The Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), Jaipuria Institute of Management, Ghaziabad, organized the Idea Elevator Competition on 21 August 2026 at the JIM Auditorium. Designed for MBA freshers, the competition provided students with an early platform to explore innovation, present original business ideas and develop entrepreneurial confidence.
With 250 students participating, the initiative focused on identifying promising student innovators at the beginning of their MBA journey and creating opportunities for their continued development through future IIC activities, mentoring and startup initiatives.
Encouraging Innovation from the Beginning of the MBA Journey
The Idea Elevator Competition was introduced at the beginning of the MBA programme to encourage students to think beyond conventional solutions and explore entrepreneurial possibilities from the outset.
The competition aimed to identify students with an early interest in innovation, ideation and entrepreneurship while giving them an opportunity to transform their initial concepts into structured business propositions.
It also served as a platform for identifying promising students who could be prepared for future internal and external innovation and startup competitions.
From Business Ideas to the Final Round
The competition was conducted in two stages.
During the first stage, students submitted their innovative business ideas for evaluation by a faculty panel. Each idea was assessed on key parameters including originality, feasibility and innovation potential.
Following the screening process, 40 promising ideas were shortlisted for the final round. The selected students then received the opportunity to present their concepts before the jury and demonstrate the potential behind their ideas.
Learning the Art of Idea Pitching
The final presentations were evaluated by Mr. Utkarsh Chauhan, Founder, Business Era Consulting, a JIM alumnus and IIC Board Member.
Students presented their ideas before the jury and gained direct exposure to the process of communicating a business proposition, explaining its feasibility and responding to expert observations.
The interaction gave participants practical experience in business idea pitching, presentation and entrepreneurial thinking, skills that are essential when taking an idea from its initial stage towards a viable business proposition.
Expert Feedback to Strengthen Business Ideas
An important part of the competition was the constructive feedback provided to participants.
Mr. Utkarsh Chauhan shared practical suggestions to enable students to refine their concepts, examine feasibility and strengthen their business propositions. This gave participants an opportunity to understand how expert feedback can reveal gaps, improve clarity and contribute to the development of an innovative idea.
The experience encouraged students to approach entrepreneurship as an iterative process where ideas evolve through research, feedback and continuous improvement.
Recognising Promising Student Innovators
The most innovative ideas presented during the competition were recognized and felicitated with awards.
Beyond recognition, the competition enabled the Institution’s Innovation Council to identify students with strong potential in innovation and entrepreneurship. These promising student innovators can be further mentored through IIC initiatives and prepared to participate in future startup and innovation competitions.
This approach contributes to building a stronger pipeline of student innovators within Jaipuria Institute of Management, Ghaziabad.
Building Entrepreneurial Confidence among MBA Students
The Idea Elevator Competition offered students practical experience that extended beyond classroom learning. Participants developed their creativity, problem-solving ability, presentation skills and confidence in pitching ideas.
The event also demonstrated how structured evaluation and expert feedback can strengthen an early-stage business idea and prepare students to think more critically about innovation, feasibility and execution.
For MBA freshers, the competition provided an early opportunity to discover their entrepreneurial interests and consider how their ideas could be developed further during their management education.
Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem at Jaipuria
Coordinated by Dr. Smita Agrawal, Dr. Namita Nigam and Dr. Devi Archna, the Idea Elevator Competition reflected the Institution’s Innovation Council’s focus on creating an active culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among MBA students.
By identifying promising ideas early and providing students with platforms for pitching, feedback and future mentoring, the initiative strengthens the institute’s innovation ecosystem and encourages students to actively participate in future IIC, startup and entrepreneurship initiatives.
The Idea Elevator Competition marked an important first step for aspiring student entrepreneurs of the new MBA batch, turning fresh ideas into opportunities for learning, refinement and future entrepreneurial action.
