IIT-BHU Concludes Traction 2026 Venture-Building Programme
IIT (BHU) concludes Traction 2026, an intensive three-day venture-building programme designed to turn student ideas into scalable startups.
The Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIT (BHU), Varanasi, has successfully wrapped up Traction 2026, a high-impact, three-day entrepreneurship initiative. Held from October 2 to 4, the programme aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world startup execution for the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs.
Turning Ideas into Scalable Ventures
Designed specifically for students, faculty members, researchers, and early-stage startups, the Traction 2026 programme provided a rigorous roadmap for moving from a simple idea to a functional business. The curriculum focused heavily on the practicalities of venture creation, including:
- Problem Identification and Validation: Ensuring the startup addresses a real market need.
- Customer Discovery: Understanding the target audience and their pain points.
- MVP Development: Defining and building a Minimum Viable Product.
- Go-to-Market Strategy: Planning how to enter the competitive landscape.
- Fundraising Preparedness: Preparing startups to approach investors effectively.
Mentorship from Industry Titans
A standout feature of the event was the deep involvement of the IIT (BHU) alumni network. Participants gained direct access to a wealth of knowledge through mentor clinics and founder interactions. The programme featured insights from high-profile industry leaders and investors, including:
- Amitava Saha, Founder of Firstcry & Xpressbees
- Rajeev Gupta, Serial Entrepreneur
- Saurabh Singh, Partner at Trifecta Capital
- Sridhar Parthasarathy, Partner at BlueHill
- Sudhanshu Srivastava, Investor at VC Funds
- Rohan Paliwal, Senior Associate at Stakeboat
Other notable experts included Dr. Anand Jaiswal (TERI SAS), Dhiraj Daga (Indra Astra), Saurabh Yadav (Rocksensor India), Akasmat Pradhan (Magna Hire), and CEOs Prakhar and Pranav Yadav (Specker.ai).
A Practical Approach to Innovation
The programme, organized in collaboration with the Ideation Innovation & Incubation (I-3) Foundation, the Joint Incubation Centre (JIC), and the E-Cell of IIT (BHU), moved beyond traditional classroom learning. Through intensive build sprints and practical exercises, participants were pushed to test and validate their business models in real-time.
The event concluded with participants presenting the outcomes of their intensive journey, showcasing refined MVPs and a clear path forward for their respective ventures. By emphasizing hands-on execution over theory, Traction 2026 has set a new benchmark for how academic institutions can nurture the startup ecosystem in India.