GNDU startups shine bright at Future Tycoons programme

In a major boost to Guru Nanak Dev University’s Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s incubation programme, three startups registered at the centre clinched top honours at the Future Tycoons programme, organised by the district administration. The grand finale of the initiative witnessed impressive pitches from budding entrepreneurs, with GNDU’s incubatees securing three top prizes — a testimony to the university’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem nurtured through its Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (GJCEI).

Founded in 2019 under the Rashtriya Uchhtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA 2.0), GJCEI nurtures entrepreneurs through startup support, from conception to launch. With a network of more than 300 academic mentors, 20 council members, and high-tech labs, providing aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed.

GNDU’s aspirations of turning into a cradle for next-generation innovators, three startups led by young entrepreneurs — Rohin Kaundel, Sumit Bhatnagar and Dr Divjot Sadhu — won cash prizes in respective categories at the finale of Future Tycoons.

Rohin Kaundel, an engineering graduate, from Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology, co-founded Nadium Energy, which won first prize (Rs 50,000 cash award) in sustainable entrepreneur category. Nadium Energy offers an innovative sodium-ion battery that offers a 30 per cent cost reduction compared to lithium-ion batteries. This breakthrough addresses high costs and environmental concerns of traditional batteries, providing a sustainable solution for the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors. They have developed prototypes and even powered a drone with this battery, showcasing its potential to revolutionize energy storage

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and reduce reliance on conventional energy sources.

Sumit Bhatnagar (40-year-old), a 9-5 corporate employee-turned entrepreneur, founded The World OF Punjab.com, a tourism startup focusing on building an ecosystem of tourism industry-based MSMEs, won the second prize in the Tourism category comprising Rs 20,000 cash award. Bhatnagar’s aim is to develop immersive tourism based concepts for domestic as well as international tourists coming to Amritsar, extending their stay by two-three days. “This is essential for sustaining tourism-based economy for the city, which is currently limited to only the Golden Temple and the Attari-Wagah border as major tourist attractions,” said Sumit.

Another game changer for Amritsar’s local industry economy is Dr Divjot Sandhu, 50, founder, Divine Flames. An educator by profession, as she teaches geography at the university, Divjot crafts soy wax scented candles, providing a healthier, sustainable solution to conventional wax and synthetic chemical based candles. “The idea came to me during Diwali 2024 when I took to making candles at home and it led to founding Divine Flames. These candles are paraffin free, naturally derived wax candles,” she said. She won the second prize in Women entrepreneur category (a cash prize of Rs 10,000). She aims to make Amritsar the candle capital of Punjab, just like Nainital is called the candle capital of India, for its local, small candle crafting industry.

Commending their enthusiasm, mentorship, and hand work, Dr Balwinder Singh, Coordinator, GJCEI, applauded the winners and participants for their dedication and creativity. He said these entrepreneurs defy age and challenges to pursue innovation with conviction and resilience.

Amritsar