Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) will host a two-day event in January 2017 starting with the Wharton India Startup Competition (WISC) and followed by a Speaker Series. WIEF is accepting entries from various start-ups from across the country who would like to be a part of the event.
This would be the 21st Wharton India Economic Forum and the fourth year of the WISC. Any start-up with a business idea or model featuring products and/or services targeting the Indian market, irrespective of whether Pre-seed, Seed or Early stage of growth can send in entries.
The panel of experts, including entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and investors, will pre-screen the entries. From here the semi-finalists will be selected and get a 15-minute time slot to present their ideas to the judges (via teleconference) based on which finalists will be chosen.
The finalists will pitch to top Indian entrepreneurs and venture capitalists on January 7, 2017 in Mumbai. The pitch will consist of a 5-minute presentation and a 3-minute Q&A session.
Aman Jain, WIEF 2017 Chair shares, “The Forum takes pride in being the first full-fledged US business school conference that will be conducted for the second time both in India and in the US. As a startup, what contestants will be looking forward to is a unique platform where academic research meets Indian entrepreneurship and leaders, providing a special opportunity to gain from the insights and perspectives of business leaders.”
WISC is a launch pad for startups looking to gain visibility, 150 hours of free legal advice, up to four months of mentorship by industry leaders and winning over $25,000 in cash prizes.
According to a 2015 NASSCOM Report, “In terms of providing a conducive ecosystem for the startups to thrive, India has emerged as the fastest growing base of startups worldwide. India is one among the first five largest startup communities in the world with the number of startups crossing 4,200.”
