- ByStartupStory | February 10, 2025
EPICenter 2025, hosted by EPIC (the student E-cell of IIM Visakhapatnam) and IIMV FIELD (the business incubator of IIM Visakhapatnam), brought together around 500 attendees, including startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors, MSME representatives, students, and industry leaders. The event celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit while fostering collaboration, learning, and networking among key stakeholders in the ecosystem.
The day-long event began with a inaugural ceremony and address by Prof. M. Shameem Jawed, followed by insightful keynotes and dynamic panel discussions.
Mr. Karthik Prabhakar, Managing Partner at PeerCapital, delivered a keynote on “Crafting Narratives: Harnessing Storytelling to Build Startup Brands”. He emphasized the importance of having a clear purpose when starting a venture, stating, “A strong sense of purpose not only drives a startup’s vision but also sustains it through challenges and growth.”
Mr. K Vaitheeswaran, Founder of Fabmart & Indiaplaza, highlighted the urgency of taking action, stating, “The right time to start up is now—there’s no such thing as a perfect opportunity.” Mr. Chakradhar Gade, Founder of Country Delight, shared his perspective in a session titled “Disrupting the Norm: Challenging Industry Giants”.
A panel discussion featuring Mr. Aprameya Radhakrishna (Founder, Koo & TaxiForSure) and Mr. K Vaitheeswaran (Founder, Fabmart & Indiaplaza), happened on the theme “Essential Lessons from Founders Who Turned Setbacks into Success”. Mr. Aprameya highlighted the importance of adaptability, stating, “Understanding what customers truly want is the hardest part—founders must be ready to pivot based on their evolving needs.”
Another panel discussion led by Mr. Vijay Singh Rathore, Co-founder of Soonicorn Ventures, and Mr. Siddharth Sirigeri, Managing General Partner at Endurance Capital, focused on “How VCs Drive Funding, Learning, and Growth Across the Startup Journey”. Mr. Siddharth emphasized the importance of balance, stating, “Founders must prioritize their personal health just as much as their business health—sustainable success comes from taking care of both.”
An Ask Me Anything session allowed attendees to interact directly with all the guest speakers, discussing startup challenges, scaling strategies, and innovation trends.
The event culminated with the announcement of three winners from over 50+ competing teams across India in the Epivault 2.0 competition, showcasing the best of innovation and startup ideas.
Guhesh Ramanathan, CEO of IIMV-FIELD: “With EPICenter, we hope to energize the startup ecosystem in Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh. IIMV FIELD sees tremendous potential in the students of AP, but I think practical events like this are needed to energize the youth here.”
EPICenter 2025 is a testament to IIM Visakhapatnam’s relentless focus on building a robust startup ecosystem. IIMV FIELD has incubated over 175 startups spanning 30+ sectors across India, providing mentorship, funding, and networking opportunities for early-stage ventures.
