Where student ideas meet industry and investors.
An inter-college startup idea and product showcase, run by industry — not by a campus. Present your idea to founders, hiring managers and investors, and walk away with feedback that is worth more than a certificate.
4 December 2026 — On campus, Olympia Auditorium, Chennai5 December 2026 — OnlineRegistrations close 1 December 2026
Most student ideas die in a submission folder. INSPIRE IGNITE 2026 exists to change that.
This is not a college competition run by a college. It is run by Inspire Softech Group Companies — a working technology consortium in Chennai that builds software, hires engineers and mentors students every week. That single difference changes what you get out of it. The people judging your idea are the people who fund, build and hire in the real market.
Bring an idea, a prototype, a working product or a business model. You get seven minutes on the stage, direct feedback from an industry jury, and a room full of people worth knowing. Teams that impress us do not just win a prize — they get a conversation about internships and, where the idea has legs, a longer relationship with our group.
Open Theme
Any domain, any idea stage
All Colleges
Three teams per college
Up to 3 Members
Per team, one fee
Our industry jury will be revealed shortly. Stay tuned! ✨
Six compelling reasons to join INSPIRE IGNITE 2026
Your jury is made up of founders, senior engineers and investors — not only academics. The feedback is commercial, direct and immediately useful.
A prize pool of ₹30,000 — ₹15,000 awarded on each day, so offline and online teams compete for their own set of prizes. Special recognition awards for Best Prototype, Best Social Impact Idea and Best Presentation.
Shortlisted participants are considered for structured internships across Inspire Softech Group Companies and our partner network.
Networking built into the day, with executive lunch and high tea alongside industry professionals and investors.
Every registered participant — online and offline, presenting and attending — receives a digital certificate.
Winning and standout ideas are featured across our channels and shared with our industry network.
INSPIRE IGNITE 2026 runs over two days with equal opportunities on both
Friday, 4 December 2026
Olympia Technology Park, Guindy, Chennai 600 032. Live presentations before the jury and audience, executive lunch, high tea, networking, and the prize ceremony the same evening.
Saturday, 5 December 2026
Live virtual presentations for teams unable to travel to Chennai, judged by the same panel against the same criteria. Results are announced at the end of the session.
Both modes face the same jury and the same judging criteria. Each day carries its own set of prizes — so online teams compete against online teams, not against the auditorium.
Students currently enrolled in any recognised college or university. All disciplines welcome — this is not an engineering-only event.
Recent graduates are also eligible.
A maximum of three teams per college.
Each team may have up to three members. Solo entries and two-member teams are permitted; the fee is the same.
Cross-department teams from the same college are encouraged.
An individual may be part of only one team.
Open theme — there are no fixed tracks. Bring anything at any stage of maturity, as long as it is your own work:
A clear problem and a proposed solution
A working prototype or minimum viable product
A product with early users
With commercial potential
Or sustainability solution
If it fits the spirit of the event
Presenting fees are per team, not per member — one fee covers up to three members. All fees are inclusive of applicable taxes and are non-refundable once registration is confirmed.
| Category | Fee | What is Included |
|---|---|---|
| Presenting Team — Offline | ₹999 | Stage slot on 30 September for up to 3 members, executive lunch, high tea, networking access, e-certificates, participation in prizes and internship shortlisting |
| Presenting Team — Online | ₹599 | Virtual presentation slot on 1 October for up to 3 members, e-certificates, participation in prizes and internship shortlisting |
| Attendee Pass — Offline | ₹599 | Full-day access on 30 September as audience, executive lunch, high tea, networking access, e-certificate |
Payments are collected through Razorpay. Registration is complete only when the fee is paid and a confirmation email has been received.
| Milestone | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registrations Open | 1 September 2026 | Online at inspiresoftechgroup.com/ignite |
| Registration Closes | 1 December 2026 | No entries accepted after this date |
| Presentation Deck Submission | 2 December 2026 | PDF or PPT, emailed to projects@edinztech.com |
| Offline Event | 4 December 2026 | Olympia Auditorium, Guindy, Chennai |
| Online Event | 5 December 2026 | Live on Google Meet |
| Results & Certificates | 30 Sep & 1 Oct 2026 | Announced on event day; all e-certificates by 1 October |
Olympia Auditorium
Registration, check-in and team briefing
Inauguration and opening address
Team presentations — Round 1
Executive lunch
Team presentations — Round 2
High tea and networking
Jury deliberation · Industry address
Results, prize distribution and valedictory
Online (Google Meet)
Virtual lobby opens, technical check for all teams
Online presentations — Round 1
Online presentations — Round 2
Jury feedback session
Results announced
Every team, online and offline, is judged by the same panel against the same four criteria, each carrying 25 marks.
| Criterion | Weight | What the Jury is Looking For |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Clarity | 25 | Is the problem real, specific and worth solving? Do you know who has it? |
| Innovation | 25 | What is genuinely new here, and why has nobody solved it this way already? |
| Feasibility | 25 | Can this actually be built and run with realistic resources? How far have you got? |
| Impact and Business Potential | 25 | Who pays, who benefits, and how big can this become? |
How well you present is not scored separately, but it decides whether the jury understands the other four. Seven minutes is short — rehearse it.
A total prize pool of ₹30,000, split equally across the two days. Offline and online teams each compete for their own set of prizes.
| Award | Prize | Awarded On |
|---|---|---|
| Winner — Offline | ₹10,000 + Trophy | 4 December 2026 |
| Runner-up — Offline | ₹5,000 | 4 December 2026 |
| Winner — Online | ₹10,000 + Trophy | 5 December 2026 |
| Runner-up — Online | ₹5,000 | 5 December 2026 |
Presented on both days, in addition to the cash prizes:
Olympia Technology Park, Guindy, Chennai 600 032
The venue is close to Guindy railway station and the Guindy metro station, and is well connected by bus. Detailed directions are shared with registered teams by email before the event.
🗺️ Google Map embedding and detailed directions coming soon
Inspire Softech Group Companies is a Chennai-based technology consortium that bridges academia, research and industry. The group operates several brands — including Inspire Softech Solutions, Edinz Tech Private Limited, Adore Technology Solutions and iGreen StarTech Solutions — across software development, technology training, industry internships and academic partnerships.
The group works with colleges across Tamil Nadu through memoranda of understanding, structured internships, industry-mentored projects, industrial visits and placement readiness programmes. INSPIRE IGNITE 2026 is an extension of that work: an industry-run platform where student ideas are evaluated by the people who actually build and fund products.
Led by
Dr. Karthiya Banu
Founder & CEO, with over two decades of combined experience across academia and the corporate sector
Complete your registration through our secure online form
Click below to start your registration
Open Registration FormThree teams per college. Seven minutes each. Make them count.
Venue
Olympia Technology Park, Guindy, Chennai 600 032
Inspire Softech Group Companies is a Chennai-based technology consortium bridging academia, research and industry.
Founded by
Dr. Karthiya Banu
Founder & CEO
Operating Companies
• Inspire Softech Solutions
• Edinz Tech Private Limited
• Adore Technology Solutions
• iGreen StarTech Solutions