India's Next Unicorn 2026
Description
India’s Next Unicorn Season 2 (Campus Tank)
Brought to you by Apna and Chandigarh University, India's Next Unicorn is a high-impact startup funding and incubation platform designed to back founders building the future across sectors and industries.
Following a successful Season 1 led by Venture Catalysts, Season 2 brings together a broader network of investment partners and startup ecosystem leaders, creating more opportunities for founders to pitch, raise capital, and accelerate their growth.
We invite startup founders from across India who are solving real-world problems through innovative ideas, scalable business models, and disruptive solutions to apply, pitch, and raise capital from a $15 million pledged funding pool.
Whether you’re validating an early-stage idea, scaling a product or business, or preparing for your next raise, India's Next Unicorn offers a unique opportunity to pitch to leading investors, access structured incubation, and accelerate your growth journey.
Why Apply:
- Get Funded: Pitch for investment from a pledged pool of $15 million, led by Chandigarh University and partner investors
- Incubation Support: Selected startups receive incubation and ecosystem support through Cube Founders Space by Chandigarh University
- Live Demo Day: Pitch in person to top investors and ecosystem leaders
- Visibility: Get featured across Apna’s social media platforms and the wider India’s Next Unicorn ecosystem
- Founder Learning: Gain access to masterclasses, mentorship, and expert sessions from startup and industry leaders
- Startup Spotlight: Stand out with curated visibility, recognition, and post-event amplification
Investment Partners:
Season 2 brings together a growing network of leading investment partners, including:
- Venture Catalysts
- Inflection Point Ventures
- Anthill Ventures
- Indian Angel Network
- Eaglewings Ventures
- Aeravti Ventures
- FAAD Network
- PedalStart
- Be An Angel
- Kiani Ventures
Eligibility
India’s Next Unicorn is open to all startup founders across India, from idea stage to Series A.
You can apply even if you:
- Have just an idea
- Are building a prototype or MVP
- Are pre-revenue
- Have an existing startup with early traction
- Have an unregistered venture
Founder Eligibility: The founder representing the startup must be a graduate or currently pursuing a graduation degree.
You do NOT need to be a registered company to apply or participate in India’s Next Unicorn.
If You Are Selected for Funding
If you are selected to receive investment, you will need to meet certain legal and compliance requirements before the funding can be disbursed.
These include:
- If selected for funding, you will need to register as a Private Limited Company.
- The startup must have been incorporated within the last 10 years.
- The startup must not have crossed ₹100 crore in revenue in any financial year.
- The startup must have DPIIT recognition or be willing to apply for it before receiving funding.
In short: You can apply and participate regardless of your company’s registration status. These requirements only apply if you are selected for investment.
Rounds
Idea Submission
Participants will be required to submit a detailed pitch deck. Along with the deck, they can also upload an optional 90-second video that clearly explains the concept and vision behind the venture. The application form takes ~15 minutes to fill out.