- 11 of 30 best startup ideas shortlisted at the event; youngsters showcase entrepreneurial skills
- Digital marketplace for used cooking oil, ‘Re-Oil’, wins first prize; ‘Study App’ and ‘Solar Sweep’ emerge runners-up
- Students at Ambedkar University briefed on Uttar Pradesh government’s employment-oriented and startup schemes
Agra, September 2026 : To realise Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh’, the ‘UP Rise 2026’ programme was organised at the JP Auditorium in the Khandari campus of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University on Tuesday.
The programme was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Prof Ashu Rani and Deputy Director of the Information and Public Relations Department Atreya Mishra by lighting the ceremonial lamp. More than 1,000 students from Agra and surrounding areas participated in the event with enthusiasm.
The primary objective of the programme was to bring about a change in the mindset of young people and encourage them to move beyond being job seekers and become ‘job creators’ by establishing their own enterprises and generating employment opportunities for others.
Uttar Pradesh Government’s Push for Innovation and Startups
The Uttar Pradesh government is working continuously on the ground to strengthen the state’s innovation and startup ecosystem. During the programme, students were provided detailed information about various employment-oriented policies and initiatives of the state government.
Experts highlighted schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, UP Startup Fund, Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Free Coaching Scheme and UP Skill Mission.
Students were also briefed about financial assistance and subsidies available under schemes including Kanya Sumangala Yojana, Free Tablet/Smartphone Scheme and Mahila Samarthya Yojana. The initiatives are aimed at helping young entrepreneurs overcome financial constraints and transform their startup ideas into viable business models.
Innovative Startup Ideas Attract Attention
In line with the theme of UP Rise, young entrepreneurs from Agra showcased a wide range of innovative ideas. A total of 30 startup ideas were presented, of which 11 promising ideas were shortlisted.
The shortlisted concepts included ‘Kalaverse’, an AI-based marketplace for artists; ‘Build Easy AI’, aimed at simplifying construction planning; ‘Hidden India’, which seeks to promote lesser-known tourist destinations; and ‘Organic Floral Cream Color’ for bakeries.
Other innovative and environment-friendly projects included ‘Saathi EV’, aimed at addressing battery-related problems faced by e-rickshaw drivers; ‘The Craft Duo’, focused on promoting handicrafts; and ‘Temple 2 Green’, which seeks to convert temple waste into useful products.
‘Re-Oil’ Wins First Prize
After making presentations before a jury and industry experts, ‘Re-Oil’, a digital marketplace for used cooking oil, secured the first position and won the top prize of Rs 25,000.
The teams behind ‘Study App’, designed to help students organise their studies, and ‘Solar Sweep’, which uses robotic brush technology to clean solar panels, jointly emerged as runners-up.
Corporate experts Harshit Desai, Kapil Trimal and Vivek Goyal attended the programme as mentors and guided the participating students.
The UP Rise programme is scheduled to be organised in 30 leading colleges across 25 cities of Uttar Pradesh. Its next stop will be GLA University in Mathura on September 18, 2026.
‘Youth Have Immense Potential’: Vice-Chancellor
Vice-Chancellor Prof Ashu Rani praised the enthusiasm of the students and their innovative ideas. Addressing the gathering, she said students possess immense potential and capacity for innovation.
She said platforms such as ‘UP Rise 2026’ provide young people with an opportunity to showcase their creativity and entrepreneurial abilities. The university’s objective, she added, is not to restrict students to classroom learning but to prepare them to become self-reliant.
Prof Rani said today’s youth are the ‘job creators’ of tomorrow and, through their ideas and entrepreneurial initiatives, can contribute not only to their own growth but also to the economic development of society and the state.
