Chennai: The Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Madras has partnered with IDEABAAZ, a national startup discovery platform, to organise a Start-up Pitch Arena during its Entrepreneurship Summit 2026, scheduled from February 6 to 8 on campus.

The collaboration aims to combine IIT Madras' academic and deep-tech strengths with IDEABAAZ's nationwide entrepreneurial network to support emerging founders. The partnership aligns with E-Cell's goal of creating over 1,000 impactful startup stories by 2030.

IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti said the initiative would encourage young innovators to transform ideas into enterprises. IDEABAAZ Co-founder and COO Mudit Kumar described the partnership as a catalyst for grassroots entrepreneurship.

The summit will feature pitch sessions, mentorship programmes and startup showcases, with over 10,000 participants, 500 startups and 100 investors expected to take part, offering founders greater visibility and access to funding.