How to Apply for Capital Catalyst — E-Cell SBMPCE Student Pitch Contest, ₹8,000+ Prizes

Selection runs in three stages.

Round 1: Idea Ignition (screening round). Teams submit a pitch deck capped at 8 slides, along with a mandatory 2–3 minute pitch video. The submission has to set out the problem being solved, the proposed solution, the market the idea sits in, how the venture will earn revenue, how customers will be acquired, and the main risks. Judges weigh presentation quality, how clearly the problem is stated, the strength of the solution, feasibility, understanding of the market and the logic behind the revenue model. Only the top 25 teams advance.

Round 2: Capital Catalyst Showdown. This is a live simulation lasting 6–8 hours, in which each team runs its startup the way a real founder would. Teams are handed virtual capital (Startup Points) and take decisions on product development, marketing, hiring and operations while market conditions keep changing. Evaluation here covers the revenue generated, the quality of strategic calls, how efficiently resources were allocated, and how well the team adapted.

Final Pitch (investor round). The finalists pitch their refined ideas to a judging panel, followed by a dedicated Q&A session.