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Young Pioneers Launchpad

The national finale of the entrepreneurship programme for Classes 7 to 10, in partnership with Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Teams pitch to a grand jury of entrepreneurs and educators.

18 April 2026 IISc Bengaluru 32 teams Second year
A team of four students on stage at Launchpad 2026, with the business pitch hour slide behind them

The 2026 finale.

32

Teams pitching at the finale

7 to 10

The classes taking part

2

Jury rounds before the finale

IISc

Bengaluru, the 2026 venue

Three rounds, one stage.

Round one

Intra-school jury

Every participating school shortlists its own teams in front of an internal jury.

Round two

Inter-school jury

Shortlisted teams present to an expert jury, which selects the teams that travel to the finale.

The finale

Launchpad

Teams pitch their venture, with its value proposition, market and growth plan, to entrepreneurs and investors.

The 2026 beginner category.

CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, won the beginner category with Plasmo Guard. Teams from schools across the country were recognised in multiple categories at the finale held at IISc Bengaluru.

The Plasmo Guard team from CHIREC International School on stage with their winner trophy and certificate
Plasmo Guard · CHIREC International School, Hyderabad
Four students on stage holding the Young Pioneers Launchpad trophy
The trophy, held by all four
A winning team on stage with their school mentors and the Get Set Learn team
Called up with their mentors
The Steel Root team from Laurel High Global School on stage with their trophy and certificate
Steel Root · Laurel High Global School

Where educators meet the programme.

Ahead of each year we run city gatherings where school leaders explore the curriculum, meet the mentors and faculty who teach it, and work out how the programme fits their own calendar.

Edition

Pune

Educator gathering. Date and venue to be confirmed.

Edition

Mumbai

Educator gathering. Date and venue to be confirmed.

Edition

Hyderabad

Educator gathering. Date and venue to be confirmed.

Edition

Delhi

Educator gathering. Date and venue to be confirmed.

Edition

Kolkata

Educator gathering. Date and venue to be confirmed.

From the finale.

Three students on stage presenting the problems they set out to solve
Round one on stage: the problem, before the product
A student team closing their pitch and thanking their school mentor
Closing the pitch, and thanking the school mentor
Teams seated in the auditorium, each seat labelled with a startup name and number
Every seat labelled with a team and a venture name
Five students on stage pitching a solar energy idea, with their slide behind them
Five on stage, one pitch
A student holding a microphone as she presents her team's idea
Taking the jury through the idea
A student presenting a farming technology idea, with the technology features slide behind him
A farming idea, in detail
A Get Set Learn mentor speaking to the teams beside the lectern
Briefing the teams
Students in the audience raising hands during the jury question round
Hands up in the jury question round

Put your school on the Launchpad stage.

Young Pioneers runs across two years, and every level ends at the finale.

Talk to us about Young Pioneers
On film

The Launchpad, as it happened.

Finale films, and the founders and educators who judged the room.

Every film on our YouTube channel