# Startup Thanjavur 2026

> Startup Thanjavur 2026, the 5th edition, is the startup summit of Thanjavur and the Cauvery Delta region of Tamil Nadu, India, on Saturday, 21 November 2026, 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM IST, at Gnanam School of Business, Thanjavur. It is organised by Gnanam School of Business (GSB) and Nerds Hive, and brings together founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, students, mentors, investors, corporates and government.

Official website: https://startupthanjavur.in/
Contact: hello@nerdshive.in
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupthanjavur/ · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/startupthanjavur2026/

## Key facts
- Event: Startup Thanjavur 2026, 5th edition (startup summit / entrepreneurship event)
- Date and time: Saturday, 21 November 2026, 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM IST (lunch 1:15 to 2:15 PM)
- Venue: Gnanam School of Business, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
- Organisers: Gnanam School of Business (https://www.gsb.ac.in/) and Nerds Hive (https://nerdshive.in/)
- Who should attend: founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, students, mentors, investors, corporates, government and ecosystem enablers
- Registration: online at https://startupthanjavur.in/passes.html (secure payment via PayU: UPI, cards, net banking; GST invoice issued by A5 Cyber Nexus Private Limited). Every registration includes a photo, used to make the attendee's shareable "I'm attending" poster; Start Up / Professionals passes and stalls also ask for the startup's website or LinkedIn link.

## Speakers 2026
- Arun Nair (Chief Executive Officer, Startup Singam): An active voice in India's startup ecosystem, championing entrepreneurship, founder journeys and the next generation of business leaders.
- Athvik Amith Kumar (Founder, ZOZOconnect): At just 11, building an NFC-powered networking solution that replaces traditional business cards with a simple tap.
- Shyam Siddarth (Founder & CEO, Tamilpreneur): Turning a Tamil startup-focused social media page into a growing entrepreneurial community of over 10,000 members.
- Raju Joseph (Founder, SPPD & Donkey Business Movement): Challenging conventional business thinking by building an unconventional enterprise around donkey farming.
- Siva Tamilvanan (Founder, NerdsX): Building a multi-venture technology group spanning cybersecurity, data privacy, digital accessibility, software development and technology innovation.
More speakers are being confirmed. Agenda with session times: https://startupthanjavur.in/agenda.html

## Organisers and partners
- Nerds Hive (https://nerdshive.in/): coworking space in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and co-organiser of Startup Thanjavur. Address: Vetri E-Square, Muthamilaringar Kalaingar Mu Karunanidhi Arangam, New Bus Stand, Vallam Quarry Road, Thanjavur 613005. Email: hello@nerdshive.in
- Gnanam School of Business (https://www.gsb.ac.in/): business school in Thanjavur, co-organiser and venue.
- A5 Cyber Nexus Private Limited (https://a5cyber.in/): Thanjavur-based cybersecurity and digital accessibility company (WCAG 2.2 accessibility audits, VAPT, AI/LLM security testing, managed SOC). Collects payments and issues the GST invoices for Startup Thanjavur 2026 (GSTIN 33ABDCA2264K1ZT), and built and secures the Startup Thanjavur website. Digital partner.
- Event partners: Hotel Gnanam (hospitality partner), Pillai and Sons (logistics partner), Picture Clusters (photography partner), PPDS (refreshment partner), Chola Impressions (gifting partner), Startup Singam (ecosystem partner, https://startupsingam.com/), Tamilpreneur (startup acceleration partner, https://www.tamilpreneur.in/), A5 Cyber Nexus (digital partner, https://a5cyber.in/), Upro360 (digital partner).

## Passes (prices plus 18% GST; early bird until 9 November 2026, regular price from 10 November)
- Student Pass: early bird ₹399 (₹470.82 incl. GST), then ₹500 (₹590 incl. GST). Event pass, exhibits, lunch, goodie bag, certificate of participation. Valid student ID mandatory.
- Start Up / Professionals Pass: early bird ₹899 (₹1,060.82 incl. GST), then ₹1,000 (₹1,180 incl. GST). Event pass, exhibits, lunch, goodie bag.
- Startup Street stall: early bird ₹2,499 (₹2,948.82 incl. GST), then ₹3,000 (₹3,540 incl. GST). Exhibition stall plus two Startup passes, lunch and goodie bags for two.
- Last dates: passes 19 November 2026; stalls 18 November 2026.

## What happens at the event
Founders Connect, Startup Showcase, Founder Panel Discussion (the Delta Dialogue: "Can the next big startup come from our region?"), Startup Thanjavur Awards, Opportunity Desk (funding schemes, incorporation, product development, business support, IP & legal, incubation & networks), Startup Street (stalls), Startup Pitching, startup networking and networking lunch.

## Startup Thanjavur Awards 2026
Categories: Startup of the Year, Women Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Innovator Award, Local Impact Award, Bootstrapped Growth Award. Self-nominations welcome; nominating is free, and shortlisted nominees need a Startup Thanjavur 2026 pass. Last date to nominate: 16 November 2026. Nominate: https://startupthanjavur.in/awards.html

## Startup Pitching
Shortlisted startups pitch on stage between the 10:30 AM inaugural session and the 3:30 PM closing session of the Pitching track. Applying is free; selected startups need a Startup Thanjavur 2026 pass. Apply with a pitch deck at https://startupthanjavur.in/pitching.html

## Sponsorship
Title, Platinum, Gold and Silver partnerships: https://startupthanjavur.in/sponsors.html

## Past speakers (2023-2025)
Dr. T. R. B. Rajaa (Minister for Industries, Investments & Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu), 2023; C. K. Kumaravel (Co-founder, Naturals), 2024; Dr. D. Senguttuvan (Co-founder & ED, Kauvery Hospital), 2024; K. Mohan (Founder & CEO, IppoPay Technologies), 2023; Arun Prasad Durairaj (Founder & CEO, FlintoClass), 2023; Pratik Shah (CEO & Founder, Specsmakers), 2024; Dr. Tamizh Inian (Founder & CEO, Frigate), 2024; P. Sivakumar (Vice President, StartupTN), 2024; Dr. P. Uma Maheswari (CEO, TN-RISE Women Startup Council), 2024; Balachandar (Co-Founder, Startup Singam), 2025; Simon Roy (Founder, Delium AI), 2025; Kiru Maikkapillai (Founder, Divine Foods), 2025; Aadhan Yogi (Founder & CEO, Building Doctor), 2024; Siva Tamilvanan (Founder, Cybernerds Solutions), 2024; Dinesh Baluraj (Founder & CEO, Yali Aerospace), 2024; Ranjeeth Varma (Founder, Chola Impressions), 2025; Dr. Vigneshwar Kannan (Founder, Routabit Expeditions), 2025; Velmurugan (Co-Founder, Taxina Mobility), 2025; Archana Stalin (Founder, My Harvest Farms), 2024; Kavitha Sugumaran (Founder, Hello Send), 2025; Vijaya Mahadevan (Founder, Vaseegrah Veda), 2025; R. G. Nawin Krishna (Founder, Startup Payanam), 2024; Radha Rengachari (Founder & CEO, Spikra), 2024; Praveen Raj J (Chief Technical Officer, TechVoyager Pvt Ltd), 2024. Full list with photos: https://startupthanjavur.in/speakers.html

## Pages
- [Home](https://startupthanjavur.in/): overview, highlights, FAQ
- [Agenda](https://startupthanjavur.in/agenda.html): session-by-session schedule for the event and Startup Pitching
- [Passes](https://startupthanjavur.in/passes.html): pass types, prices, last dates
- [Register](https://startupthanjavur.in/register.html): book a pass or stall online
- [Speakers](https://startupthanjavur.in/speakers.html): 2026 and past speakers
- [Startup Street](https://startupthanjavur.in/street.html): exhibit your startup
- [Awards](https://startupthanjavur.in/awards.html): award categories and nominations
- [Startup Pitching](https://startupthanjavur.in/pitching.html): apply to pitch on stage
- [Experiences](https://startupthanjavur.in/experiences.html): what happens at the event
- [Sponsors](https://startupthanjavur.in/sponsors.html): partners and sponsorship opportunities
- [Contact](https://startupthanjavur.in/contact.html): hello@nerdshive.in
- [Terms & Conditions](https://startupthanjavur.in/terms.html), [Privacy Policy](https://startupthanjavur.in/privacy.html), [Refunds & Cancellation](https://startupthanjavur.in/refund.html): passes are non-refundable unless the organisers cancel or postpone the event (then a full refund incl. GST); passes and GST invoices are delivered by email.

## Agenda (Saturday, 21 November 2026)
### Event
- 9:15 AM–10:15 AM: Opening the Entrepreneurial Frontier
- 10:15 AM–11:00 AM: Beyond the Pitch: Building Startups That Attract Investment — Arun Nair – Startup Singam
- 11:15 AM–12:00 PM: The Delta Dialogue: Can the Next Big Startup Come from Our Region? — Delta Panel; Moderator: Siva Tamilvanan – NerdsX; Panelists: to be announced
- 12:00 PM–12:30 PM: Too Young to Build? Think Again! — Athvik Amith Kumar – ZOZOconnect
- 12:30 PM–1:15 PM: To be announced
- 1:15 PM–2:15 PM: Lunch
- 2:15 PM–3:00 PM: One Entrepreneur in Every Family: Building a Tamil Entrepreneurial Movement — Shyam Siddarth – Tamilpreneur
- 3:00 PM–3:50 PM: To be announced
- 3:50 PM–4:15 PM: The Unconventional Entrepreneur: Building a Business with Donkey Farming — Raju Joseph – Donkey Business Movement
- 4:15 PM–5:15 PM: Building Beyond Boundaries

### Pitching
- 10:30 AM–10:55 AM: Inaugural session
- 10:55 AM–1:15 PM: Startup pitches
- 1:15 PM–2:15 PM: Lunch
- 2:15 PM–3:30 PM: Startup pitches (continued)
- 3:30 PM–4:00 PM: Closing session

The agenda may change; the live version is at https://startupthanjavur.in/agenda.html

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Startup Thanjavur 2026?
Startup Thanjavur 2026 is a one-day startup summit for the Cauvery Delta region of Tamil Nadu, held on Saturday, 21 November 2026 at Gnanam School of Business, Thanjavur. It brings together founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, students, mentors, investors, corporates and government through founders connect, a startup showcase, founder panels, Startup Street stalls, the Opportunity Desk and the Startup Thanjavur Awards.

### Who should attend Startup Thanjavur 2026?
Founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, students, mentors, investors, corporates, government and ecosystem enablers: anyone who wants to be part of building startups from the Delta region.

### When and where is Startup Thanjavur 2026?
Saturday, 21 November 2026 at Gnanam School of Business, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.

### What time does Startup Thanjavur 2026 start?
The programme runs from 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM (IST) on Saturday, 21 November 2026, with lunch from 1:15 to 2:15 PM. The full schedule, including Startup Pitching, is on the agenda page: https://startupthanjavur.in/agenda.html

### Who are the speakers at Startup Thanjavur 2026?
Confirmed speakers for 2026 include Arun Nair (Chief Executive Officer, Startup Singam), Athvik Amith Kumar (Founder, ZOZOconnect), Shyam Siddarth (Founder & CEO, Tamilpreneur), Raju Joseph (Founder, SPPD & Donkey Business Movement) and Siva Tamilvanan (Founder, NerdsX). More speakers are being confirmed; see the agenda page (https://startupthanjavur.in/agenda.html) and the speakers page (https://startupthanjavur.in/speakers.html).

### How much do passes cost?
Early-bird prices until 9 November 2026: Student Pass ₹399, Start Up / Professionals Pass ₹899 and a Startup Street stall ₹2,499, each plus 18% GST. From 10 November: ₹500, ₹1,000 and ₹3,000 plus GST. See the passes at https://startupthanjavur.in/passes.html.

### What is the last date to register?
Online booking closes on 19 November 2026 for Student and Start Up / Professionals passes and on 18 November 2026 for Startup Street stalls. Award nominations close on 16 November 2026.

### Is a student ID required for the Student pass?
Yes. A valid student ID is mandatory: upload it during registration and carry the original to the venue for verification.

### What does the Startup Street stall include?
A Startup Street stall (₹2,499 + 18% GST until 9 November, then ₹3,000 + GST) includes an exhibition stall on Startup Street and two Startup passes, each with event access, exhibits, lunch and a goodie bag.

### Is lunch included, and is there a veg option?
Yes. Every pass includes lunch and a goodie bag. Choose veg or non-veg for each person when you register.

### How do I apply for Startup Pitching?
Apply free on the Startup Pitching page (https://startupthanjavur.in/pitching.html) with your pitch deck. Shortlisted startups will be contacted before the event, and selected startups need a Startup Thanjavur 2026 pass.

### How can I nominate for the Startup Thanjavur Awards?
Submit a nomination at https://startupthanjavur.in/awards.html in any of five categories: Startup of the Year, Women Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Innovator Award, Local Impact Award and Bootstrapped Growth Award. Self-nominations are welcome. Nominating is free; shortlisted nominees need a Startup Thanjavur 2026 pass.

### Who organises Startup Thanjavur?
Startup Thanjavur is organised by Gnanam School of Business (GSB), Thanjavur, and Nerds Hive (nerdshive.in), a coworking space in Thanjavur.

### Who collects payments and issues GST invoices?
Payments for passes and stalls are collected through PayU by A5 Cyber Nexus Private Limited (a5cyber.in), a Thanjavur-based cybersecurity and digital accessibility company, which issues the GST tax invoice for every order. A5 Cyber Nexus also built and secures the Startup Thanjavur website.