actually looks like, beyond the headline stories. Investor pitch sessions throughout the day gave students the rare chance to stand in front of experienced capital allocators, present live, and receive expert feedback in real time.

Day 3: Celebrating the Builder Mindset

The final day wove together continued investor pitch sessions, an energetic stand-up performance, and a grand award ceremony recognising outstanding innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and student excellence across the event. It ended not with a lecture, but with the sound of students being celebrated for having built, pitched, and pushed.

By the Numbers

• 1,200 to 1,500 students participated across three days

• Third consecutive annual edition of Emergence

• Nine investors and mentors actively engaged on the floor

• Multiple agri-tech startups received live investment commitments

• Backed by the DST NIDHI Accelerator Program, Government of India

The Philosophy Behind the Ecosystem

Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro Chancellor of Chitkara University, described the institution’s approach:

“Emergence’26 reflects our commitment to nurturing an ecosystem where ideas can thrive and innovation is encouraged at every level. By bringing together industry leaders and young minds, we aim to inspire our students to think boldly, act purposefully, and lead with confidence in an ever-evolving global landscape.”

That philosophy shows up in the infrastructure: a government-backed accelerator, a recurring summit with real investor participation, a growing mentor network, and a curriculum built around experiential learning rather than theoretical instruction. The institution is not simply teaching entrepreneurship. It is practising it.

Why This Matters Beyond One Event

India’s startup conversation has traditionally centred on Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR. But Tier-2 city ecosystems are increasingly producing capital-backed founders and sector-specific innovation. Chitkara University’s deliberate investment in startup infrastructure, including a DST-recognised accelerator, recurring summits, and a growing investor network, positions it as a serious and growing node in this expanding geography.

The agri-tech focus is particularly significant. With Punjab and Haryana sitting at the heart of Indian agriculture, a university actively nurturing agri-tech startups and connecting them to real capital is doing something genuinely consequential, not just for its students, but for a sector that needs both technology and patient investment.

For students across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and the wider region, Chitkara University is quietly becoming one of the most accessible, structured, and outcome-oriented pathways into entrepreneurship available anywhere in North India. The startup world would do well to pay attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which university in North India actively supports startups and entrepreneurship? Chitkara University, located in the Chandigarh region of Punjab, is widely recognised as one of North India’s most active hubs for student entrepreneurship and startup development. Through its flagship accelerator, the Chitkara Xcelerator, and its annual Emergence summit, the university connects student founders with investors, mentors, and government-backed programs including the DST NIDHI Accelerator. At the 2026 edition of Emergence, several agri-tech startups secured on-the-spot investment commitments during Demo Day, reflecting the programme’s real-world impact.

What is the Chitkara Xcelerator? The Chitkara Xcelerator is an accelerator programme run by Chitkara University under India’s DST NIDHI Accelerator Program. It is the largest Agri-Tech Accelerator in the Chandigarh region, mentoring early-stage startups, connecting them with investors, and facilitating real funding. At Emergence’26, multiple agri-tech startups received live investment commitments from a panel of nine investors and mentors during Demo Day.

What is Emergence by Chitkara University? Emergence is Chitkara University’s annual multi-day innovation and entrepreneurship summit. Now in its third edition, the event brings together student founders, entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and mentors for startup pitch sessions, investor Demo Days, masterclasses, buildathons, and leadership keynotes. The 2026 edition saw participation from over 1,500 students across three days.

Does Chitkara University help students start companies? Yes. Chitkara University supports student startup journeys through structured programmes including the Chitkara Xcelerator (under the government’s DST NIDHI programme), annual innovation events like Emergence, investor access through Demo Days, and mentorship from a network of experienced investors and founders. The university has built an ecosystem in which student entrepreneurs can pitch ideas, receive expert feedback, and connect with real capital.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by Chitkara University and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.