Episodes 3, 4, and 5 of Vande Bharatam showcased nine startups from Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, spanning water-tech, climate, agri-tech, education, and healthtech.
Awards and commitments ranged from Vande Wings and mentorship to direct capital, including a ₹1 crore allocation for Primary Healthtech and a ₹2 crore investment in Bhaumya Innovations split between two mentors.
Mentors offered specialized domain support—from implementing water solutions across the Gangetic plains to pilot opportunities in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Adani’s apple orchards, and airports.
The season is heading toward its Grand Finale on September 17, where winners will receive a cash prize of ₹2 crore supported by the Adani Group.
New Delhi: Vande Bharatam, a nationwide initiative launched by Mr. Gautam Adani to discover and celebrate India's grassroots innovators and entrepreneurs, continued its television run with Episodes 3, 4, and 5. The episodes showcased nine startups tackling some of India's biggest challenges—from arsenic-contaminated groundwater to rural pollination and last-mile diagnostics. These startups pitched before a panel of investors and mentors, including Pranav Adani, Managing Director of Adani Enterprises Limited; Ankur Dahiya, Co-founder & CEO of Rozana; Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Co-founder & President of Venture Catalysts; Vijay Kedia, Founder & Director of Kedia Advisory; and Pratham Mittal, Founder of Tetr College of Business and Masters' Union.
Episode 3 (Aired September 4): Navmarg, Jan Niti, and Plenty
Navmarg Research & Innovation, a deep-tech water startup from Bihar founded by two brothers in their early twenties, presented DARNA, a patented magnetic-separation system that removes arsenic from drinking water without chemicals. The startup has already purified over 3.19 million liters of water in field deployments. Pranav Adani provided in-house mentorship with the Adani Group through Vande Wings, while Ankur Dahiya offered to leverage the Rozana network to help implement the technology across the Gangetic plains.
Jan Niti, a Haryana-based AI policy-simulation platform founded by alumni of IIT Kanpur and Stanford, models the socio-economic impact of government and corporate decisions before implementation. Pranav Adani offered pilot project support by applying Vande Wings to the Adani Group-led Dharavi Redevelopment Project; Ankur Dahiya extended strategic mentorship and partnership, while also expressing interest in participating in the ongoing investment round.
Plenty, a hyperlocal surplus-food marketplace from Kerala, has grown twelvefold in eight months. It enables restaurants to sell unsold food as discounted meals. Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma offered to connect offline for further discussions.
Episode 4 (Aired September 5): Dharaksha Ecosolutions, Hummel Bee, and Bhaumya Innovations
Hummel Bee, an enterprise from Uttar Pradesh, empowers rural and tribal women to own climate-resilient beekeeping enterprises through its AI-enabled BEEBEEMIND platform. Pranav Adani extended Adani Group mentorship via the Vande Wings Award, alongside opportunities to operate in Adani's apple orchards and plug into Adani Airports; Ankur Dahiya offered rural connectivity support through the Rozana network, while Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma extended an investment offer of ₹5 crore, with valuation to be discussed later.
Bhaumya Innovations, an agri-hardware startup from Telangana behind RUDRA—India's first patented tractor-mounted stone collector—secured a ₹2 crore investment split between Vijay Kedia and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, along with guaranteed mentorship from both. Dharaksha Ecosolutions, a Haryana-based startup, manufactures compostable packaging from crop stubble and mushroom mycelium, addressing both stubble burning and petroleum-based packaging waste. Ankur Dahiya shared a Vande Wings commitment for an offline discussion to explore packaging opportunities, while Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma offered an offline connection to evaluate a prospective deal.
Episode 5 (Aired September 6): Thinkerbell Labs, Primary Healthtech, and Jeevascope
Thinkerbell Labs, a Karnataka-based edtech startup founded by BITS Pilani alumni, created Annie—the world's first self-learning Braille literacy device. Pratham Mittal committed to supporting Thinkerbell Labs and visiting their office. Vijay Kedia, Ankur Dahiya, and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma all expressed investment interest, with Ankur Dahiya offering ground-level distribution support through the Rozana network and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma offering connections within his investment community.
Primary Healthtech, a startup from Uttar Pradesh, created Mobilab, described as the world's first AI-powered "lab in a suitcase." Already deployed across 300 sites in 15 states, it delivers pathology results within 30 minutes. Pratham Mittal committed ₹1 crore at the startup's stated valuation of ₹100 crore. Ankur Dahiya offered ground-level distribution, product trial support, and peer connections, while Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma promised mentorship.
Jeevascope, a startup from West Bengal, developed an offline, AI-powered auscultation device that screens for cardiac, respiratory, and TB conditions without internet connectivity. Pratham Mittal invited them to participate in the Biotech Summit with a dedicated stall in Delhi.
These three episodes expand the season's lineup of standout startups across water-tech, climate innovation, agri-hardware, edtech, and healthtech, showcasing the scale of Vande Bharatam's 26,000+ applicants from across India and beyond. The season is heading toward its Grand Finale on September 17, where winners will be awarded a cash prize of ₹2 crore supported by the Adani Group.