The SBI College Youth Ideathon (CYI) 2025, India’s largest innovation and entrepreneurship festival for college students, has announced its Top 100 teams for the Grand Finale to be held at IIT Delhi on 5th and 6th April 2025. The CYI challenge is a joint initiative by IIT Delhi, Management and Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC), and ThinkStartup, supported by SBI, ESRI India, and other partners.
This year’s edition received over 15,000 startup entries from more than 44,000+ students across 1,000 colleges in India. After multiple rounds of evaluation, including idea shortlisting, video pitch submissions, and social proof, the Top 100 teams have been selected. These teams represent 119 institutions from 62 cities across the country.
Each pitch was reviewed by a panel of five independent expert judges including startup founders, CXOs, professors, investors, and innovation mentors. Additionally, social media performance of video pitches on YouTube and Instagram was factored into the evaluation, recognizing teams with strong storytelling and audience resonance.
Shri Anil Pokhriyal, CEO, MEPSC said, “We are overwhelmed by the quality and energy of participation from students across India. CYI 2025 has truly become a national movement, inspiring young minds to think boldly and build the future.”
Notably, this year’s Top 100 includes a strong focus on Geospatial Innovation, thanks to the GIS Startup Track powered by ESRI India. “We are delighted to see several high-potential GIS applications in the Top 100. From smart farming to disaster mapping and local governance solutions, students are exploring meaningful geospatial use cases. We look forward to witnessing some of these evolve into pathbreaking GIS startups at the Grand Finale,” said Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, ESRI India.
All selected teams will receive a Rs. 5,000 prototyping grant and have been invited to showcase their startup ideas at the CYI Grand Finale at IIT Delhi on 5th and 6th April 2025.
Shivani Singh Kapoor, Founder, ThinkStartup added, “CYI is not just a student contest-it’s becoming a powerful launchpad for Indias next generation of entrepreneurs. We are proud to support an initiative that brings together industry, academia, and aspiring entrepreneurs on a single platform. The diversity and depth of ideas we’ve seen this year are truly remarkable.”
In a unique twist, the Top 100 teams must now demonstrate real-world market validation by listing their innovations on www.TheYouthCompany.in. Here, teams will attempt to sell their products or raise funding, allowing them to validate their business model and attract early adopters or investors.
Based on their pitch and marketplace performance, Top 15 teams will be shortlisted to present to a Grand Jury comprising VCs, angel investors, and startup founders. The Top 10 CYI 2025 Awards will be announced during the Valedictory Session on 6th April at IIT Delhi.
“There is a real sense of excitement building up for the Grand Finale. We’re seeing some amazing startup founders and investors confirming their presence at IIT Delhi,” said Sanjeeva Shivesh, Program Director of CYI and Co-founder of ThinkStartup.
To ensure opportunity for more promising innovators, CYI has also launched the Top 100 Challengers Pathway, a parallel track for teams who narrowly missed the Top 100. These teams can still list on TheYouthCompany.in and will be eligible to join the Grand Finale if they generate significant traction. 25 additional teams will be selected through this route based on sales and fundraising success.
The CYI Grand Finale promises to be a high-energy platform where innovation meets execution, and students meet real-world markets, mentors, and investors.
