Business Plan Competition 2023-24

Finale Date	27th April, 2022
Venue	Pillai Educational Campus, Panvel
Judges for Final	Mr. Aditya Mhatre (Founder Synergy Consultants.) Mrs. Sarenya Khan (Founder - Ikshana Eyewear Accessories) Mr. Shrinivasan (Deputy. Manager- Marketing and Finance at Vishwa Protect Pvt. Ltd.)
Faculty Coordinator	Dr. G. V. Patil Mr. Hemant Patil
Event Objective	To foster an entrepreneurial culture and environment in the Pillai Campuses. To provide a platform for generating ideas, and pursue them from ideation to fruition. To impart training to students who are interested in pursuing entrepreneurship as a career opportunity. To arrange networking opportunities with important stakeholders (mentors, investors and advisers) in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. To nurture and mentor startups to set up successful businesses.
Event Outcome	Identify problems that can become business opportunities. Conduct market research to study business feasibility. Attend legal and accounting workshops and learn the frameworks and structures of businesses. Develop communication and presentation skills. Create Prototypes and apps. Develop business models and write formal business plans. Receive mentorships for fostering business from ideation to fruition. Learn to work in teams.

Students were invited to fill in the Business Plan Registration Form and register for the competition by 15th August, 2023

First Round – One on One discussion on the ideas submitted with the mentors. (30th August, 2023), at Pillai HOCL Educational Campus. Dr. Priam Pillai and Dr. Celina Joy were present as mentors and interacted with all participants, to make them understand form of overall competition, to give them initial feedbacks based on concepts presented by participants and to provide a guideline to them considering upcoming stages of competition and to help them evolve with their ideas. further

Quarterfinal Round – Teams presented a rough prototype/structure as well as a website/social media presence for the business. (4th October, 2023) The quarter final round of the Business Plan Competition 2023 was conducted by Dr. Priam Pillai and Dr. Celina Joy on 4th October, 2023. Dr. Priam Pillai is the Founder of the Pillai Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Dr. Joy is the Innovation Ambassador of PiMSR and along with all other Coordinators of the PHCET. Teams presented their plans and the progress made on their ideas. The objective of the session was to mentor students on their prototypes and business development and move to the next round of the competition. The presentations were assessed along with Innovation Ambassadors of various colleges and the next steps were explained. Teams were shortlisted on the basis of viability and scalability of the business idea for the quarterfinals.

Semifinal Round – Dr. Celina Joy (Innovation Ambassador of PIMSR) was a part of the jury to judge the Semi Final Round of the Business Plan Competition 2022-23 held on 11th December, 2023 where nine teams presented their business plans, financials and prototypes. Dr. Priam Pillai, Founder of Valectus Pvt. Ltd. and IIC ambassadors Dr. Richa Agrawal, Dr. Avinash Vaidya, Dr. Gajendta Patil and Architect Ashwati Nair were the other jury members. The objective of the round was to select the finalists for the business plan competition of 2023-24. This was the last round before the external jury would declare the finalists. The jury gave inputs on improvement and guidance for making better presentations in the finals. The session was an interactive and 17 students and 8 faculty members attended the session.

Final Round – 6 teams progressed to the grand finale for a prize of Rs. 1 lakh where the teams were judged for the prototype, viability of the business, progress in setting up the proposed business among others. The Grand Finale of the Business Plan Competition 2023-24 was held on 22nd January 2024 at PiMSR Panvel. The jury members were Mr. Aditya Mhatre (Founder Synergy Consultants.), Mrs. Sarenya Khan (Founder- Ikshana Eyewear Accessories), Mr. Shrinivasan (Deputy. Manager- Marketing and Finance at Vishwa Protect Pvt Ltd).

The winners were students of PHCET, Rasayani – Mr. Prathmesh Pratap Shelke and Mr. Arya Patil of Team Pantronics. Team presented their product, which is mobile charger which holds the mobile as well.

The second prize was won by the student of PHCOA, Rasayani – Mr. Hardik Dukare of Team Smart Farms. The team aims monitor farming and crop watering processes digitally.

The other finalists were Team Workation India (PCE Panvel), Team The Samarth Editry and Solutions (PCACS, Panvel), Team AroundU (PHCASC) and Team Hi-Res Harmony (PHCET).