The Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH), Tirupati, organised the RTIH Startup Pitchathon 2026 on Tuesday, bringing together around 300 participants including student innovators, startups, industry experts, and faculty members. The event was designed to promote innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, startup fund-readiness, and stronger collaboration between industry and academia in the region.
Deenanath Harapanahalli, General Partner at Gnan Circle Ventures and Co-Founder of Sricity International University, delivered the keynote address on “Building Fund-Ready Startups: What Founders Need Beyond a Great Idea”. He emphasised that successful startups require disciplined execution, customer validation, resilience, scalability, and real-world problem-solving—not just innovative ideas.
Smita Reddy, Partner at LexStart Partners, led an expert session on legal fund-readiness, highlighting the importance of legal compliance, intellectual property protection, governance, and strategic planning for investor-ready startups. During the founder spotlight session, Dr Pradeepkumar Sundararaj, Founder and CEO of Kelvin6k, shared his entrepreneurial journey and encouraged young innovators to think creatively and embrace challenges.
Ten shortlisted startups pitched their ideas before a jury comprising Deenanath Harapanahalli, Smita Reddy, Dr Pradeepkumar Sundararaj, Vijayawanth Mathur, and Pragathi D, Head of Incubation at RTIH. The jury evaluated pitches on innovation, business viability, scalability, market potential, legal preparedness, execution strategy, and investment readiness, offering feedback to strengthen business models.
RTIH Tirupati continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing grassroots innovation and empowering entrepreneurs across Andhra Pradesh, aligning with its vision of “One Family One Entrepreneur” and honoring Ratan Tata’s legacy of innovation and social responsibility.
FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]
Q1: What was the main objective of RTIH Pitchathon 2026?
A: The event aimed to encourage innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, startup fund-readiness, and stronger collaboration between industry and academia among young innovators.
Q2: How many startups participated in the pitch sessions?
A: Ten shortlisted startups presented their ideas before a jury of industry experts and RTIH officials during the Pitchathon 2026 event.
Q3: What key topics were covered in the expert sessions?
A: Sessions covered building fund-ready startups, legal compliance, intellectual property protection, governance, and strategic planning for investor-ready ventures.