Lucknow: The two-day National Conclave, ‘Savishkar Startup Sangam 2026,’ officially commenced on March 1, at Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University(AKTU), Lucknow. This grand inaugural session of the mahakumbh of innovation and entrepreneurship was graced by the Chief Guest, A.K. Sharma, Energy Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Special Guest Abhay Pratap Singh, National Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). This two-day event aims to inspire delegates through nine technical sessions to actively contribute to the field of entrepreneurship.
Savishkar consistently works across the country to motivate youth toward entrepreneurship and the startup Sangam features representatives from prominent companies and institutions such as Meta, Edubuck, House Aesthetics, Bumshum, Voxora Labs, Rational AI, AM Skills E-Academy Private Limited, Dextora AI Education Private Limited, Right Left AI, Physics Wallah, Drone Lab, IIM Lucknow Incubation Center, and i-Hub UP AKTU in various panel discussions.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest, Mr. A.K. Sharma, stated that today’s youth are leading global giants like Google, Microsoft and Adobe, but the real question is how to create a ‘Google’ within India. He noted that most parents still want their children to pursue secure government jobs or become IAS officers, doctors or engineers, fearing the risks associated with the uncertain future of startups. He emphasized that we must break these chains of traditional mindset; if we want to make India a developed nation by 2047, we must support our children in their dreams of startups and innovation rather than pressuring them into conventional career paths.
Special Guest ABVP’s National Secretary, Abhay Pratap Singh, highlighted that while we talk about startups today, the concept is not new to India. From the 1st to the 11th century, India’s contribution to the global GDP was between 30 to 32 per cent and the country is once again moving in that direction. He asserted that the Vidyarthi Parishad believes campuses should produce ‘problem solvers’ rather than just ‘degree holders’. Through Savishkar, the effort is to transform youth from ‘job seekers’ into ‘job creators.’ He remarked that if one identifies a problem or a deficiency in society whether in accessibility or technology that itself can become the foundation of a startup.
He further emphasized that the focus is not just on business but on sustainability. Whether it is the goal of ‘Zero Plastic Waste’ on campuses, environmental service through ‘Sunday for Campus’, or helping the underprivileged through ‘Seva Saturday’, innovation is required in all these areas. ‘Savishkar Startup Sangam 2026’ provides a platform for such innovation, where experts from IG Drones, Physics Wallah Startup School and NIET will provide mentorship over the next two days to help youth contribute to a self-reliant India.
During this session, several dignitaries expressed their views, including Nisarg Rathore, National Convener of Savishkar; Prof. Deepak Nagaria, Controller of Examinations at the University; and Satyendra Tripathi, Director of Lok Niti Bharat. In the ‘Startup Enablers Talk’ held on the first day, Arunodaya Bajpai (COO, IIM Lucknow Incubation Center), Dr. Omkar Rai (Former DG, STPI), Vandana Sharma, and Dr. Sanjay Suryavanshi provided guidance on strengthening the startup ecosystem. This was followed by the ‘Lead Her Ship’ session focused on women’s leadership, where Shivani Mehrotra (Co-founder & CEO, Edubuck), Dr. Snigdha Pandey, Sukriti, Shri Amrit Mehsana, and Milli Mishra shared their experiences regarding the role of women in entrepreneurship.
Discussing the technological future, the session ‘Co-Evolution: The Dawn of the Human-Machine Learning Era’ featured insights from Prabhakar Srinivasan (Founder, Voxora Labs), Praveen Yadav of Rational AI and Hrithik from Meta Smart Bot. Finally, the session ‘Role of AI and Blockchain in Nation Building’ presented a roadmap for the future with contributions from Arunodaya Bajpai, Apurva Bajaj (CEO, Edubuck), Abhayjeet Singh (Director, Dextora AI), and Prashant Malviya (CTO, Right Left AI). Following the day’s intellectual deliberations, cultural programs such as ‘Bhajan Clubbing’ and ‘Open Mike’ were organized for the entertainment of the participants. The startup sangam will conclude on March 2, after various dialogues and technical sessions.
