Capital Catalyst — E-Cell SBMPCE Student Pitch Contest, ₹8,000+ Prizes — Frequently Asked Questions

The competition has a total cash prize pool of ₹8,000+, which is shared among the winning teams. It is a prize-based contest run by E-Cell SBMPCE, so the reward is cash rather than a grant, loan or investment.

It is open to all students who are interested in entrepreneurship and strategy. No specific stream, year of study, college or city is mentioned as a condition — being a student is the only stated eligibility requirement.

Each team must have 2 to 3 members. A single participant may be part of one team only, so decide your team members before registering.

No. This is a competition with cash prizes, so nothing is taken in return and there is no dilution of equity. The only money that changes hands from your side is the ₹150 per team registration fee.

Registration costs ₹150 per team. The deadline for registering is April 18, 2026.

Payment is made using the QR code in the event brochure, which is attached to the Capital Catalyst listing on Unstop. Once you have paid, you need to fill in a Google Form for verification and upload a screenshot of the payment on Unstop. Your registration is confirmed only after the payment has been successfully verified.

Teams must send in a pitch deck of no more than 8 slides along with a compulsory pitch video of 2 to 3 minutes. The content has to cover the problem, your proposed solution, market analysis, the business and revenue model, how you will acquire customers, and the risks involved.

Only the top 25 teams from the Round 1 screening make it through. Those teams then take part in the Capital Catalyst Showdown, a live startup simulation lasting 6 to 8 hours.

Teams operate as founders for 6 to 8 hours. Each team gets virtual capital, called Startup Points, and uses it to make decisions on product development, marketing, hiring and operations while dealing with real-time market challenges. Teams are judged on the revenue they generate, their strategic decision-making, how efficiently they allocate resources and how well they adapt.

No. Capital Catalyst is a student competition, not a funding scheme, so there is no requirement for DPIIT recognition, MSME registration or a formally incorporated company. You only need a team of 2 to 3 students.

Participants are required to bring their laptops on the day of the event, since the live simulation round is run on the spot.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.