The Entrepreneurship Awareness Drive-Local Startups’ Meet 2025 is an initiative organized by the Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Kharagpur, which made a resounding impact this year. It brings together young innovators, ambitious founders, and seasoned professionals under one vibrant platform dedicated to cultivating India’s entrepreneurial potential.
EAD-LSM 2025 was successfully conducted across 25+ cities in India, reaching over 25,000 students and 1000+ local startups nationwide. The initiative featured an inspiring lineup of keynote sessions, workshops, fireside chat, and panel sessions, all aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial thinking among young minds.
The event featured an exceptional lineup of speakers, including Mr. Ram Mohan Rao (Executive Director, Investigation, SEBI), Mr. Japesh Jayadhevan (CEO, Hocco Foods Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Willpower Harris (CEO, Willpower Consultation), Mr. Deepit Purkayastha (Co-Founder & CEO, Inshorts), Mr. Karthikeyan Natarajan (Co-CEO, Infinite Uptime India Pvt. Ltd. & CEO, Cyient), and Mr. Sufiyan I. (CEO, Cloud Hire), who shared their invaluable insights and experiences with the audience. Complementing this, the panel discussion delivered powerful insights into India’s evolving startup policy, funding ecosystem, and technology-driven transformation
As part of LSM, startups were given a platform to pitch their ideas before investors, fostering meaningful networking and investment opportunities. The joint effort between EAD’s nationwide outreach and LSM’s curated startup showcase successfully brought together angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry leaders from across the country, promoting regional collaboration, mentorship, and strategic partnerships.
The support of major corporate partners, including Kotak Mahindra Bank (Title Partner), Redoq (Co-Title Partner), CNBC (Title Media Partner), Binance (Strategic Partner), and Sundaram Finance Group (Strategic Partner), further enhanced the reach and quality of the event. Associate partners such as LaunchEd Global, Abhibus, V2A, DojoWorks, VoiceOwl, and BookMyMentor helped expand access to entrepreneurial education and community-building resources.
A notable highlight was the soft launch of “Kuick Studio” by Redoq in 25+ cities, symbolizing the synergy between creative entrepreneurship and technology-driven innovation. The initiative reflected how institutional events like EAD-LSM bridge the gap between academic entrepreneurship and real-world innovation ecosystems.
As a flagship initiative under IIT Kharagpur’s Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship (RMSoEE), EAD-LSM 2025 demonstrated the power of collaboration in driving grassroots entrepreneurship and shaping future enterprises. The initiative reaffirmed IIT Kharagpur’s mission of building an enterprising India by empowering youth through education, skill development, and mentorship.
EAD-LSM 2025 emerged as a powerful catalyst for India’s growing startup ecosystem inspiring innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurial action across the nation. By uniting students, founders, investors, and industry leaders under one platform, it not only strengthened the bridge between academia and enterprise but also sparked a renewed commitment toward building a self-reliant, innovation-driven India. The initiative’s widespread reach, strategic partnerships, and focus on real-world opportunities reaffirmed its role as a cornerstone in shaping the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs.