The 11th of February 2022 was a landmark day for entrepreneurs and start-up enthusiasts of IIT Roorkee alike, as the much-anticipated Hult Prize competition started its first round of elimination. The competition, which has been held annually for the past few years, is a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and gain exposure to potential investors and industry leaders. The topic of this year was “Redesigning fashion to be sustainable”.

The Hult Prize competition not only provides a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas, but it also provides a valuable opportunity for networking and learning. The competition provides a valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from experienced entrepreneurs, and gain exposure to potential investors and supporters.

The competition was fierce, with each team given just twelve minutes to pitch their idea and convince the panel of judges why their start-up was worth investing in.

The judges, made up of the members of the Hult Prize organising committee, were impressed by the high quality of the presented ideas. The first round went on for more than five hours. After each of the teams pitched their idea, the judges shared their thorough feedback on how to improve their ideas or pitches.

Only four teams from the participants’ pool, namely Blahsters, Baazigars, Ever-Grin, and Hulters, have moved forward to the next and final round of the competition, which will be held on 19th February.

The judges for the final round are experts and veterans in the fashion industry. Firstly, we have Miss Ayushi Kumar, an alumnus of NIFT and IIM Bangalore who currently serves as the Director at Ednam Solutions Private Limited. The second judge is Mr Krishna Sumanth Alwala, an alumnus of IIT Madras and the co-founder and CEO of TRI3D. The third and final judge for the finals is the very renowned Mr P. R. Rathod, who boasts over 35 years of experience in the fashion and apparel domains and is well known for his mentorship of the next generation of fashion enthusiasts.

This competition’s winner will represent IIT Roorkee at the Regional final (Central & South Asia region). So, please stay tuned to find out which team bags the honour and takes a leap in their entrepreneurial journey.