Chandigarh: To empower India’s next generation of startup founders, Apna, an Indian Unicorn which serves as networking platform for blue- and grey-collar workers and Venture Catalysts (VCats), India’s leading early-stage investment firm and the country’s first integrated incubator, in collaboration with Chandigarh University, launched Campus Tank, India’s first university-led Startup launch-pad for young innovators to pitch their ideas and get funding to launch their startups along with expert venture guidance, strategic ecosystem alliances and immersive startup incubation.
The portal for Campus Tank ((https://apna.co/contests/campus-tank-2025) was launched in the presence of Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Apna’s Chief Operating Officer, Karna Choksi, Apna’s Vice President Dr Preet Deep Singh, Founding Member and Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts, Rishabh Golchha.
By registering for Campus Tank till 14 August, founders and co-founders under the age of 30 will compete for investment from a pledged fund of $1 Million to grow their startups. While selected Startups will get the opportunity present their ideas to top investors from Venture Catalysts on Demo Day to be held at Chandigarh University, selected teams will also get incubation support from Cube Founders Space by Chandigarh University and learn from founders and experts through training and master classes. The event will feature industry keynote, live evaluations, and potential funding announcements.
Elaborating on Campus Tank, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu said by supporting startups in their growth journey, the initiative encourages innovation and design by empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs in line with Startup India initiative launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.
“India has firmly established itself as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world with over 1.76 startups in the last decade as compared to 500 in 2016 and 118 unicorns with $1 billion valuation. As instead of job seekers, India’s youth are now becoming job providers, over 18 lakh direct jobs have been created by start-ups in the last decade with smaller cities contributing over 51% of these startups. Through initiatives like Campus Tank, our aim is to play a role in nurturing this growth and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs,” he said.
Sandhu further said ,“This dynamic collaboration between Chandigarh University , Apna and Venture Catalysts for Campus Tank will further strength the startup ecosystem, drive economic growth and empowering the next generation of innovators. I am sure Campus Tank will act as a catalytic force for igniting the entrepreneurial spirit among young innovators in the country and help achieve the Union government’s ambitious target of transforming the nation into 2nd largest start-up ecosystem in the world by surpassing China and create 1,000 Unicorns by 2047,”.
He said Chandigarh University is playing its part in this by encouraging students for innovating new technologies and unlocking opportunities for growth. “Ever since its inception in 2012, CU students have created over 150 Start-Ups, eight of which are women-led, spread across 17 cities in India and four foreign countries in 27 domains including agriculture, Edutech, Medtech, Healthcare, Fintech,Cleantech, Blockchain and Waste Management. Chandigarh University’s Technology Business Incubator (CU-TBI), which secured number 1 rank among all scientific research and development organizations in India by filing highest 1126 patent applications in 2023-24, is mobilising Rs 5 Crore to catalyze growth in the startup ecosystem at CU. Chandigarh University was ranked among the top 5 institutions in filing the highest number of patents in the last 5 years and secured 3rd Rank amongst all private and government universities in India by filing 2581 patents in the last 3 years alone ,” Sandhu added.
Apna’s Vice President Dr Preet Deep Singh said, “At Apna, building livelihoods has always been at the heart of our mission. We are not just a jobs platform; we are an opportunities platform. With Campus Tank, we are launching a powerful stage for India’s youngest and brightest entrepreneurs. This is where ideas from college dorms, canteens, and jamming sessions get the chance to be seen, heard, and funded. Each startup creates direct employment for 11 people on average and 4 times more of it indirectly. Supporting these ventures is not just about innovation; it is about nation-building. We believe India grows when Indians grow. Our job is to hand-hold these young founders and help take their ideas from chai to charts. With Campus Tank, we aim to unlock a generation of problem-solvers, dreamers, and doers,”.
Founding Member and Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts, Rishabh Golchha said, “At Venture Catalysts, we believe India’s next breakout founders are already building in hostels, co-working spaces, cafés, and garages. Campus Tank is our way of finding and backing them early. This platform is for young founders under 30 who are solving real problems with bold ideas. With up to $1 million in pledged investment pool on the table, we are bringing capital, mentorship, and access to help them scale. Some may be students, others recent grads, or early professionals. What matters is their hunger to build. We see Campus Tank as the start of long-term founder journeys. And as ecosystem catalysts, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and help make those ideas come to life,”.
