The past few years have seen a rise in the number of startup accelerators in the country. These are programmes that, in a few weeks, help a shortlisted cohort of startups achieve growth and traction at a scale that otherwise would take months to achieve.
Among such accelerators is Conquest, BITS Pilani, India’s largest non-diluting startup accelerator, organised entirely by the students of BITS Pilani for early-stage startups from across the country.
Conquest operates on a hybrid model, with six weeks of online mentoring followed by an offline week in Bangalore. Typical for accelerators, Conquest also culminates with a Demo Day, a day-long event full of pitches, high-quality panel discussions, and networking with over 300 of Bengaluru’s top professionals.
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Startup Pitch at Conquest Demo Day 24
” align=”center”> Startup Pitch at Conquest Demo Day 24
Demo Day features Shark Tank-style pitches by the top 15 startups from Conquest’s cohort, shortlisted from over 3,000 applications from across the country. The jury panel comprises angel investors, as well as partners from prominent venture capital firms. Each startup gets a fixed pitching slot and is graded by the jury based on its pitch. The top 3 pitches win Conquest’s equity-free grants.
This Demo Day stands out for its guests. In 2024, the event saw over 300 attendees, comprising over 50 founders, 40 investors, 15 media house representatives, and 20 operators, engaging in hours of meaningful conversations.
Another prominent characteristic of Conquest’s Demo Day is the high-quality panel discussions. Last year’s panel featured speakers like Sarita Raichura (Director, Blume Ventures), Kisan Vasireddy (Partner, Kalaari Capital), and Amrendra Singh (Founder & CEO, DeHaat), among several others.
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Pranav Pai – Partner, 3one4 Capital’s Keynote Address during Demo Day ’24
” align=”center”> Pranav Pai – Partner, 3one4 Capital’s Keynote Address during Demo Day ’24
Up for grabs is also Rs 20 lakh for grants and panel discussions by India’s top leaders, bringing Bengaluru together for a day full of pitching, discussions, and networking.
Scheduled for August 10, Demo Day 2025 is taking place at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, and registrations are open. Check the event out here.
