FIIB Opens Applications for Meraki 2026 with ₹6 Lakh Prize Pool
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At a time when startup ecosystems are shifting focus from idea valuation to execution credibility, Fortune Institute of International Business (FIIB), New Delhi, has announced the launch of Meraki 2026, the 16th edition of its international business plan competition. The Grand Finale will be held on 14 March 2026.
Organised by FIIB’s Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (CIET), Meraki has evolved beyond the format of a traditional campus B-Plan contest. Over the years, it has positioned itself as a structured venture validation platform that tests market readiness, business defensibility, and scalability rather than presentation quality alone.
Applications are now open to student founders, early-stage entrepreneurs, and SDG-aligned startups from India and overseas. Teams comprising one to five members are eligible to participate.
Meraki 2026 will be conducted across two tracks. The Inclusive Innovation Track is aimed at women entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ founders, and ventures advancing accessibility and equity. The Open Innovation Track is open to founders from all backgrounds building scalable, sustainability-aligned solutions.
Registration details for Meraki 2026 are as follows:
- Applications close on 8 March 2026
- Grand Finale will be held on 14 March 2026
- Venue: FIIB, New Delhi
- Teams of one to five members are eligible
- Applications are open to student founders, early-stage entrepreneurs, and SDG-aligned startups from India and overseas
- Total prize pool: ₹6 lakh
- Application link: https://www.fiib.edu.in/meraki/
“Meraki was never designed to reward ideas in isolation,” said Dr Gunjan Sood, Center Head – CIET, and Coordinator, Meraki 2026. “We look at whether a founder understands the market, the customer, and the path to revenue. The goal is to help participants stress-test their assumptions and strengthen their ventures in a way that sustains beyond the final pitch.”
In 2025, the 15th edition of Meraki attracted 165 business plans from IITs, IIMs, NITs, and other leading institutions across India. What distinguished the finalists was not merely the novelty of ideas, but commercial clarity, execution readiness, and market understanding, signalling a maturing entrepreneurial ecosystem.Over the years, Meraki’s impact has extended well beyond the awards stage. Past winners and finalists have translated pitch decks into operating ventures with measurable traction. TGP Bioplastics Pvt. Ltd., winner of the Sustainability Track, scaled to over ₹1.17 crore in annual revenue while expanding to a 31-member team.
With a total prize pool of ₹6 lakh, the platform offers structured mentorship, multi-stage evaluation by investors and industry practitioners, and exposure to a strong entrepreneurial network. According to organisers, the emphasis remains firmly on execution readiness, including clarity of problem, strength of revenue model, and real-world feasibility.
