Chandigarh University’s NIICS 2025: Igniting a Startup Revolution Across North India

Chandigarh, Punjab ESTD 2012

Chandigarh University’s North India Incubators & Capital Summit (NIICS) 2025, a two-day flagship event wasn’t just another conference. It was a movement to bring together the region’s most passionate startup minds, investors, and incubators under one big collaborative umbrella.

It brought together 100+ incubators, 250+ startups, 20+ venture capitalists, angel investors, and entrepreneurs. NIICS 2025 turned into a powerhouse of ideas, energy, and possibility on Friday.

A Vision for Innovation

Organized by Chandigarh University’s Technology Business Incubator (CU-TBI) in collaboration with T-Hub, one of the world's leading startup incubators, the event saw participation from eight North Indian states: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.

This wasn’t just about networking. It was to outline the roadmap to transform North India’s entrepreneurial landscape.

Endorsed by organizations like ISBA (Indian STEPs and Business Incubators Association), TiE Chandigarh, MeitY Startup Hub, and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the summit had an even stronger purpose.

“Centre for Universal Business and Entrepreneurship” Launched

Adding another feather to its cap, Chandigarh University unveiled a major initiative during the summit, the Centre for Universal Business and Entrepreneurship. This center is designed to be a hub for startups across the region, helping young entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life with the right infrastructure, mentorship, and funding.

This was led by Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, who has been a strong advocate for student innovation. The summit had many other dignitaries, including:

KK Yadav, who is Administrative Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Investment Promotion and Promotion of Information Technology Industry Punjab
PS Madanagopal, the CEO, MeitY Startup Hub
Lalit Jain, the Director of Census Operations and Citizen Registration in Haryana
Dr. Meer Murtaza, the OSD Mission Youth J&K
Kadam Sandeep Vasant, Secretary, Technical Education, Himachal Pradesh
Sujit Jagirdar, Chief Innovation Officer at T-Hub.

“Eight States, One Vision”

The summit celebrated the theme “Eight States, One Vision”, a powerful message of unity. The goal was to break away from just convenience-based solutions and dive deep into deep-tech innovation that can truly make a difference at a national level.

Sustainability in Focus

Another major focus of NIICS 2025 was sustainability. The summit introduced new models for building financially sustainable incubators, ensuring long-term impact instead of short-term wins. The Summit’s focus extended "Beyond Convenience to Deep Tech," urging startups to create self-sufficient startup hubs that can support entrepreneurs year after year, not just once.

Spotlight on Emerging Tech

The summit featured five pavilions dedicated to future-forward industries like:

Artificial Intelligence
Health & Wellness
Genentech & Sustainability
Business & Finance
Consumer Tech

In addition to these, two pavilions showcased startups offering real-world products and services, proving that North India capability to build big projects.

Four CU Startups Launched

Four startups, all nurtured at Chandigarh University, were officially launched during the summit’s opening ceremony. This shows just how committed CU is to turning student ideas into impactful startups.

A Word from the Chancellor

In his speech, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Chancellor Chandigarh University, didn’t hold back how proud he is of India’s startup journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, he said “To transform the nation into Viksit Bharat, we must strengthen our start-up ecosystem”.

Further adding to his speech, he said.” India has become a nation of ideas and innovation, now home to the world’s 3rd largest startup ecosystem, growing from around 500 startups in 2016 to over 1.59 lakh today, including 110 unicorns,” he said. “These ventures have already created over 16.6 lakh jobs.”

At CU alone, more than 150 startups have been launched by students. The CU-TBI is also raising ₹5 crore to further support innovation and entrepreneurship.

NIICS 2025 wasn’t just an event, it was a bold statement. A statement that North India is ready to lead from the front, to foster the next generation of entrepreneurs, and to build a startup culture that’s inclusive, innovative, and incredibly ambitious.