Shreekant Patil led an Illuminate 2026 startup workshop for 120 students at MET Bhujbal BTech College, Nashik. The one-day bootcamp took participants from identifying problems to presenting startup ideas and receiving feedback.
The college’s E-Cell hosted the programme on 1 October 2026, from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. A release describing the workshop said students worked in groups throughout the startup planning exercises.
Illuminate 2026 Starts With Problems And Business Models
The day opened with an awareness session on I-STEM, the national research facilities platform. Patil serves as its Brand Ambassador for college faculty and researchers, according to the release.
Principal Dr. Narkhede welcomed Patil and felicitated the visiting mentor on behalf of the institute. The entrepreneurship session then introduced definitions of startups and entrepreneurship, alongside their stated importance today.
Students formed collaborative groups and used brainstorming exercises to identify real problems worth solving. The Illuminate 2026 workshop moved from those problems to the Business Model Canvas, or BMC.
Participants learned the canvas’s key components and how to complete them. They then examined revenue and cost modelling to understand how a startup earns and spends.
Students Test Ideas Before Presenting Them
A finance segment helped students assess financial viability and learn startup planning principles. The programme paired that financial work with practical exercises in developing and testing ideas.
During the MVP and prototyping session, students built proofs of concept and validated ideas through iteration. The day closed with teams pitching their proposals and refining them through feedback in a Q&A session.
Patil drew on over 30 years of industry experience, using real-world examples during the sessions. Multiple-choice questions helped gauge student understanding, while discussion covered the startup ecosystem and its key stakeholders.
The release described Illuminate 2026 as a hands-on programme rather than a sequence of presentations alone. Its stated aim was to strengthen the campus startup ecosystem and encourage entrepreneurship as a career path.
Participation Certificates And Mentorship Connections
Every participant receives an official E-Cell, IIT Bombay certificate of participation, according to the release. The programme also provides an exclusive startup kit and learning materials.
Illuminate 2026 gives students opportunities to interact with founders, industry experts and peer networks. The release presents those connections as support for their entrepreneurial journey.
Patil has mentored with IIT Bombay since 2022 and is an official Startup India mentor. Patil’s IIT Bombay work includes initiatives such as Eureka, NEC and Illuminate 2026.
The release identifies Patil as the founder of PARENTNashik and a Chartered Engineer. It also lists mentoring roles with BHASKAR, BIRAC, MeitY Startup Hub and IIT Madras.
Related business coverage includes creative industry leadership discussions, workforce leadership challenges and small business size rules.
E-Cell IIT Bombay supports budding entrepreneurs through workshops, speaker sessions, business plan competitions and personalised mentorship. Its stated support also includes funding opportunities and a network for participants.
