The college of Guru Gobind Singh Polytechnic (GGSP), Nashik, turned into a vibrant hub of innovation as it successfully hosted the Illuminate 2026 Startup Workshop on October 16th, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Proudly hosted by GGSP in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Cell (E-Cell) of IIT Bombay, the high-impact, full-day training event was led by veteran startup mentor and Chartered Engineer CEng. Shreekant Patil, drawing over 70 enthusiastic student participants, researchers, and faculty members eager to transform ideas into scalable market opportunities.
The inauguration of the workshop was marked by a special ceremonial welcome where Principal Mr. Shrihari Upasani felicitated and formally welcomed the keynote speaker and E-Cell IIT Bombay trainer, veteran startup mentor and Chartered Engineer CEng. Shreekant Patil. The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of Prof. Vijay Kulkarni, Dr. Swapnil Patil, and other esteemed faculty heads and department HODs.
Setting a unique academic tone for the day, CEng. Shreekant Patil began by conducting a specialized technical demonstration of the national I-STEM portal for fellow PhD scholars, researchers, and faculty members at GGSP, highlighting how to access advanced R&D equipment and testing infrastructure across India.
Drawing upon his decades of entrepreneurial experience, Shreekant Patil delivered an immersive 7-hour session filled with real-world examples, interactive activities, and strategic MCQ evaluations following each module to reinforce learning. The comprehensive curriculum covered critical startup milestones:
• Idea Generation & Business Planning: Systematic approaches to uncovering viable problems and moving from concept to early transactions.
• Business Model Canvas (BMC) & Validation: Practical blueprint mapping for structuring sustainable revenue models.
• MVP, Prototyping & Scaling: Strategies for building minimum viable products and accelerating growth.
• Startup Ecosystem & Seed Funding: Deep dives into financial literacy, early-stage funding opportunities, and government support schemes.
• Pitching Excellence: Frameworks for presenting business concepts effectively to investors.
Throughout the workshop, Shreekant Patil engaged in interactive Q&A sessions, resolving individual student queries and inspiring them with his dynamic leadership. He concluded the event by promising ongoing mentorship and future support to aspiring young founders. Participants received official certificates, startup kits, and invaluable exposure, reinforcing GGSP and IIT Bombay's shared commitment to building a self-reliant startup culture across the Nashik region.
About E-Cell, IIT Bombay
The Entrepreneurship Cell (E-Cell) IIT Bombay is a premier student-run organization dedicated to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit across India. Illuminate serves as its flagship structured outreach workshop series, designed to instill foundational business skills, ideation frameworks, and entrepreneurial thinking among students nationwide.
CEng. Shreekant Patil is a veteran Chartered Engineer, global entrepreneur, and official mentor for Startup India who has dedicated his career to building a robust grassroots enterprise framework. Operating extensively across Nashik, Maharashtra, and pan-India platforms, he actively bridges the gap between academia and industry by coaching aspiring founders through premier institutional networks like IIT Bombay. By providing hands-on guidance on idea validation, government compliance, funding mechanisms, and global export readiness, he empowers next-generation innovators to transform regional concepts into scalable ventures. Through tireless campus masterclasses and strategic mentorship, he continues to play a vital catalyst role in realizing India's vision of a self-reliant startup ecosystem.