New Delhi: Startups confront multiple obstacles and frequently find themselves in uncharted territory, where directions is crucial and mistakes can be costly.
In such a scenario, accelerators have emerged as guiding lights to early-stage ventures, providing the necessary resources, mentorship, and network to navigate the complex startup landscape.
Conquest — BITS Pilani’s premier startup accelerator — has been making waves by carving out a distinct niche in India’s thriving startup ecosystem.
This accelerator is driven by a singular vision: creating unrivalled value for startups and empowering them to overcome obstacles. It is run exclusively by a team of 30 dedicated BITS Pilani students.
Conquest empowers entrepreneurs by providing equity-free grants, mentorship from industry leaders, networking opportunities, media visibility, and access to valuable resources worth over $300,000, with WestBridge Capital as its title sponsor. The tools furnished by reputable companies solely aim at propelling growth.
Typically, accelerators demand a portion of equity in exchange for the resources and assistance they provide. Conquest, however, is different as it is committed to a zero-cost, zero-equity business model. In this model, the accelerator does not charge any fee for its services and does not acquire equity stake.
Conquest has distributed over Rs 1 crore in equity-free grants in the past three years, giving startups the financial lift without diluting ownership. This novel approach demonstrates the accelerator’s commitment to assisting businesses without imposing excessive financial burdens.
The Conquest accelerator
Gearing up for its nineteenth edition, Conquest remains an essential forum for nascent startups. It is distinguished by its unwavering dedication to providing transformative support and fostering entrepreneurship. Conquest is actively influencing the future of India’s startup ecosystem by addressing challenges and providing resources and mentorship.
The tales of success that have emerged from Conquest’s nurturing ecosystem is a testimony to its impact. Graduates such as “Thinkerbell Labs” (featured on Shark Tank India), “SocialCops” (now Atlan, a $500mn+ valued company), and “Bitespeed” (backed by Sequoia Surge and Kunal Shah) have flourished and drawn attention.
Out of the more than 2000+ registrations that it receives annually, Conquest selects 30 for this transformative voyage. They are mentored by some of India’s most successful entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, and startup coaches. Industry veterans such as Navneet Sharma (CBO, Unacademy), Durga Ragunath (Head-News, Google), and Abhinav Tyagi (Senior VP-Marketing, Urban Company) provide strategic guidance and aid entrepreneurs in overcoming industry-specific obstacles.
However, Conquest does not confine itself to sector-specific counselling. The accelerator designs interactive sessions that promote cross-pollination of ideas and hone the pitching abilities of entrepreneurs. Fireside chats and “Ask Me Anything (AMA)” sessions with industry luminaries such as Nithin Kamath (Zerodha) and Dev Khare (Lightspeed) have broadened the horizons of startups and exposed them to diverse perspectives.
The journey proceeds with a one-week offline phase in Bangalore, the tech hub of India. This experience provides startups with direct mentorship, valuable seminars, and networking opportunities with industry leaders.
Demo Day is the highly anticipated grand culmination of the Conquest experience. Here, startups exhibit their progress and potential to leading venture capitalists and angel investors and receive equity-free grants.
Until 31 May, 2023, conquest.org.in is accepting applications from early-stage startups that want their dreams to come true.
Conquest 2023 has been organised by BITS Pilani. ThePrint is its Digital Outreach Partner.