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The programme also creates a pathway to funding through StartX, NST's ₹1 crore seed fund for student entrepreneurs, launched by Pratik Poddar, Partner at Nexus Venture Partners and one of the earliest investors in Newton School, along with entrepreneur Varun Mayya.
The programme was created to address a persistent gap in higher education where technically capable students often have promising ideas but lack the structured support required to turn them into sustainable businesses.
Startup Foundry takes selected founders through idea validation, prototype and MVP development, business-model building, user testing and go-to-market planning, culminating in a formal pitch to a panel of industry experts, venture capitalists and angel investors. The programme creates a pathway to funding through StartX, NST's ₹1 crore seed fund for student entrepreneurs. Eligible ventures progress through ideation, prototype and MVP evaluations, receiving feedback from mentors and the StartX Fund committee at each stage. Selected startups can receive pre-seed funding of up to ₹10 lakh based on user adoption, revenue, market opportunity, growth potential and team strength.
Startup Foundry Builds a Structured Path from Ideas to Investment
NST's wider entrepreneurship ecosystem has already recorded participation from more than 500 students and provides access to a network of over 100 expert mentors. Through workshops, technical infrastructure, product and marketing support, founder-led sessions and individual mentorship, students are supported from initial problem identification through to building and pitching a working business.
"The most exciting part is not simply that these students are starting early; it is the standard at which they are building. They are tackling real problems, winning customers and creating businesses with the potential to scale far beyond campus. Startup Foundry is designed to turn that ambition into disciplined execution and help build globally competitive technology companies from India," said Siddharth Maheshwari, Co-founder, Newton School of Technology.
Several ventures from the current cohort have already progressed well beyond the concept stage:
} NavisLabs, a personalised AI-powered work productivity tool, has been selected for Y Combination Startup School 2026.
} In.culcate, an AI-powered storytelling platform that transforms mythology and history into micro-dramas has received funding from ISB at a ₹5 crore valuation.
} Kixar, a booking platform for sports grounds, turfs and courts has generated ₹30 lakh in revenue and onboarded cricketer Jitesh Sharma as its brand ambassador.
} CarbonCraft, a profitable venture producing premium laser-engraved metal credit cards, has generated ₹55 lakh in revenue.
} Campus Connect, a platform where college aspirants book paid one-on-one sessions with verified current students is live with paying users and mentors across multiple colleges.
} Vyapaar Express, a WhatsApp-first B2B logistics marketplace for SMEs and transporters, has cut freight costs by around 15% in early pilots across the Maharashtra industrial corridor.
Student Startups Cross ₹1 Crore Revenue Milestone
Together, ventures from the Startup Foundry cohort have already generated more than ₹1 crore in combined revenue, demonstrating that students can build commercially viable businesses before completing their degrees.
"At NST's Startup Foundry, young engineering students, some as early as their second or third year, are doing more than just learning in classrooms. As a mentor, I've seen these students take on real-world challenges with remarkable curiosity and determination, finding creative solutions to problems that would challenge even experienced business leaders. Startup Foundry is giving these students the tools, mentorship and confidence to turn their ideas into real businesses. I believe Startup Foundry is laying the foundation for startups that can compete on the global stage," said Vivek Sridhar, CTO, Microsoft for Startups and Mentor, NST's Startup Foundry.
Student founders receive guidance from senior technology and startup leaders, including Vivek Sridhar, CTO, Microsoft for Startups and Udit Goyal, COO and Head of Early Stage Startup Ecosystem, Google Cloud India. Their involvement gives students direct access to practical feedback on technology, product strategy, market readiness and the challenges involved in building an early-stage company.
Industry Mentorship and Global Startup Ecosystem Drive Innovation
The wider cohort includes ventures working across fintech, AI developer tooling, AI security, technology-enabled B2B logistics, sports, student guidance and admissions, automated solutions for SMBs and MSMEs and financial literacy for India's youth. These startups range from early ideas and prototypes to market-ready products and revenue-generating companies.
Unlike a short-term hackathon or campus competition, Startup Foundry provides sustained support for students building serious technology ventures. The programme reflects NST's broader approach to hands-on, industry-linked technical education, where students do not have to wait until graduation to solve market problems, build revenue-generating products or pursue institutional funding.
Through Startup Foundry and the StartX Fund, NST aims to create a repeatable pathway through which campus ideas can become investment-ready technology companies capable of competing in India and on the global stage.
