Gandhinagar, August 03, 2025: The second day of Sportspreneur 2025 at Swarrnim Startup & Innovation University continued to build momentum with a strong focus on innovation, investment, and institutional vision for the future of the sports startup ecosystem in India.
The day commenced with a panel discussion on “Investing in Sports Startups,” featuring angel investors, VC representatives, and incubator leaders who explored the emerging potential of sports entrepreneurship. This was followed by an expert session on “Use of Technology in Sports,” which highlighted the role of AI and IoT in transforming athletic performance, fan engagement, and sports infrastructure.
A key highlight of the day was the presence of Shri M Nagarajan (IAS), Vice Chairmans & Managing Director of GSRTC and Misson Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban, Gujarat, who graced the event as Chief Guest. He was felicitated by Dr Ragin Shah, Provost, SSIU.
In his address, Shri Nagarajan emphasised the need to cultivate innovation from a young age. “The seeds of the startup ecosystem must be sown as early as Standard 6. “The sports sector itself requires deeper mentoring and sensitisation. To build a thriving innovation ecosystem in sports, we must work collectively—not in silos,” Shri M Nagarajan (IAS) said.
He appreciated Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University’s efforts as a pioneering ‘Startup university’ and lauded the initiative of creating a dedicated platform for startups in the sports segment. Shri Nagarajan also held a closed-door boardroom meeting with 12 selected startups and several high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), enabling direct investor engagement and feedback.
Sharing his thoughts, Shri Rishabh Jain, President, Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University, said, “At Swarrnim, we believe the future of sports lies not just in performance, but in entrepreneurship. Sportspreneur 2025 is our effort to seed a culture where innovation meets opportunity—right from school to startup stage. We are proud to provide a platform where ideas, investors, and institutions come together to build the next era of sports enterprise in India.”
The afternoon session featured the second round of Startup Pitches, where shortlisted ventures presented their ideas to a panel of investors. Eight startups also showcased their offerings as part of the on-campus exhibition. Several HNIs expressed interest in 5–6 ventures, requesting Swarrnim Incubation Centre to facilitate follow-up meetings for deeper evaluation. The event also saw participation from HNIs across diverse sectors, many of whom expressed exploratory interest in sports-focused startups, with individual investment capacities ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
The event is taking place at a time when Bharat is being considered as a potential host for the 2036 Olympics, a prospect that will fortify India’s growing synergy between sports, innovation, and enterprise. Sportspreneur Event 2025 aims to further fuel this momentum by supporting budding sports entrepreneurs and startups through a range of curated experiences. These include startup pitch sessions with a chance to win seed funding of up to Rs 5 lakh, live product demos, interactive workshops on sports tech and monetisation, branding sessions, and high-impact networking opportunities.
The event concluded with a valedictory ceremony and awards for standout pitches, followed by closing remarks and high tea.
The two-day Sportspreneur 2025 event at Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University made a landmark impact on India’s sports startup ecosystem, bringing together key stakeholders from across the spectrum—players, coaches, suppliers, policymakers, executors, startups, and entrepreneurs. Through focused dialogues, pitch sessions, tech showcases, and investor engagement, the event fostered a collaborative platform to accelerate innovation and enterprise in the sports sector.
