Ahmedabad, March 27: GLS University celebrated a memorable day in GLS centennial year on Friday with a dynamic showcase of innovation and ideas, the GLS Startup Nexus, where 100 student-led startups and innovative ideas were showcased. ‘100 Campus Ideas for Viksit Bharat’ was the year’s second centenary event, following February’s launch, when the university committed to hosting a key event each month, giving credit to university president Sudhir Nanavati for his visionary leadership. Later in the day, university Executive Director Dr. Chandni Kapadia engaged in a candid interaction with entrepreneur Mr. Chiranjiv Patel, Managing Director, PC Snehal Group and Prospero Horizon, in the ‘Decoded @ GLS – In Conversation with Chandni Kapadia’ talk series.
She explored themes of leadership, startup journeys, scaling enterprises and the role of universities in shaping an innovation-ready Bharat. The startup exhibition brought together students, faculty, industry leaders, and startup mentors to celebrate young entrepreneurial minds, featuring 60 student-led startups and innovative ideas from diverse domains, including technology, social impact, services, and both value-driven and profit-driven ventures. The exhibition was powered by GLS University’s incubation, supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the Government of Gujarat, and aligned with the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) of the Government of Gujarat.
For the current SSIP cycle, GLS University received over 100 student startup applications that went through a rigorous three-stage process of scrutiny, mentoring, and evaluation, ensuring that only the most promising and viable ideas reached the exhibition and funding stage. As a key outcome of this year’s SSIP cycle, four student startups have been approved for GLS University SSIP funding of ₹2.5 lakh each, while one startup has been sanctioned funding of ₹1 lakh, in addition to 15 startups that were specially recognised for their outstanding ideas and growth potential. So far, more than 100 startups have been mentored, underscoring GLS University’s sustained focus on nurturing a robust innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
GLS University leadership acknowledged the role of visionary guidance, institutional support, and faculty mentorship in building a vibrant student startup culture and appreciated the efforts of all mentors and evaluators associated with the SSIP. “Every student idea presented at Startup Nexus, whether funded today or not, represents the seed of a future-ready India, reinforcing GLS University’s centennial vision of combining academic excellence with innovation, entrepreneurship and social responsibility,” said Dr. Chandni Kapadia, Executive Director, GLS University
