The platform is designed to support founders under the age of 25, focusing on the very beginning of their journey. This is often referred to as the -1 to 1 stage, which describes the transition from a raw idea to a functioning business.

Pratham Mittal, Founder of Masters' Union, notes that while young talent understands local problems, they often lack the capital and mentorship required to start.

Aiming to solve this, MU Ventures offers a quick decision-making process where funding results are typically delivered within 10 days.

The fund is sector-agnostic, which means it is not restricted to any single industry and is open to ideas across all business categories. It operates through four distinct tracks to cater to different types of founders.

These include Dropout Fund for those who have left formal education to build a business, and Bharat Capital Fund, which focuses on technology products for smaller cities and rural markets.

Additionally, Content Creator Fund supports businesses built by influencers, while Founders' Union Fund provides capital backed by industry leaders such as Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt.

Beyond providing cheques ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, the initiative plans to provide a support stack. This includes tech credits, which are essentially vouchers for software services from partners like Google and Amazon, as well as access to co-working spaces.

Saksham Kotiya, Managing Partner of MU Ventures, believes that early backing is essential for a young nation where entrepreneurship is a critical economic driver.

A major component of the programme is its focus on global exposure. Selected startups are flown to San Francisco for a dedicated Demo Day, an event where they present their businesses to international venture capitalists and established founders. This is supported by an advisory board and a global faculty that includes former high-level executives from organisations such as NASA and Samsung.

Swapna Gupta, an advisory board member, explains that the goal is to support the ecosystem from its inception by providing infrastructure and market access alongside patient guidance.

Edited by Megha Reddy