IMC to host first India Startup World Cup at Yashobhoomi in October

India Mobile Congress (IMC) will host the first India edition of the Startup World Cup this October, with the competition scheduled from 8 to 11 October at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi. The contest forms part of IMC’s Aspire programme, which focuses on early-stage innovation and aims to create visibility for emerging ideas and teams poised at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journeys.

Schedule and venue details

The event’s four-day schedule, from 8 to 11 October, provides an extended window for competition-related activity, interactions and programming within a large-scale convention setting. Hosting it at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi situates the contest in the national capital, adding logistical and symbolic prominence to the proceedings. A multi-day format typically allows organisers to sequence activities with adequate pace, encouraging focused participation while giving startups time to prepare, refine and present their work. With a fixed calendar and a dedicated venue, the India edition is positioned to run as a coherent, structured engagement that supports consistent attendance and sustained attention throughout the event days.

First India edition: significance and context

Staging the first India edition of the Startup World Cup within IMC signals a notable marker for the country’s innovation landscape. Locating the contest under the umbrella of a recognised technology congress highlights the growing emphasis on entrepreneurship as a pillar of the digital economy. A dedicated India edition provides a nationally anchored stage, helping to channel domestic interest and momentum into a focused competition format. It also underscores the role of established platforms in amplifying visibility for new ideas. By aligning competition timelines with a major technology gathering, the edition benefits from structured attention, a defined audience context and the credibility that comes with being part of a consolidated industry calendar.

Aspire programme’s early-stage focus

The contest sits within IMC’s Aspire programme, which concentrates on early-stage innovation. This focus is critical for ideas that are still maturing into viable products or services, where exposure and disciplined feedback can shape next steps. Early-stage initiatives often require clear articulation, iterative refinement and opportunities to test assumptions. By situating the contest under Aspire, the organisers signal an intent to highlight emerging work, emphasise clarity of problem-solution fit and support the journey from concept to execution. The framing around early-stage innovation also encourages participants to foreground fundamentals—vision, feasibility and differentiation—while engaging with a platform designed to celebrate nascent yet promising developments.

Opportunities for startups and the ecosystem

For participating teams, a dedicated competition within a technology-centric setting can offer concentrated attention on their ideas, product narratives and value propositions. A structured contest environment encourages crisp storytelling, disciplined goal-setting and the ability to communicate progress under time-bound conditions. Even without prescriptive formats being detailed, such programmes typically reward clarity, focus and preparedness. Being hosted at a major convention centre over multiple days gives the India edition a defined rhythm, allowing participants to plan, rehearse and engage in a setting oriented around innovation. The association with IMC, combined with the Aspire lens on early-stage work, positions the contest as a platform where emerging founders can present their thinking to a technology-aware audience.

What to expect in October

With the calendar set for 8–11 October in New Delhi, attention will turn to how the first India edition frames its evaluation priorities, showcases early-stage creativity and structures the overall participant experience. The Yashobhoomi venue provides a formal setting for a competition that intends to spotlight new ideas. Participants can prepare for a programme that values clarity of purpose and the ability to express problem-solving approaches succinctly. The early-stage emphasis suggests that fundamentals—need identification, solution design and pathways to scale—will be central to how work is presented. As the inaugural India edition unfolds, the combination of timing, location and programme focus will shape how startups position themselves and how the broader ecosystem engages with their efforts.