Dubai, UAE: The 11th edition of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Bootcamp (YEB) 2025, organised by BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, concluded after five days of intensive academic engagement, offering high school students a rigorous introduction to startup thinking grounded in structured analysis, technology, and industry-aligned problem solving.
Designed for students from Grades 9 to 12, YEB 2025 moved beyond introductory exposure by adopting a framework-based approach that guided participants through the complete venture creation journey. Students progressed from identifying pressing challenges to developing validated business models, understanding revenue mechanisms, assessing financial feasibility, and delivering investor-style pitches with clarity and confidence.
The bootcamp opened with an inaugural address by Prof. Souri Banerjee, Director, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, who emphasised the importance of early exposure to founder mindsets and analytical thinking. “Entrepreneurship education is not only about starting ventures, but about nurturing resilience, structured reasoning, and the ability to approach complex challenges with clarity and purpose. YEB provides young learners with a strong foundation to think critically, collaborate effectively, and build solutions that have operational relevance,” he said.
The inaugural ceremony also featured H.E. Laila El Atfani, who highlighted the role of youth-led innovation in shaping inclusive and future-ready economies. Industry leaders Mr. Rizwan Adatia, Chairman of COGEF Group – RAF Global, and Mr. Prateek Suri, Founder of Maser Group and a BITS Pilani alumnus, shared insights on scaling enterprises through discipline, long-term vision, and ethical leadership.
Across the week, participants engaged in academically driven sessions led by faculty members and industry practitioners from the UAE and the United States, including Group Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani Campuses Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Prof. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, Ms. Eti Bhasin, Mr. Anand Raj OK, Mr. Nandi Vardhan Mehta, Dr. Abdullah AlSalmani, Ms. Kasturi Jha, Mr. Pavan Gupta, Mr. Mubashir Ali, Prof. Aman Srivastava. Prof. Harpreet Bedi, Prof. Souvik Kumar Paul, Prof. Kanchan Sen Sharma, and Prof. Neenu Thomas. The sessions covered idea generation, business model design, revenue strategies, financial literacy, communication, leadership development, risk evaluation, and pitching skills. Technical exposure was integrated through workshops on 3D printing, space technology applications, and sustainable materials, reinforcing the link between engineering and innovation-led ventures.
Applied learning formed a core pillar of the program. Students interacted with startup founders from the BITS Pilani ecosystem and gained operational exposure through an industry visit, helping them understand manufacturing processes, quality standards, and innovation workflows beyond the classroom.
The culmination of the bootcamp was the student pitching competition, where teams presented original business concepts addressing challenges across sustainability, renewable energy, food safety, worker welfare, and inclusive commerce. The ideas demonstrated strong alignment with contemporary global needs and reflected a level of clarity, research depth, and feasibility uncommon at the school level.
The top honours were awarded to Team TAERS, comprising students from Private International English School, Al Ain Juniors School, and Sir Mutha School, Chennai, for their concept on harvesting renewable energy generated by high-speed trains. The second position was secured by Team FreshGuard, represented by students from Chettinad Harishree Vidyalayam, Delhi Private School Dubai, The English College Dubai, and Seed Academy, for their smart solution to monitor food shelf life. The third position went to Team SwapSole, with students from The Winchester School – Jebel Ali, The Millennium School, and DPS Modern Indian School, for their modular footwear innovation.
The awards were presented during the valedictory ceremony attended by Chief Guest Mr. Mahesh Advani, CEO of MyGovindas UAE, and Guest of Honour Mr. Hitesh Bhayani, who encouraged students to pursue purpose-driven ventures focused on long-term value creation.
Reflecting on the learning outcomes, Prof. Trupti Gokhale said, “YEB was designed to translate ideas into action. It is immensely rewarding to see the young participants leave with confidence, clarity, and leadership skills. Entrepreneurship is not just about starting companies; it’s about solving real problems. YEB has empowered the participants for the same.”
As YEB 2025 concluded, the organisers expressed their appreciation to the dedicated YEB core team and organising committee at BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, whose academic planning, mentorship, and coordination ensured the successful execution of the program. The bootcamp reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to nurturing future-ready innovators through academic rigour, ethical grounding, and strong alignment with industry expectations.
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