Democratizing Dreams: Conquest, BITS Pilani is Revolutionizing the Indian Startup Ecosystem

In a world where innovation reigns, the democratization of entrepreneurial dreams often falls short. Opportunities in the startup landscape, while abundant, are disproportionately geared towards the privileged few with elite educational backgrounds or consulting credentials. This bias leaves a wealth of untapped potential and raw talent sidelined. But in the midst of this uneven terrain, today's ambitious entrepreneurs, driven by their dreams and determination, find a powerful force in Conquest, BITS Pilani's flagship accelerator program.

Backed by WestBridge Capital, Conquest defies the traditional bias towards IIT tags or consultant-led ventures, instead symbolizing a true democratization of entrepreneurship in India. It embraces and nurtures ideas from every corner of the nation, driving the Indian dream forward with steadfast conviction.

Straying from typical venture capital approaches, Conquest's unique zero-cost, zero-equity model emphasizes all-around growth over equity acquisition. Over the past three years, Conquest has disbursed over Rs 1 crore in equity-free grants. It extends beyond funding, providing startups with mentorship, and resources worth $300K+ from companies like Auth0, Clevertap, and Notion, alongside extensive media coverage.

Conquest's graduates embody the triumphant realization of the Indian entrepreneurial dream. Thinkerbell Labs, (featured on Shark Tank India), SocialCops (now Atlan, valued at $500M+), and Bitespeed (backed by Sequoia Surge) stand as examples of the exceptional success achieved through Conquest's support and guidance.

Each year, from over 2000 registrations, Conquest selects the top 30 startups for an intensive six-week online mentorship journey. Startups gain strategic insights from industry leaders and startup coaches like Navneet Sharma (CBO, Unacademy) and Abhinav Tyagi (SVP Marketing, Urban Company). Conquest also goes beyond sector-specific mentorship, curating interactive sessions with industry leaders like Nithin Kamath (Zerodha) and Dev Khare (Lightspeed).

Conquest's week-long offline phase in Bangalore provides startups with valuable mentorship, insights, and networking opportunities in vibrant co-working spaces like WeWork. Tailored investment workshops by Accel and IDFC First Bank last year enabled startups to secure funding and scale effectively.

Conquest culminates with the Demo Day in Bangalore, where startups pitch to top VCs and angel investors in a shark tank style, opening avenues for potential funding and media exposure. Last year, Demo Day featured on CNBC TV-18, saw INR 30L+ disbursed as equity-free grants.

Registrations for Conquest 2023 are open at conquest.org.in inviting all eager entrepreneurs to transform their startup dreams into reality, reaffirming that anyone can conceive an idea, start a company, and succeed in today's India.