New Delhi: India’s start-up ecosystem is undergoing significant growth, though signs of saturation are beginning to emerge. With over a thousand start-up support programmes nationwide, the early-stage support market is saturated. Yet, one persistent complaint echoes across founders’ circles: “We got the funding. We just didn’t get the feedback.”
Blume Ventures’ Indus Valley report reveals that early-stage funding in Series A and B rounds has dropped by half since 2021–22, while average round sizes have stayed consistent. This points to a skewed capital distribution that disproportionately affects younger start-ups.
There is a clearly defined problem in the start-up ecosystem—a start-up gets funding, but doesn’t get the appropriate guidance, or gets the guidance but not the funding.
This is where start-up accelerators come into the picture. A start-up accelerator is a mentor-based programme that provides guidance, support and limited funding in exchange for equity. In start-up ecosystems, where demo days often receive significant attention, Conquest—a student-run accelerator by BITS Pilani—differentiates itself through a focus on structured mentorship over funding size.
Unlike most accelerator programmes, Conquest operates on a unique zero-cost, zero equity model, meaning that they do not charge any money or demand any equity in exchange for their mentorship programmes.
Conquest receives over 3,000 applications, selecting 30 promising start-ups for its intensive 6+1 week hybrid (online + offline) programme. The accelerator equips participants with essential skills for scaling their ventures, offering mentorship and expert-led sessions by top industry leaders, such as Nithin Kamath (co-founder, Zerodha), Sameer Nigam (founder, PhonePe), and Amit Jain (co-founder, CarDekho).
The programme culminates in Demo Day, a flagship pitching event held in Bengaluru. On Demo Day—the grand finale of Conquest—start-ups pitch their ideas to a jury of top angels and venture capitalists, competing for a funding grant awarded with no equity taken in return.
What began as a college-level business plan competition has quietly evolved into one of India’s most credible start-up programmes—not because it mimics Silicon Valley, but because it understands India. Its mentors push for product-market fit before perfecting their investor pitch. In a sea of accelerators chasing scale, Conquest bets on substance, and that, increasingly, is what founders are looking for.
This year, Conquest will begin with the Launch Event—an exclusive, invite-only mixer in Gurugram on 16 April. The event will bring together top industry leaders and influential figures from Gurugram to officially kick off Conquest ‘25.
Registrations for Conquest ‘25 are open on Conquest’s website. Click here to visit.
Conquest 2025 is being organised by BITS Pilani. ThePrint is its Digital Outreach Partner.
Also Read: Startup Accelerators: The Hidden Gems Fueling Entrepreneurial Success