Campus Tank: Chandigarh University’s Big Bet on Young Entrepreneurs

In a major push to fuel student-led innovation and entrepreneurship in India, Chandigarh University (CU) has launched a first-of-its-kind platform — Campus Tank — to help young minds turn their startup ideas into reality. With funding support, expert mentoring, and incubation, Campus Tank is set to become a game-changer for aspiring founders under the age of 30.

The initiative was launched in partnership with professional networking platform Apna and leading early-stage investment firm Venture Catalysts. The official announcement was made on Monday in the presence of Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Karna Choksi, COO at Apna, and Rishabh Golchha, Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts.

Campus Tank

Campus Tank is not just a contest — it’s a launchpad for India’s next-gen startup leaders. The program invites college students, recent graduates, and any budding entrepreneur under 30 to submit their innovative business ideas through a dedicated portal:
https://apna.co/contests/campus-tank-2025

The registration is completely free and open until August 14, 2025.

Once registered, participants will get access to a series of expert-led webinars to help polish their ideas, build solid business plans, and prepare for investor pitches. The best ideas will be shortlisted for further opportunities, including live pitching to top investors.

Funding Pool of ₹8.5 Crore Announced

At the launch event, a funding commitment of ₹8.5 crore was announced — giving real weight to the university’s vision of supporting student entrepreneurship.

Shortlisted startups will get a chance to pitch in front of Venture Catalysts' network of investors during a Demo Day that will be hosted at Chandigarh University. This isn’t just another college event — it’s a serious shot at getting real investment from one of India’s most active early-stage VC networks.

Apart from investor pitches, selected startups will receive complete handholding through CU’s incubation initiative, Cube Founders Space. The support system includes:

• Incubation and Co-working Facilities

• Expert Mentorship and Masterclasses

• Training on Startup Fundraising and Operations

All of this is aimed at helping student founders not just start up, but scale up.

What to Expect on Demo Day

The Demo Day at Chandigarh University will be more than just investor pitches. It will feature:

• Keynote sessions by industry leaders

• Live evaluations of business ideas

• On-the-spot funding announcements for top-performing startups

This makes it an exciting opportunity for young founders to gain visibility, validation, and potentially — venture capital.

With India witnessing a sharp rise in student-led and youth startups, especially post-COVID, programs like Campus Tank are timely and necessary. They provide the right ecosystem — access, mentorship, and capital — at the right time, when an idea is just taking shape.

More importantly, it shows how educational institutions can go beyond academics to become startup enablers and future job creators.

In an age where innovation knows no age, Chandigarh University’s Campus Tank might just become the starting point for India’s next unicorn.