Avishkar 2025 Ignites Entrepreneurial Spirit at PCCE, Verna, Goa
April 29–30, 2025 | Padre Conceição College of Engineering (PCCE), Verna
The Padre Conceição College of Engineering (PCCE), Verna, witnessed an extraordinary surge of entrepreneurial energy, innovation, and youthful passion during Aavishkar 2025, the college’s flagship business and innovation festival organized by the Entrepreneurship Cell (E-Cell). Held on April 29th and 30th, the two-day event attracted enthusiastic participation from engineering colleges across Goa and beyond, turning the PCCE campus into a vibrant epicenter of creativity, collaboration, and enterprise.
Event Objectives
Aavishkar 2025 was conceptualized to:
Foster entrepreneurial thinking among students
Provide a platform for experiential learning through competitions and real-world problem-solving
Create opportunities for student interaction with established entrepreneurs and domain experts
Celebrate and showcase startup talent from Goa
Inauguration and Keynote Session
The event was inaugurated in the presence of PCCE’s Principal, Dr. Mahesh Parappagoudar, along with faculty, industry guests, and student leaders. The keynote address, titled “The Entrepreneurial Equation,” was delivered by Mr. Prajyot Mainkar, Founder and CEO of Sofueled Media Pvt. Ltd., and a driving force in Goa’s startup ecosystem. Mr. Mainkar shared valuable insights on building sustainable ventures, highlighting the importance of adaptability, innovation, and taking calculated risks. His session set an inspiring tone for the festival, encouraging students to view entrepreneurship as a mindset rather than just a career path.
Flagship Competitions
Aavishkar 2025 featured a host of competitions designed to challenge students’ creativity, technical expertise, and business acumen.
24-Hour Hackathon
Sixteen teams from across institutions engaged in a high-intensity overnight coding sprint, addressing real-world problem statements in domains such as fintech, social impact, health tech, and sustainability. The hackathon tested not only programming skills but also teamwork, endurance, and the ability to innovate under pressure.
Ideathon – “From Ordinary to Opportunity”
In this two-hour rapid ideation challenge, participating teams were tasked with transforming commonplace objects into viable business solutions. The short timeframe pushed teams to think on their feet, articulate clear value propositions, and pitch compelling business ideas to a panel of judges from academia and industry.
Startup Expo
A showcase of eight promising startups from the region brought real-world entrepreneurial experiences to campus. From tech innovations to sustainable consumer products, the expo offered students the chance to interact with founders, understand business models, and explore internships and collaboration opportunities.
Workshops and Expert Sessions
Aavishkar 2025 went beyond competition by providing knowledge-driven engagement:
Business Model Canvas Workshop
This hands-on workshop equipped students with tools to conceptualize and structure their startup ideas. Participants learned about customer segmentation, value proposition design, revenue streams, and cost structure analysis, laying a strong foundation for venture planning.
Expert Talks
A series of interactive sessions added depth to the event:
Ms. Vanessa Almeida, CEO of Gift House, shared her entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the role of resilience and market adaptation in scaling a business.
Mr. Lee Ferrao, Founder of Lee Ferrao & Co., simplified the complexities of startup taxation and financial planning, offering students a practical guide to compliance and capital management.
Mr. Rahul Bahadur, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Specialist, conducted a thought-provoking session on entrepreneurial mindset and innovation management, encouraging students to view failure as a stepping stone.
Campus Treasure Hunt: Fun Meets Strategy
To blend recreation with logic, a campus-wide treasure hunt was conducted, featuring 18 teams solving clue-based puzzles across the PCCE premises. This event added a lighter, team-building dimension to Aavishkar, creating camaraderie and joy among participants.
Impact and Outcomes
Over 250+ students actively participated across all segments.
Strong inter-college collaboration and networking took place among students and startups.
Participants gained practical insights into venture creation, technology commercialization, and the startup ecosystem.
The event saw increased awareness of entrepreneurship as a viable career path among engineering students.
Looking Ahead
Aavishkar 2025 not only celebrated innovation and entrepreneurial ambition but also solidified PCCE’s role as a catalyst for startups and student entrepreneurship in Goa. Through its blend of competitions, mentorship, and real-world exposure, the event continues to empower a generation of students to transform ideas into impact.
PCCE’s Entrepreneurship Cell (E-Cell) extends heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers, judges, sponsors, and participants who contributed to making Aavishkar 2025 a memorable and transformative experience.
