Prayagraj: Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, organized the concluding ceremony of Ideathon 2026 at the University Auditorium, JIBB, under the aegis of the Directorate of Innovation, Projects and Consultancy (IPC). The programme provided an encouraging platform for students to present innovative ideas, explore entrepreneurial opportunities, and develop potential startup ventures. The chief guest, Prof. Dr. Ir. Abhilasha J. Lal, First Lady of SHUATS and Director, HRM&R emphasized women’s empowerment and encouraged students to pursue entrepreneurship with confidence. Highlighting the importance of a problem-solving mindset, she observed that startups often struggle when entrepreneurs fail to address practical challenges. She encouraged students to identify problems, develop innovative solutions, overcome competition, and work persistently towards their goals.
Prof. Dr. Derrick M. Dennis, Director, IPC and Programme Convener, congratulated the participating students and informed the gathering that approximately 50 entries had been received from eight schools of the University. He stated that the quality of the proposals made the selection process challenging for the evaluation panel. Consequently, two teams were awarded the first position, six teams shared the second position, and seven teams shared the third position. He highlighted that Ideathon serves as an important platform for students to present their ideas and explore opportunities to establish startups.
Sunil Jaiswal, industrialist and owner and co-founder of My Mr. Professional, motivated the students by sharing his entrepreneurial journey. He explained that he had left government service in 2021 to establish his venture. Drawing upon examples from the startup ecosystem, he discussed the distinction between an opportunity and a startup, the expectations of investors, and the importance of building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem. He encouraged students to develop viable ideas and assured them of support through the University’s IPC Directorate in their efforts to establish successful startups.
Ideathon 2026 Award Winners: During the programme, Dr. Juhi Srivastava, IPC, announced the winning teams and expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, participants, faculty members, and organizers.
First Position: MediQR — Aniket Singh and team. My Turn — Hamza Ahmad and team.
Second Position: Smart Forecheck — Ashish Mishra and team. Wearable Forensic AR Glasses — Aman Yadav and team. Chrono Fold — Ankit Yadav and team. Technological Innovators — Ashraf Fatima and team. Patho Map. HLA — Srishti Malaviya and team.
Third Position: Biodegradable and Plantable Packaging — Anshuman Singh and team.
Eco Guard — Aamir and Bharti’s team. MedTech Evaluation Proposal — Ayyub and team.
Satvik — Himanshu Prakash. Floral Standard — Shreya Iyer and team. AeroWorld — Soumya and team. PromoMats — Maryam Arshad and team.
The programme was attended by Prof. Dr. Derrick M. Dennis, Varun Pal, Dr. Juhi Srivastava, Sunil Jaiswal, and a large number of Deans, Heads of Departments, professors, faculty members, and students. The Ideathon concluded with a message of innovation, self-confidence, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial development, encouraging students to transform their ideas into practical solutions and future startup ventures.
