Ignite Series – Open Innovation Challenge

Think. Build. Pitch. IGNITE.

IGNITE Series – Open Innovation Challenge is a 15-day innovation competition organized by the Startup & Entrepreneurship Club, Chandigarh University, where students get the opportunity to transform their ideas into structured, market-ready solutions.

Unlike conventional competitions with predefined problem statements, IGNITE gives participants the freedom to choose a problem they genuinely want to solve and develop their own innovative solution.

From identifying a problem to validating the market, developing an MVP, designing a business model, and presenting the idea through a pitch deck — participants are encouraged to approach their idea like a real startup.

Eligibility

Open to Students from Colleges and Universities Across India.

• Team Size: 2–6 Members
• Inter-College Teams Are Allowed
• Inter-Specialization / Interdisciplinary Teams Are Allowed
• Students from Different Academic Backgrounds Are Encouraged to Collaborate.
• Each Participant Can Be a Member of Only One Team.

How It Works

Competition Duration: 15 Days

The Complete Challenge Will Take Place Through the Startup & Entrepreneurship Club's Official Platform.

Step 1 — Register

Teams Register for The Ignite Open Innovation Challenge.

Step 2 — Develop Your Idea

Teams Identify a Real-World Problem and Develop Their Proposed Solution.

Participants Can Work on Areas Such As:

Domains

• AI & Technology
• FinTech
• Cybersecurity
• Healthcare
• Sustainability
• Education
• Business & Startups
• Social Impact
• Logistics
• And Much More!

Step 3 — Submit

Teams Submit Their Innovation Along with The Required Information, Including:

• Problem Statement
• Proposed Solution
• Target Market
• Market Validation
• Mvp / Prototype
• Business Model
• Go-To-Market Strategy
• Pitch Deck

Step 4 — Edit & Improve

Teams Can Edit and Update Their Submission at Any Time Before the Competition Deadline.

This Allows Participants to Continuously Improve Their Idea, Mvp, Business Model, and Pitch Based on Their Progress During the 15-Day Challenge.

️ Once the Submission Deadline Passes, No Further Modifications Will Be Allowed.

Step 5 — Judging

After the Submission Deadline, the Ignite Judging Panel will Evaluate the Final Submissions.

All Teams Will Be Evaluated on A 100-Point Scale across Five Core Criteria.

Step 6 — Results

After Evaluation, the Results Will Be Announced by The Organizers.

Winners and Selected Participants Will Receive Recognition and Certificates as Applicable.

Evaluation Criteria

Teams Will Be Evaluated by The Judging Panel on A 100-Point Scale across the Following Five Criteria:

R1 — Team Alignment

Maximum: 20 Points

Evaluation Of:

• Co-Founder/team Compatibility
• ️ Balanced Skill Sets
• Technical + Business Capabilities
• ‍‍‍ Team Composition and Collaboration

R2 — Market Size

Maximum: 20 Points

Evaluation Of:

• Significance of The Problem
• Customer/problem Validation
• ️ Customer Surveys and Interviews
• Tam / Sam / Som Analysis
• Market Opportunity

R3 — ️ Mvp Execution

Maximum: 20 Points

Evaluation Of:

• Quality of The Mvp/live Demo
• Technical Implementation
• Design and Aesthetics
• ️ Ui/ux Execution
• Usability and Functionality

R4 — Business Model

Maximum: 20 Points

Evaluation Of:

• Monetization Strategy
• Pricing Structure
• Go-To-Market Strategy
• Financial Model
• Scalability and Sustainability

R5 — Pitch Deck

Maximum: 20 Points

Evaluation Of:

• Completeness of The Pitch Deck
• Conciseness and Clarity
• Storytelling
• Communication of The Idea
• Presentation Structure

Total Score

R1 Team Alignment — 20

R2 Market Size — 20

R3 Mvp Execution — 20

R4 Business Model — 20

R5 Pitch Deck — 20

Total: 100 Points

Rules & Regulations

• Each Team Must Consist of 2–6 Members.
• Inter-College and Interdisciplinary Teams Are Permitted.
• Teams Are Free to Choose Their Own Problem Statement and Domain.
• All Submissions Must Be the Team's Original Work.
• Plagiarism, Copied Ideas, Fabricated Validation, or Misrepresentation May Lead to Disqualification.
• Participants May Use Ai Tools, Ap Is, Open-Source Technologies, and Third-Party Resources, but Their Contribution and Usage Should Be Appropriately Represented.
• Teams May Edit and Update Their Submission until The Official Deadline.
• After the Deadline, Submissions Will Be Locked for Evaluation.
• Judging Will Be Based on The 100-Point Evaluation Framework mentioned Above.
• The Judging Panel Will Evaluate the Final Version of Each Team's Submission.
• ️ the Decision of The Judging Panel Regarding Evaluation and Results Will Be Final.
• Participants Must Adhere to All Deadlines Communicated by The Organizers.