The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya organised its Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (YES) 2026 on 6th and 7th February which saw active participation from 1000 participants from over 250 institutions. 

The program was inaugurated by Prof. Deepika R. Gupta, Chairperson of the Envision Cell, IIM Bodh Gaya, in the presence of Mr. Karan Bhardwaj, Founder of Rara Now, Ms. Anooja Bashir, Co-Founder & CEO of Flexicloud, Mr. Saksham Prashar, Associate Director at Zepto, Mr. Sourav Sen, Senior Manager at PayTM, and Dr.Amanpal Singh Chawla, Executive Director of Skillspade Solutions.   

At the Summit, key themes included understanding investor time frames for grounded advice, determining the optimal timing for fundraising with a clear vision, differentiating businesses through focused metrics, recognising that no single metric ensures scalability, and balancing quick returns with higher long-term gains.

A major highlight of YES 2026 was Pitch Perfect 7.0, featuring a prize pool exceeding ₹2.5 lakh and an opportunity for founders to present their ideas to a panel of experts. The summit also hosted competitive events like Best Manager 3.0, Business Wars 5.0, Stockopoly, Fish Tank, and Fun Fiesta, each designed to test participants’ creativity, and business acumen.

The summit received strong support from NABARD, Startup Bihar, the Bihar Government, and the Department of Industries with Campa as the beverage partner. YES 2026 reinforced IIM Bodh Gaya’s role in empowering emerging leaders and advancing entrepreneurship in India.