The district administration on Friday organised the Award & Felicitation Ceremony of the Future Tycoons program, marking the successful culmination of an entrepreneurial initiative aimed at nurturing innovation and transforming job seekers into job creators.
Launched by the district administration on August 15, 2024, in collaboration with Startup Punjab, the program received an overwhelming response with over 4,600 applications. After a rigorous multi-stage selection process, including idea screening, bootcamps, and jury rounds, 25 finalist teams emerged, representing the top 0.5% of participants.
The initiative covered several categories such as Open, Student, Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and Sustainable Agriculture. During the Grand Finale held on April 16, 2026, finalists presented their innovative ideas. In the Open category, Gaurav secured the first position, followed by Rajiv Kumar and Manpreet Kaur. In the Women category, Dr. Neelam Sodhi stood first, with Vasu Singh and Shruti Goyal securing second and third positions respectively.
In the PwD category, Kaur Singh Grewal secured first place, followed by Chahat Goyal. In the Student category, Yashik Jain secured first position, followed by Armanjot Singh and Prisha Sahi. In the Sustainable Agriculture category, Aditi secured first place, while Anmol Bhatia and Dr. Ruchika jointly secured second place, and Dr. Vipasha stood third.
The top three winners in each category were awarded cash prizes of Rs 30,000, Rs 20,000, and Rs 10,000 respectively. The Prize money is being given by Startup Punjab.Deputy Commissioner thanked the collaborative efforts of key partners including Startup Punjab, Munjal Birmingham City University Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MBCIE) Ludhiana Angel Network, CICU, Happy Forging, Innovation Mission Punjab, and Punjab & Sind Bank.
Academic institutions such as PAU, CT University, PCTE, and STEP GNDEC played a crucial role in mentoring participants and providing incubation support. Collectively, the partners have pledged more than Rs 10 crore in seed capital to support promising startups emerging from the program.
Ludhiana Angel Network announced special handholding for all the 25 finalists to take their Business ideas to Commercial scale. CICU announced a special cell to support and handhold all these 25 Finalists. Sh Ojasvi Alankar, IAS , ACA ,GLADA
Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain stated that the initiative was aimed at encouraging students, youth, women, specially-abled individuals, and the general public to present innovative ideas and transform them into viable ventures.
He emphasised that Ludhiana’s legacy of industrial excellence is now being carried forward by a new generation of innovators. He reaffirmed the commitment of the district administration and the Punjab Government to support these startups through continued mentorship, funding access, and ecosystem development.
Jain further announced that the administration will soon launch the second season of Future Tycoons, with a stronger focus on government school students. The upcoming edition will feature increased seed funding and is expected to attract more than 10,000 applications. The administration aims to transform Ludhiana into a leading hub for startups.
PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal also addressed the gathering and stressed the need to promote more agricultural startups, highlighting their potential to transform the farming sector through innovation and technology. He further encouraged students and young entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in agri-business, and allied sectors, noting that such initiatives can play a crucial role in strengthening the rural economy and achieving long-term food security.
In his address, GLADA Additional Chief Administrator Ojasvi Alankar also encouraged the young aspiring entrepreneurs to explore startups as a viable career path, emphasizing the importance of innovation, resilience, and adaptability in today’s competitive environment.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under UDAY (Unleashing Digital Abilities in Youth) was also signed between the district administration and MBCIE for launching an AVGC-XR & AI training program for government school students.
In the first phase, 20 students will receive specialised training in Animation, Visual Effects (VFX), Gaming, Extended Reality (XR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), equipping them with future-ready skills and enhancing their career opportunities.
The ceremony was attended by SK Rai from Hero Group, CMD Happy Forging Paritosh Garg, CICU President Upkar Ahuja, Vice-Chancellor CT University Harpreet Singh, Startup Coordinator at Startup Punjab Salil Kaplash, Ashish from COO, Innovation Mission Punjab, Dr. Prem Kumar, Shibananda Das,CEO , Ludhiana Angel Network Dr. Naresh Sachdev, Director PCTE, Prof. Arvind Dhingra, STEP ,GNDEC, Umesh Munjal from Highway Industries Ltd. Vijay Munjal, Chairman Hero Ecotech Ltd, Sanjeev Munjal, Chairman Ralson Tyres Ltd and officials from Punjab & Sind Bank, among others.