Chandigarh University Launches $15M Campus Tank

Chandigarh University has launched Season 2 of Campus Tank, its startup launchpad, with a US$15 million funding pool, up from US$6 million in the first season. The program gives young innovators a place to pitch ideas, meet investors and access mentorship and support for taking products to market. It launched alongside the Chandigarh University Innovation & Research Park, developed with IIT Madras, and a ₹50-crore innovation and startup fund. Eight investment partners are taking part, including APNA, Venture Catalysts, Aeravti Ventures, PedalStart, Eaglewings, Faad, Be an Angel and Cube Founders Space.

A Larger Funding Pool

Campus Tank Season 1 recorded 21,789 registrations from more than 1,200 cities, including over 10,800 registrations from universities and colleges. The second season was announced during Incubator & Capital Summit 2026 and ISBACON 2026, which brought together 400 incubator institutions from more than 20 states and union territories, 100 curated startups, 80 investors and over 60 government, policy and industry delegates.

“India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 will be driven by youth of the nation pursuing their own ideas, passions and aspirations. Unlike 10 or 20 years ago, young people today have access to far greater opportunities, knowledge, funding and platforms to turn their ideas into reality. India does not lack talent or imagination what young innovators need is the right opportunity, an encouraging environment and support to realise their potential. Initiatives such as Chandigarh University Innovation and Research Park, in collaboration with IIT Madras, and Campus Tank Season 2 can help bridge this gap by connecting promising founders with investors, mentors and resources.”

Research Park Plans

CU-IRP is planned as a plug-and-play research and development hub linking corporate research centers with university researchers, faculty, students and startups. Its Phase 1 pilot is planned across 30,000 to 40,000 square feet, with space for research, incubation and R&D.

Planned facilities include MakerSpace, Frontier Labs for artificial intelligence, Bose-Einstein Quantum and robotics, plus industry anchor laboratories in GeoAI, Automation & Exoskeleton, biotech and agritech. A Product Studio and an Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office are also planned to support product development and commercialization.

“IIT Madras Research Park which has incubated 575 startups valued at over 8.5 billion US dollars, generated more than 10,000 jobs, in past 15 years. Our next vision is to have a startup a day and our 2030 vision is to have an IPO a month. Given the size of our country and the problems we have, there's an opportunity over the next 20-25 years to have 10,000 unicorns. For this, just building platforms for innovation is not going to be enough. For innovation at scale, we don't need just platform but partnerships also. And it is in that context that we have actually an MOU between Chandigarh University and the IIT Madras Innovation and Research ecosystem to actually build innovation at scale,”

Season One Winners

Krvvy won Campus Tank Season 1 with a proposed ₹4-crore investment commitment from Venture Catalysts, against a ₹12-crore funding round and a ₹60-crore valuation. The women’s innerwear and shapewear brand was co-founded by Thapar University engineering graduates Yash Goyal and Anant Bhardwaj.

Offlyn received a proposed ₹3.85-crore funding allocation at a ₹25-crore post-money valuation. Medoc Health received a proposed ₹1-crore funding allocation; it serves 98 hospitals across five states and reported ₹1.26-crore revenue in FY2025-26.

Support For New Founders

Campus Tank Season 2 is aimed at young founders, including people from small towns and villages, seeking funding, mentoring and investor access. CU-IRP adds research, product development and industry project opportunities intended to help startups develop market-ready products.