New Delhi: Vande Bharatam, Gautam Adani’s nationwide initiative to discover and celebrate India’s grassroots innovators and entrepreneurs, concluded its inaugural season on September 19 with its Grand Finale.
MiCoB, the Gujarat-based construction-technology startup behind a full-stack 3D concrete printing platform, was crowned the Overall Winner of Vande Bharatam.
The startup had earlier secured the largest single investment commitment in Indian TV history — ₹30 Cr at a ₹110 Cr pre-money valuation from Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy and Renee Cosmetics founder Ashutosh Valani.
Vande Bharatam Season Delivers ₹50 Cr in Investment Commitments
Across 10 episodes of Vande Bharatam, 54 finalists pitched their businesses before a panel comprising investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders.
Of the 54 finalists, 44 startups received some form of gratification, including investment, mentorship, network access, pilot opportunities or the show’s ‘Vande Wings’ recognition.
Mentors offered a combined ₹50 Cr in monetary commitments across 12 startups during the season. MiCoB’s ₹30 Cr commitment from Kalyan Krishnamurthy and Ashutosh Valani was the single largest offer of the season and the largest investment commitment in Indian TV history.
Beyond monetary commitments, Vande Bharatam recognised 19 startups with ‘Vande Wings’, the show’s signature recognition. Mentorship, networking introductions and pilot opportunities were also extended widely across the finalist pool, reflecting the season’s emphasis on long-term support over one-off funding.
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Vande Bharatam Grand Finale Winners
The Grand Finale of Vande Bharatam saw 10 startups honoured across five overall ranks and five special categories. The combined prize pool stood at ₹1.95 Cr, or ₹195 Lakh.
The five special-category awards at the Vande Bharatam Grand Finale recognised startups driving impact across disability inclusion, women-led entrepreneurship, sustainability and rural livelihoods. These awards were presented by category rather than through a competitive ranking.Startup Category Rank Prize MiCoB Overall Winner 1st ₹50 Lakh Bhaumya Innovations Private Limited Overall Winner 2nd ₹30 Lakh Ambiator Private Limited Overall Winner 3rd ₹25 Lakh Genrobotic Innovations Pvt Ltd Overall Winner 4th ₹20 Lakh SpaceFields Pvt Ltd Overall Winner 5th ₹15 Lakh Kaiteki Innovations Private Limited Divyang — ₹11 Lakh Freedom Wheels Mobility Solutions Private Limited Divyang — ₹11 Lakh Humble Bee (Buzzworthy Ventures Private Limited) Women — ₹11 Lakh XLEAP Care Private Limited Sustainable — ₹11 Lakh Frontier Markets Consulting Pvt Ltd Rural — ₹11 Lakh
Gautam Adani on Vande Bharatam’s Conclusion
Speaking on the conclusion of the Vande Bharatam season, Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, said: “Vande Bharatam was never about a single winner. It was about proving that India’s next generation of builders exists in every corner of this country, not just its big cities. Over ten episodes, we saw that proof play out 54 times over.
MiCoB’s win, and the ₹50 Cr in commitments this season generated, are a start, not an end. My hope is that every founder who stood on that stage, whether they walked away with a deal or not, leaves knowing India is watching, and India is ready to back them.”
With its inaugural season now concluded, Vande Bharatam brought 54 grassroots innovators and entrepreneurs before investors, mentors and industry leaders across 10 episodes, with 44 finalists receiving investment, mentorship, network access, pilot opportunities or ‘Vande Wings’ recognition.
