Airtel iCreate 2026 - 1st Year B-School Track
Under Airtel iCreate by Airtel
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Quick Answer
Airtel's flagship innovation challenge for 1st-year MBA students from top Indian B-schools — ₹6 lakh prize pool plus PPI/PPO opportunities.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹6L
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Airtel
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 17 July 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Airtel. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this competition
Airtel iCreate 2026 is Bharti Airtel’s flagship innovation challenge — a launchpad for bold thinkers and creative problem-solvers from India’s top B-schools. This case competition invites 1st-year flagship MBA students to tackle real-world business challenges, develop innovative solutions, and compete for cash prizes and pre-placement opportunities.
Who Should Apply The competition is open exclusively to full-time 1st-year flagship MBA students from a curated list of eligible B-schools. Part-time, distance learning, and executive MBA students are not eligible.
Format & Timeline The competition unfolds across multiple rounds:
- Case Release & Brief Submission — Registered teams access the case study and submit a 2-slide/2-page PDF outlining their approach and solution.
- Simulation Round — Shortlisted teams participate in an online business simulation, making strategic decisions to maximise ROI.
- Detailed Submission Round — Teams submit a 6–8 slide/pager PDF and a 2-minute video with detailed analysis and impact.
- Mentorship Phase — Top 10 finalist teams receive mentorship from Airtel leaders.
- Grand Finale — Finalists present their solutions to Airtel leadership at the company’s Gurgaon headquarters. Travel and accommodation are provided.
Prizes Winner: ₹4,00,000 First Runners-Up: ₹2,00,000 PPI/PPO Opportunities for finalist teams (subject to eligibility) National Finalists: Networking with Airtel leadership and a certificate of participation.
Eligibility Teams must consist of exactly 3 members, with at least one male and one female participant. Cross-specialisation teams are allowed. No participant can be on more than one team. No limit on the number of teams per institute.
How to Apply Register via the official Unstop page by July 17, 2026.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Organizers
The Airtel Startup Accelerator Program is run by Bharti Airtel, the Indian telecom company. It supports early stage Indian tech startups by taking strategic stakes in them and giving them access to Airtel's platform. How the programme works Startups in the programme gain access…
Learn morePrizes & Awards
- Amount
- Up to ₹6L
What You Get
This case competition carries a cash prize pool: the winning team receives ₹4,00,000 and the first runners-up receive ₹2,00,000. Alongside the cash, winners and finalists get non-cash benefits that matter for placements and visibility: PPI/PPO opportunities for finalist teams (subject to eligibility), mentorship from Airtel leaders for the top 10 finalist teams, networking with Airtel leadership for national finalists, and a certificate of participation. The grand finale is held at Airtel’s Gurgaon headquarters, with travel and accommodation provided for finalists, where they present their solutions directly to Airtel leadership.
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
