The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Abhijeet Kumar, Co-founder of ah! Ventures Fund and a prominent leader in the entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem. With rich experience in venture capital and start-up growth, he shared insightful lessons from his journey, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and strategic foresight. Mr. Kumar highlighted the importance of spotting emerging opportunities in a dynamic market and turning them into value for investors and society. Drawing from his work at ah! Ventures Fund, he underscored the power of mentorship, networking, and a strong support system in enabling sustainable entrepreneurial success. His talk inspired and empowered aspiring founders.
The panel discusison, "Founders Forum – Unleashing the Power of Founders’ Mind," moderated by Mr. Amit Rambhia, Founder & MD of Panache DigiLife Ltd., featured Mr. Rupesh Ghyar (IF Medtech), Mr. Devang Shah (FabBox, Edulab), Mr. Vivek Arora (Adventity), and Mr. Nitin Dhawal (Scogo Networks). The discussion focused on the entrepreneurial mindset, stressing that innovation stems from discomfort and that failure is part of growth. Panelists encouraged forming teams during college and putting in early effort. In the Q&A, they advised students to build versatile skills across finance, HR, marketing, and sales.
The panel discussion, "Venture Circle – Funding the Future," moderated by Mr. Vijay Talreja, Lead Investor at Neev Angels and Co-Founder of Bynocs, featured an esteemed panel: CA Prafull Rai, Partner at Arjav Partners; Mr. Abhijeet Kumar, Co-Founder of ah! Ventures Fund; Mr. Abhijit Patil, Co-Founder & COO of Ajna Lens; and CA CS Jignesh Kenia, Startup Investor at Signal Ventures and President – Corporate Strategy at Times Network. The discussion focused on fundraising, entrepreneurship, and the importance of mentorship. A standout moment was a creative analogy comparing co-founders to Iron Man’s team, highlighting the necessity of collaboration in business.
A flagship event of HABITia 2024, Pitch Perfect attracted 184 registrations (117 teams) on Unstop, with 23 teams advancing to the offline rounds at VESIM. The competition began with an online quiz, followed by live pitching sessions judged across three panels. Top teams moved to the final round, evaluated by esteemed judges including Mr. Dhaval Desai and Mr. Amit Rambhia. The winners were Sneha Krishnan & Myron Dsouza (₹25,000), Tasmiya Khan’s team (₹15,000), and Manigandhan Thevar & Devansh Murarka (₹2,500 each). The event fostered innovation, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, reinforcing HABIT Foundation’s commitment to entrepreneurial excellence.
A key highlight of HABITia 2024, the Mindshift Solution Competition saw 218 registrations (133 teams) via Unstop, with 22 teams reaching the final round at VESIM. Judged by Mr. Monu Shetty, the competition emphasized sustainability, innovation, and practicality in solving real-world problems. Winners included Om Patole’s team (₹25,000), Atharva Phadtare and Sarang Laghate’s teams (₹7,500 each), and Rutu Bauva’s team (₹5,000). Honorary mentions went to teams from SRM AP and Monisha Mirchandani. The event concluded with an award ceremony led by Mr. Monu Shetty and Dr. Jyoti Chandwani, reaffirming HABIT Foundation’s mission to inspire impactful innovation.
The outdoor activity at HABITia 2024 was a lively celebration of entrepreneurial spirit, featuring 32 stalls across categories like food, games, prototypes, and business expos. Culinary Ventures in the garden area and themed zones on VESIT’s second floor—Innovators’ Bazaar, Visionary Vaults, and Idea Arena—buzzed with creativity. Teams competed for a ₹10,000 prize pool. Winning stalls included Aarav the Humanoid and SwitchXpert for prototypes, Ice n Tale for food, Art by Priyanka and Grid Sketchbooks for business expos, and Quiz Game for games. The activity fostered networking, innovation, and hands-on entrepreneurial experience for students and alumni alike.
VES Polytechnic, Chembur, successfully hosted VES Technothon 2025, a 24-hour state- level hackathon for diploma engineers, in collaboration with its Alumni Association and IIC Cell. The event witnessed over 125 team registrations from nine districts, with 32 teams advancing to the Grand Finale held on 1st–2nd March. Esteemed dignitaries from MSBTE, Connectwell, VEGA India, and AICTE graced the occasion, celebrating outstanding student innovations. Winners from premier institutes demonstrated remarkable creativity and technical expertise. Supported by Connectwell, VEGA India, PearlQuest, and other partners, Technothon 2025 strengthened industry-academia collaboration and underscored VESP’s dedication to fostering technological excellence and innovation at the diploma level.
Syrus Hackathon 2025, powered by Unstop and presented by Uptiq AI, was organized by VESIT’s CodeCell Tinkerers on 28–29 March 2025. Supported by prestigious sponsors like GitHub, Sprect, Rotary Club of Bombay Chembur West, and others, the 24-hour offline hackathon witnessed 380+ participants competing across Uptiq AI and Open Innovation tracks. Over three rigorous coding sessions, teams brainstormed, built innovative solutions, and enhanced them with expert mentor feedback. Final demos were evaluated by industry leaders and the Uptiq team. Winners included Flipflop (₹30,000), Team INSPIRE (₹20,000), Status 200 (₹10,000), StackUnderflow (₹13,000), Khaana Khazana (₹10,000), and a Surprise Track award.
The International Business Analytics Conference, was successfully hosted by Vivekanand Business School (VBS), Mumbai, from 13th to 17th February 2024 on the theme “Data Analytics – Transforming Society and Business Landscape.” The five-day event featured a blend of academic rigor and industry relevance through activities such as Data Quezt, a two-day Pre-Conference Workshop on research methodologies, a Research Conference with keynote speakers from India and abroad, and a Smart Innovation Challenge showcasing entrepreneurial ideas. The conference brought together experts from academia, industry, and startups to discuss the impact of AI, big data, and digital transformation on business and society. With sessions led by thought leaders from institutions like KIIT, MITWPU, CPUT (South Africa), TCS, and PSB Academy (Singapore), the event fostered a global exchange of knowledge. The conference concluded with a Social Innovation Idea Competition and a valedictory ceremony, reinforcing VBS’s commitment to innovation, research, and future-ready education.
Held on 19th December 2024 at VESIM, Alchemize 2024, a National Level Business Plan Competition by Yuva-Preneurs E-Cell, inspired innovation through its theme “Reimagine and Reinvent.” With 270 registrations (166 teams), the event featured an online quiz and a case-based turnaround challenge using the Lean Canvas model. Out of 106 qualified teams, 31 reached the final. Judges Mr. Pratik Gupta, Mr. Monu Shetty, and Mr. Hetaal Shah evaluated creative revival strategies. Winners included Dushyant Borse (A Team), Aryan Kaushik (Indolence), and Om Patole’s team. The event fostered entrepreneurial thinking, design-based problem solving, and strategic innovation.
Vivekanand Education Society's College of Pharmacy successfully organized its flagship event, Ceutics Infinitum, on Friday, September 20th. This inter-collegiate pharmaceutical symposium seamlessly blended education and entertainment, featuring diverse offline and online activities to spark student interest in pharmaceutics and foster inter-college collaboration. Competitions included PharmTech Conquest (quiz), Pharma Pantomime (apparatus demonstration), Scavenger Hunt (pharmacy puzzles), The Mystery Pitch (Shark Tank-style entrepreneurship), and CineMED (pharmaceutical storytelling), alongside online events like PharmaComic, Pharma Review, and Science Slip-Ups. With streamlined registrations, smooth event execution, and enthusiastic participation, the symposium enhanced pharmaceutical knowledge, encouraged teamwork, and developed presentation skills. Winners received cash prizes, and all participants earned certificates, reaffirming VESCOP’s commitment to innovative education and professional development.
Vivekanand Education Society's College of Pharmacy successfully conducted Chemtastic 2024 on 31st August, 2024. The comprehensive program featured engaging chemistry-themed activities including Elemental Housie (periodic element-based game), Chem-O-Meme (scientific humor creation), Chemcard Quest (molecular rummy), Word Chaos (chemistry crossword), Reaction Burst Dart Challenge, Chem-O-Chrome (chemical twist on traditional rangoli), Chemoji Challenge (emoji-based chemical identification), Chemistry Trivia Quiz, Scavenger Hunt, and Pharma Stackathon. Dr. Sri Rama Koti Ainavarapu (TIFR) delivered the keynote, and Dr. Bapu Gawade (CleanChem) graced the event as Chief Guest. CleanChem Laboratories was the major sponsor. the event attracted participants from colleges across Mumbai, making chemistry engaging and memorable while fostering collaborative learning and scientific enthusiasm among pharmaceutical students.
The Research and Development Cell organized "Mimansa 3.0 : Presentation of Solutions to Industry-Defined Problems" on 5th March 2025, providing a platform for Second Year M. Pharm students to present innovative solutions to real-world challenges posed by the pharmaceutical industry. The event aimed to bridge the gap between academia and industry through critical thinking and practical problem-solving. Dr. Hitesh Doshi, a distinguished industry expert, served as the judge, offering valuable insights and feedback to participants.
Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Pharmacy presented Pharmacologic 2.0 on Friday, August 30th, 2024. Focusing on the Autonomic Nervous System, the event featured a dynamic mix of online and offline challenges: Autonomic Artistry, Reel It Feel It, Meme It Up, and PosterPedia tested digital creativity, while Treasure Hunt, AD-MAD, Rx Forum, Rangologic, and The Battle of the Nerves quiz engaged participants in hands-on learning and critical thinking. By blending artistic expression, scientific humor, strategic problem-solving, and scholarly debate, Pharmacologic 2.0 made complex neural physiology accessible, immersive, and memorable for pharmacy students.
