With the aim of promoting innovation and start up culture, V-Launch Pad 2026 was organised with great grandeur at VIT-AP University. The event, jointly organized by the VIT-AP School of Business and the Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Cell (IIEC), served as a platform for students, faculty, and industry leaders.
The guests inaugurated stalls showcasing creative and innovative projects set up at the Student Activity Center. The guests for the event—Rajeev Sharma (CEO, AgVysor Innovations LLP), Sandal Kotawala (CEO, Alfaleus Technology Pvt. Ltd.), and Krishnan G (CEO, Ratan Tata Innovation Hub, Vijayawada)— Sri.Chandrasekhar Kupperi –Founder of ANOVA Corporate services addressed the students.
In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of entrepreneurial thinking focused on problem-solving. They expressed that research should not remain limited to papers but should evolve into commercially viable products.
They also praised the role of innovation hubs and incubation centers in the growth of start-ups. Vice-Chancellor Dr. P. Arulmozhi Varman stated that the university is moving forward with the goal of “One Student, One Innovation.”
He noted that the competition received 620 registrations from 42 prestigious institutions across the country, including IITs, IIMs, and NITs, and that 51 shortlisted teams presented their innovative prototypes in the final round. Registrar Dr. Jagadish Chandra Mudiganti highlighted that higher education institutions have a significant responsibility in building a strong start up ecosystem in the country and described V-Launch Pad as an excellent platform for young innovators.
The event was attended by Dr. Sudha Ellison Mathe (Director, IIEC), Dr. Arun Kumar Sivakumar (Dean (i/c), School of Business), Dr. Raghavendra (Convener), Dr. Usha Seshadri (Co-Convener), and others. Speakers expressed that such initiatives greatly help in bringing out the creativity among youth.