Apna Launches Second Season of Campus Tank to Support Startups
The initiative connects startups with investors across funding stages, from pre-seed to Series A, and offers access to incubation facilities, resources and ecosystem support.
Participating investors include Venture Catalysts, Inflection Point Ventures, Anthill Ventures, Indian Angel Network, Eaglewings Ventures, Aeravti Ventures, FAAD Network, PedalStart, Be An Angel and Kiani Ventures.
Apna Founder and Group CEO Nirmit Parikh said the initiative extended the company’s focus from connecting jobseekers with employment opportunities to supporting entrepreneurs who create jobs.
He said the first season received 21,789 registrations from more than 1,200 cities, reflecting the entrepreneurial potential of young Indians.
Parikh identified upskilling and reskilling, AI data training and applied artificial intelligence as areas of particular interest for the new season.
He urged young founders to prioritise sustainable businesses and long-term impact over funding rounds and valuations.
The first season resulted in three startups emerging from the initiative — Krvvy, Offlyn and Medoc Health. Krvvy develops functional innerwear and shapewear for Indian women, Bengaluru-based Offlyn facilitates the discovery and hosting of offline experiences, while Medoc Health develops AI-driven hospital automation solutions, particularly for healthcare providers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Chandigarh University Chancellor and Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu said startups would play a significant role in India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047.
He stressed the importance of profitability, sustainable growth, leadership and globally competitive products.
Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Co-founder of Venture Catalysts, said the expanded investor network would help founders connect with suitable capital partners and industry networks based on their business requirements.
Lok Sabha MP Naveen Jindal, who attended as chief guest, encouraged young entrepreneurs to start early, learn from failure and focus on developing solutions to important problems.
He said the success of a business should also be measured by its contribution to society.
Under the programme, Apna will manage registrations, national outreach and startup coordination. Chandigarh University will host the Grand Finale Demo Day and provide incubation support through Cube Founders Space. Investor partners will participate in evaluating applications, serving on the Demo Day jury and facilitating potential funding connections.
TNT KS
