Gurugram, Feb 18th: BML Munjal University (BMU), a Hero Group initiative, disbursed Rs 1.6 crore to 10 emerging startups at Propel Pitchfest26, held on campus alongside the fourth edition of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summit (EIS 4.0).
The funding was extended to startups incubated at the Atal Community Innovation Centre at BML Munjal University (ACIC–BMU Foundation), with support from SISF and MeitY Startup Hub. The funded startups included Torus Robotics Private Limited (Rs 40 lakh), GREPBIO DATALAB Private Limited (Rs 30 lakh), Gadget Guruz Technologies Private Limited (Rs 25.67 lakh), Spacemancraft Private Limited (Rs 20 lakh), KAGAKU Technology Private Limited (Rs 12 lakh), Univeons EdTech Private Limited (Rs 8.5 lakh), PHOSIC India Private Limited (Rs 8 lakh), Zynox Private Limited (Rs 5.5 lakh), Helektron Innovations Private Limited (Rs 6 lakh), and Thermoforge (Rs 4.5 lakh).
The event brought together founders, investors, policymakers and scholars to discuss the evolving startup landscape, including the impact of AI, digital acceleration and cross-border collaboration. Senior representatives from Atal Innovation Mission, MeitY Startup Hub, TiE Delhi NCR, ISBA and O2 VC Fund attended the event.
Speaking at the summit, Davinder Singh, CEO, ACIC–BMU Foundation, emphasised the centre’s focus on community innovation and long-term value creation, highlighting initiatives such as the Mera Business programme for rural women entrepreneurs. He reiterated value creation over valuation, encouraging founders to adopt a purpose-first mindset and build solutions with national relevance and societal impact.
The event also featured sessions with influencers Khalid Wani and Daksh Sethi on navigating AI-driven disruption, as well as remarks from Himanshu Gupta, Founder, Lawyered, who urged entrepreneurs to “fall in love with the problem, not the product”. Also in attendance was Mudit Kumar, Co-Founder, Ideabaaz, who spoke on inclusive entrepreneurship and supporting founders from Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities. Adding a global dimension to the event, Ajay Singh, Head – Technology & Innovation, Austrian Embassy, highlighted the India–Austria Startup Bridge and opportunities for Indian startups to access European markets.
In his address at the summit, Dr. Deepak Pandit, Chair Professor – Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Senior Director – International Office, BML Munjal University, said, “Our intent has been to build a credible platform where academia, industry, investors and policymakers engage in dialogue, embrace multidisciplinary perspectives, and create impact not just through ventures, but through the mindsets we nurture and the collaborations we build.”
In addition to startup funding, EIS 4.0 also recognised academic excellence through its Best Paper Awards, with cash prizes of ₹25,000 for First Prize, ₹15,000 for Second Prize, and ₹10,000 for Third Prize, acknowledging research contributions marked by originality, rigor, and societal relevance. The conference further hosted a Prototype Competition for School and College/University teams, awarding cash prizes up to ₹1,00,000 to encourage innovation, early-stage prototyping, and problem-solving. In the School Category, Team Royal (S.V. No.3 Sector-7, R.K. Puram, New Delhi) secured First Prize, followed by Team Grey Reaqua (Scottish High International School) and Team Gnav Innovators (Gita Niketan Awasiya Vidyalaya). In the College/University (UG) Category, Team Loremind and Team The Winning Edge from BML Munjal University secured First and Second positions respectively, while Team Inventor from Govt. Polytechnic Lisana secured Third Prize.
Together, EIS 4.0 and Propel Pitchfest26 reinforced BMU’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary scholarship, purpose-led entrepreneurship, and meaningful industry-academia engagement, strengthening its role as a catalyst in India’s evolving innovation ecosystem.