Applications close October 15, 2026 for the Anandi Fellowship by Bombay Shaving Company — one of the largest student-founder programs in the country, with prizes ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 crore.
The fellowship identifies and invests in promising young entrepreneurs: students in grades 11-12 and first-year undergraduates. The aim is to shape future founders while they're still in school or early college — catching ambition at its rawest and pairing it with real-world exposure.
Fellows go through 3–4 intensive summer internships (called Pit-Stop Internships) at top Indian startups and VC firms, alongside mentorship and practical business experience. It's a mix of capital, coaching and credibility: interning inside real startups and venture firms while learning how companies are actually built and funded.
The ₹1 lakh–₹10 crore prize range makes this one of the most generous student entrepreneurship programs this season. For a class-11 student with an idea — or a first-year undergrad already tinkering — this is structured runway: the network of a VC internship, the mentorship of operators, and a cheque that could turn a school project into a company.
The deadline is October 15, 2026 — and unlike rolling-deadline programs, there's no extension implied. If you know a young founder-in-the-making, forward this now.
Why it matters for founders
Student founder programs are quietly becoming serious capital: ₹10 crore top prizes and VC-firm internships before you've finished college. If you're in class 11-12 or a first-year undergrad with a venture idea, the Anandi Fellowship's October 15 deadline is the fastest on-ramp to startup capital, operator mentorship and investor networks available this season.