About the Challenge
The Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC 2027) is a national programme to discover young innovators who are building solutions for India’s most pressing social and economic challenges.
It provides a platform to submit an idea or prototype, receive mentorship, and compete at a national showcase — strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem towards Viksit Bharat @2047.
Objectives
- Foster innovation and entrepreneurship among India's youth.
- Promote technology-driven solutions for real-world social challenges.
- Identify and nurture high-potential innovators from across the country.
- Provide mentorship from IIT Kanpur, industry experts, and policymakers.
- Showcase impactful innovations on a national platform.
- Strengthen India's innovation ecosystem towards Viksit Bharat @2047.
✦ Challenge Journey ✦
A step-by-step roadmap from initial ideation to the national grand finale
Register & Submit Your Idea
Your submission will undergo a three-stage evaluation:
Administrative & Eligibility Screening.
Select your challenge theme
Upload your Pitch Deck, Final Report, and Solution Video/ Image.
Complete all mandatory declarations.
Regional Screening
Your submission will undergo a three-stage evaluation:
Administrative & Eligibility Screening
Offline Regional Demonstration & Pitch at the Regional Nodal Institute
IIT Kanpur selects National Finalists for VBYLD 2027
National Finalists advance to the next stage.
Mentorship
National Finalist will receive online & offline mentoring from IIT Kanpur.
Virtual mentoring sessions
Prototype refinement
Business guidance
Pitch preparation
Offline bootcamp at IIT Kanpur
National Showcase
The national finalists:
Showcase their innovations during VBYLD 2027.
Deliver a 3-minute pitch in front of the National Jury.
Compete for the Top 5 Cash National Awards.
Who Can Participate?
- Age: 18 – 35 Years
- DPIIT / MSME recognized Startup
- Industry ready innovative solution
- Solving real-life social challenges
- Documents: Startup Certificate, Pitch Deck, Idea Summary
- Age: 18 – 35 Years
- Employed in Govt / Private / NGO / Academia
- Innovative scalable solution for social impact
- Required: Employer NOC / ID proof
Problem Themes (Focus Areas)
Why Participate?
National Recognition
Get recognized on a national platform.
Mentorship by IIT Kanpur
Learn from top mentors and experts.
Networking
Connect with investors, experts and peers.
Prototype Support
Get guidance to build and test your idea.
National Showcase
Exhibit your innovation at VBYLD 2027.
Cash Prizes
Win exciting prizes and awards.
Big Rewards!
Get recognized. Get rewarded. Fuel your idea. Shape the future. Additional Info
- Showcase at VBYLD 2027
- Receive Mentoring from National Experts
- Network with Policymakers, Investors, and Ecosystem Leaders
- Gain National Visibility for Their Innovations
- Receive Certificates of Recognition.
Program Timeline
Your journey from idea to impact. Mark the dates. Make it count.
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Sep 2026
Registration Opens on MY Bharat
Start your journey by registering your profile.
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Oct 2026
Regional Screening
Shortlisting of the best ideas from each region.
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Oct - Nov 2026
Regional Competition & Pitch
Pitch your ideas and compete for a spot in the next round.
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Nov 2026
Online Mentoring & Refinement
One-on-one mentoring sessions to refine and scale your idea.
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11 – 12 Dec 2026
Offline Mentoring at IIT Kanpur
Hands-on workshops and expert guidance.
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Jan 2027
National Showcase & Awards at VBYLD 2027
Showcase your innovation on a national stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC) 2027. Browse by category or search for specific topics.
GENERAL
What is the Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC) 2027?
A flagship national startup challenge under the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue (VBYLD) 2027 to identify, encourage, and showcase innovative, technology-driven solutions by young entrepreneurs addressing real-life social challenges.
What is the objective of YEC 2027?
To provide a national platform for young innovators to develop scalable, technology-driven solutions to real-world social challenges while promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Who can participate?
Startup founders and working professionals aged 18-35 years. May apply individually or as a team (all members must meet age criteria).
Is there any registration fee?
No. Participation is completely free at all stages.
ELIGIBILITY & TEAMS
Maximum team size?
Up to 3 members including Team Leader.
Can I submit more than one idea?
No. One idea per participant.
Can I be in multiple teams?
No. One team per participant.
Can the Team Leader be changed?
No. Team Leader is fixed at registration.
Eligible Startups?
Founders 18-35, meet Startup India (DPIIT) criteria or registered MSME, industry-ready product for social cause.
Working Professional eligibility?
Age 18-35, employed in recognized org, must submit Employment Certificate and NOC.
REGISTRATION
How to register?
Through MY Bharat Portal → VBYLD 2027 → Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge.
What info is required?
Selected theme, problem statement/idea, proposed solution via MY Bharat Portal.
Can I edit after submission?
Yes, until the submission window closes.
CHALLENGE THEMES
What themes can I submit under?
Choose from published themes or propose solutions for other real-life social challenges aligned with YEC objectives and UN SDGs.
My innovation fits multiple themes?
Select the one that best represents the primary problem.
Some themes preferred?
No. All themes equal weight. Evaluation based on relevance, quality, impact.
Ideas outside suggested themes?
Yes. Themes are indicative.
COMPETITION PROCESS
How is it structured?
Three stages: Registration & Nomination, Regional Screening & Selection (3 phases), National Mentoring & Showcasing.
Regional Selection?
Preliminary screening, shortlisting per region, demo/pitch/jury interaction, 3 winning teams per State/UT.
How many qualify for National?
3 per State/UT at regional level, then IIT Kanpur selects 1 per State/UT as National Finalists.
EVALUATION
How evaluated?
Problem relevance, technical robustness, functionality/scalability, originality, social/economic impact, presentation quality, pitch effectiveness.
Is originality important?
Yes. Plagiarism checks and standardized criteria ensure fairness.
MENTORSHIP
Mentorship for shortlisted teams?
Yes. National Finalists receive structured mentoring from IIT Kanpur (online + in-person).
National Finalist support?
Online mentoring, 2-day offline mentoring at IIT Kanpur, ₹5,000 per team for poster/prototype.
TRAVEL & LOGISTICS
Travel support for Regional?
Yes. Up to ₹10,000 per team for interstate travel to Regional Nodal Institute.
National Showcase in person?
Yes. All 36 finalist teams participate in person.
NATIONAL SHOWCASE
What happens?
Exhibition stall, 3-minute presentation before National Jury, demonstrate problem/solution/impact, compete for National Awards.
AWARDS
Prizes?
1st: ₹1,50,000 | 2nd: ₹1,00,000 | 3rd: ₹75,000 | 4th: ₹50,000 | 5th: ₹30,000. Plus non-monetary Special Recognition Awards.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Can I submit an existing idea?
Yes, if it meets eligibility and addresses a social challenge with innovation and impact.
Where to find updates?
MY Bharat Portal and official communication emails.
RULES & COMPLIANCE
False/plagiarized info consequences?
Application may be rejected/disqualified at any stage. Organizers reserve right to verify.
How to contact organizers?
Read guidelines and FAQs first, then contact MY Bharat Support: https://mybharat.gov.in/support
Ready to Build India’s Next Social Innovation?
Take the first step towards making a lasting national impact today. Register and submit your idea.
Download Guidelines