Mumbai | 18 December 2025: Vivekanand Education Society (VES), through its H.A.B.I.T – Hashu Advani Business Incubation and Technology Foundation, successfully hosted HABITia ’25, its flagship entrepreneurship and startup conclave, on 17 December 2025 at VES Campus 2, Mumbai. The event brought together 256 registered participants, including students, aspiring founders, early‑stage startups, mentors, investors, and industry leaders—creating a vibrant platform for innovation, learning, and entrepreneurial discovery.
Inaugural Session: Vision, Inspiration & Ecosystem Building
The event opened with a welcome address by Mr. Vijay Talreja, Director – HABIT Foundation and Trustee, VES. He emphasized that HABITia embodies the foundation’s mission of nurturing young innovators by offering them a platform to present ideas, refine them through mentorship, and gain real‑world entrepreneurial exposure.
The Chief Guest, Mr. R. Ramanan, Chair of the National Expert Advisory Council (DST, Government of India) and former Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, delivered a powerful keynote. He highlighted the transformative role of incubators like HABIT in converting curiosity into ideas, ideas into prototypes, and prototypes into scalable solutions.
The Guest of Honour, Dr. Ramjee Pallela, Senior Consultant at ISBA and former COO of AIC‑CCMB, underscored the importance of research‑driven entrepreneurship, strong mentorship, and ecosystem collaboration in building sustainable startups.
The inaugural session concluded with remarks by Dr. Jyoti Chandwani, Nodal Officer, HABIT Foundation and Professor, VESIM, reaffirming the foundation’s long‑term commitment to supporting student‑led innovation.
Panel Discussion: “BTS – Behind the Startup”
A key highlight of HABITia ’25 was the high‑energy panel discussion exploring founder journeys, technology‑led growth, scalability, and the evolving role of venture capital. The panel featured:
- Mr. Shantiprakash (SP) Motwani, Former Managing Director, Accenture Technology
Spoke on the unprecedented convergence of transformative technologies, data, and exponential computing power. - Mr. Ranjeet Shetye, Venture Partner, YourNest Venture Capital
Emphasized curiosity, continuous learning, and challenging the status quo as essential leadership traits. - Mr. Zubin Kika, EVP – Technology & Digital, HDFC Bank
Highlighted that while GenAI and agentic AI accelerate prototyping, strong engineering fundamentals remain non‑negotiable. - Mr. Deepak Nihalani, Co‑Founder, Snapwork Technologies & Epoch Technologies
Shared insights on customer‑centric execution, adaptability, and solving real business problems through scalable digital solutions.
The session was moderated by Mr. Amit Rambhia, Managing Director, Panache DigiLife Ltd.
Startup Challenge: Innovate to Incubate
The Innovate to Incubate – Startup Challenge attracted 156 applications, of which 64 teams advanced to Round 2. After rigorous online and offline evaluations, nine teams reached the final round. The judging panel included:
- Mr. Bhavesh Kothari – CEO, MSSU I‑SPARK Foundation
- Mr. Nikhil Gupta – Investor & AIF Manager
- Dr. Vijay Bijlani – Founder Director, SAO Foods
- Mr. Jaideep Pawar – Founder Director & CEO, GRAMePAY
- Mr. Alok Ranjan – CEO & Co‑Founder, Tauran Advisors
- Mr. Chintan Oza – Founder & Managing Partner, Anantam Ecosystems
- Mr. Abhimanyu Anil Londhe – Co‑Founder, Abhi Incubation Fund
Winners
- Winner: Melacure Pvt. Ltd. – Skincare innovation brand from VES College of Pharmacy
- First Runner‑Up: Indiejeanous – Sustainable upcycled denim brand from Mumbai
- Second Runner‑Up: Maceazy – E‑Kaathi – Mobility solution for visually impaired individuals (Chetana Institute of Management & Research)
Winners received cash prizes, exclusive incubation opportunities, and certificates of achievement.
A Platform Where Ideas Meet Opportunity
HABITia ’25 concluded with renewed energy and enthusiasm, reinforcing VES’s commitment to nurturing student entrepreneurship. The conclave successfully created a dynamic ecosystem where:
- Ideas met mentorship
- Innovation met opportunity
- Students took confident steps toward building impactful, future‑ready startups
About Vivekanand Education Society (VES)
Established in 1962, Vivekanand Education Society is a leading educational institution in Mumbai dedicated to academic excellence, innovation, and holistic development. With 7 campuses and 26+ institutions across disciplines including arts, commerce, science, engineering, law, management, architecture, and business, VES continues to shape future‑ready leaders inspired by the values of Swami Vivekananda and the vision of Shri Hashu Advani Ji.
