📌About the Event

The Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC) 2027 is a national-level startup and innovation competition organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, under the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue (VBYLD) 2027. The competition invites young entrepreneurs, startup founders and working professionals aged 18–35 to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions addressing real-world social and economic challenges. With IIT Kanpur as its knowledge partner, YEC 2027 provides opportunities for expert mentorship, prototype development, networking and national recognition. Participants can compete for cash prizes worth ₹4.05 lakh, including a top prize of ₹1.5 lakh, while contributing to India’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Event Type: National-Level Startup and Entrepreneurship Competition
• Mode of Conduct: Hybrid (Online and Offline)
• Location: Pan-India, with regional competitions and a national showcase in New Delhi.
• Registration Mode: Online through the MY Bharat Portal.
• Knowledge Partner: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.
• Participation: Individual or teams of up to 3 members.
• Focus Areas: Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Environment, Women Empowerment, Governance, Accessibility, Disaster Management and Artificial Intelligence.

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📅 Important Dates

• Last Date to Register: 22 October 2026
• Regional Screening: October–November 2026
• Regional Competition and Pitch: November 2026
• Online Mentorship and Refinement: December 2026
• Offline Mentoring at IIT Kanpur: 11–12 December 2026

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibilty:
• Age Limit: Participants must be between 18 and 35 years of age.
• Eligible Participants: Startup founders and working professionals across India.
• Team Size: Individuals or teams with a maximum of three members, including the team leader.
• Startup Founders: Must have a DPIIT-recognized startup or a registered MSME with an industry-ready solution addressing a social challenge.
• Working Professionals: Employees of government organizations, private companies, NGOs and academic institutions can participate with innovative, scalable solutions.
• Required Documents for Startup Founders: Startup registration certificate, pitch deck and idea summary.
• Required Documents for Working Professionals: Employment certificate and employer’s No Objection Certificate (NOC).

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• Cash Prizes
• First Prize: ₹1,50,000
• Second Prize: ₹1,00,000
• Third Prize: ₹75,000
• Fourth Prize: ₹50,000
• Fifth Prize: ₹30,000
• Total Cash Prize Pool: ₹4,05,000
• Additional Awards: Non-monetary Special Recognition Awards.
  Benefits for Participants
• IIT Kanpur Mentorship: Guidance from industry experts, entrepreneurs and academic mentors.
• Prototype Development Support: ₹5,000 per national finalist team for poster and prototype preparation.
• Travel Assistance: Up to ₹10,000 per team for eligible interstate travel to regional nodal institutes.
• National-Level Exposure: Opportunity to showcase innovations at VBYLD 2027.
• Networking Opportunities: Interactions with investors, policymakers, industry leaders and startup ecosystem experts.