HCLTech, Pearson India and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Startup Hub (MSH) have jointly announced the launch of ‘Arise For You,’ a national initiative designed to empower student entrepreneurs in India. The programme aims to nurture innovation at the campus level, create pathways for sustainable startups, and build an ecosystem where technology, education and government collaboration intersect.
A Platform for Student Innovators
The initiative was unveiled this week with a focus on addressing the gap between academic learning and entrepreneurial execution. The three organisations—HCLTech, Pearson India and MeitY Startup Hub—have highlighted that India’s student population represents one of the most significant reservoirs of entrepreneurial potential, with the country adding millions of graduates to the workforce each year.
‘Arise For You’ will provide mentorship, funding access, and go-to-market support for student-led ventures across sectors such as education, healthcare, sustainability, fintech and deeptech. The programme’s stated vision is to not only encourage business creation but also build “responsible entrepreneurs” who can balance profit-making with positive social impact.
Addressing Structural Gaps
According to the organisers, one of the biggest challenges student entrepreneurs face is lack of exposure to industry-grade mentorship and structured funding opportunities. While India has seen a sharp rise in unicorns and VC-backed startups, early-stage student innovations often remain limited to campus competitions.
“With this initiative, we aim to bridge the critical gap between ideas and execution,” a senior Pearson India executive said during the launch. “Students need a scaffolding of mentorship, tools and networks to translate their concepts into scalable ventures.”
HCLTech’s involvement underscores the importance of technology as the backbone of entrepreneurial journeys. The company will provide technical guidance and access to digital infrastructure, ensuring that student ventures can adopt AI, cloud and data platforms from their earliest stages.
The Role of Policy and Ecosystem
The Ministry’s Startup Hub has emphasised that entrepreneurship is no longer a niche career path but an essential driver of national economic growth. Officials highlighted that India’s youth, particularly those outside traditional metropolitan hubs, are increasingly seeking entrepreneurship as a means to create jobs and local solutions.
By aligning with private sector players such as HCLTech and Pearson, the Ministry hopes to expand its outreach and ensure that resources flow to the ground level. The initiative will also include policy workshops, compliance guidance and introductions to investor networks, particularly angel groups and seed funds that specialise in student ventures.
Skills and AI-Readiness at the Core
Pearson India, known for its focus on learning solutions, will play a key role in designing skill-building modules for participants. These modules will focus on areas such as financial literacy, digital marketing, product design, AI adoption and regulatory compliance.
“Today’s student entrepreneurs must be AI-ready from day one,” one Pearson spokesperson noted. “Our role will be to prepare them for a landscape where data, automation and analytics are integral to every industry.”
The programme’s organisers have suggested that students will not only gain access to startup resources but also practical exposure to how AI tools can support marketing, decision-making and customer engagement.
Building Long-Term Impact
Industry watchers view the initiative as part of a broader trend of academia-industry-government collaboration in India’s innovation ecosystem. By positioning entrepreneurship as a viable career path for students, such programmes could help reduce the employment pressure on traditional job markets and foster more regionally diverse innovation.
Executives from HCLTech stressed that ‘Arise For You’ is not a one-off initiative but the beginning of a long-term commitment to empower young entrepreneurs. The company said it would work to ensure continued engagement with student ventures beyond initial mentorship cycles, potentially offering partnerships, internships and joint product pilots.
Why It Matters
India is already home to the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, but the next wave of growth may well come from outside established hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Rural and tier-2 or tier-3 city students represent an untapped base of innovators who can bring fresh perspectives to problems of scale, affordability and access.
By integrating the resources of a global tech company, an international education provider and a government-backed startup hub, ‘Arise For You’ seeks to amplify this potential. As the festive season approaches and consumption cycles rise, the timing is also notable: student innovators who can bring products to market quickly will find a ready audience.
The Road Ahead
The organisers announced that the programme will roll out in phases across Indian universities, starting with selected institutions in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. Applications for the first cohort are expected to open later this year, with shortlisted student ventures receiving seed-stage support and access to demo days with investors.
If successful, ‘Arise For You’ could become a model for other public-private partnerships in entrepreneurship, especially in markets where the government seeks to accelerate job creation through innovation.