India is experiencing an entrepreneurial boom. From bustling metros to emerging Tier II and III cities, the spirit of innovation is palpable. Youth across the country are armed with bold ideas and the ambition to build something of their own. But while the intent to start is stronger than ever, the ability to navigate the complexities of the entrepreneurial journey remains a significant gap.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs fall into the trap of romanticising entrepreneurship—thinking it’s just about the ‘big idea’ or the perfect pitch. But in reality, starting up is a chaotic, uncertain, and deeply personal process. The leap from concept to execution involves countless decisions, failures, and emotional resilience.
The missing piece? A mindset trained to thrive in ambiguity, lead with purpose, and learn from every mistake. This mindset can’t be acquired in a purely academic setting. It must be built through lived experiences—and that’s exactly where the SYB programme at SPJIMR makes all the difference.
What it really takes to become an entrepreneur today
Modern entrepreneurship demands more than traditional business skills. It requires:
Strategic agility
The ability to adapt swiftly to market shifts, competitor moves, and internal pivots.
Customer obsession
Deep empathy to understand real problems, build useful solutions, and co-create with users.
Decision-making under uncertainty
Launching without knowing all the answers and being comfortable with calculated risk.
Growth through feedback
Taking criticism, learning from failure, and iterating fast.
Resilient leadership
Staying calm in chaos, leading small teams, and building culture from scratch.
These aren’t taught in textbooks. They are developed through trial, error, reflection, and mentorship. Traditional degrees might teach what a balance sheet looks like—but not how to survive a bad sales quarter or manage conflict in a founding team. Experiential learning bridges this crucial gap.
The SYB approach: Learning by doing
The Start Your Business (SYB) programme by SPJIMR is built on a simple, powerful belief: entrepreneurship is best learnt by doing.
Rather than start with abstract theory, SYB begins with you—your idea, your goals, and your readiness to get your hands dirty. The programme is more than just a course—it’s a guided journey from idea to execution. With a hybrid structure and two focused tracks—knowledge and new venture creation—it equips aspiring entrepreneurs with both foundational understanding and hands-on experience. Through interactive sessions, real-world problem-solving, and milestone-based presentations, participants not only refine their business ideas but also gain the confidence and tools to bring them to life.
Whether participants come with a seed of a business plan or simply a burning desire to build something meaningful, the programme scaffolds their journey through real-world execution. Here’s how it works:
- Participants are encouraged to work on their own venture ideas from the first week.
- Classroom modules run in parallel with live business-building labs, where theory is constantly tested against market reality.
- Founders receive real-time feedback from mentors, faculty, and peers, helping them spot blind spots early.
- The focus is not just on starting up but on building sustainable, values-driven ventures.
This structure ensures participants don’t just dream of being entrepreneurs—they become them.
From classroom to marketplace: Key experiential elements
SYB’s strength lies in how deeply it embeds practical learning into every phase of the programme. Here are some of the key hands-on components:
Venture building in real-time
Unlike traditional programmes that end with a pitch, SYB requires participants to start building their ventures during the course. Idea validation, product development, customer feedback, pricing models—it all happens in real-time, under expert guidance. Learn more
Founder clinics and mentor bootcamps
Participants get access to experienced founders, investors, and domain experts who bring brutal honesty and wisdom to the table. These aren’t motivational speeches—they are practical sessions where you learn to separate good feedback from noise. Learn more
Simulation and risk labs
Using real-world business simulations, participants are put into high-pressure decision-making scenarios. These exercises sharpen strategic thinking, resource allocation, and leadership under stress, just like in a real start-up. Learn more
Peer learning and cohort support
The SYB cohort is a powerful learning environment in itself. Participants come from diverse industries, geographies, and backgrounds. This diversity leads to richer brainstorming, sharper feedback, and deeper emotional resilience. You’re not just learning from faculty—you’re learning from each other. Learn more
Demo day and external feedback
The programme culminates in a pitch to investors and ecosystem leaders. But more importantly, it sets up founders for next steps—be it seed funding, incubation, partnerships, or continuing their entrepreneurial journey independently.
How the programme rewires your mindset
SYB is not just a business programme—it’s a transformation of how you think, act, and lead. By the end of the course, participants consistently show:
Increased risk appetite: A readiness to try, fail, and try again without fear.
Sharper problem-solving: A deeper understanding of customer needs and faster solution-building.
Stronger emotional resilience: The ability to bounce back from criticism and setbacks with confidence.
Greater self-awareness: Clarity on their strengths, leadership style, and areas of growth.
Founder identity: A shift from being idea-holders to confident doers with skin in the game.
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Success stories that started with an idea
Akshit Mathur, a participant from SYB Batch 36, describes his journey with the SPJIMR SYB programme as eye-opening and transformative. What began as a seed of an idea—to launch his own film production house—evolved into a concrete, actionable business plan, thanks to the practical and immersive nature of the programme. Initially aiming to work with major brands and platforms like Coca-Cola and Netflix, Akshit experienced a pivotal ‘aha moment’ during one of the sessions: the realisation that he first needed to identify early adopters rather than chase big clients from the start. This insight reshaped his entire approach. Reflecting on his journey, he advises his past self to remain open and receptive—highlighting that valuable knowledge and guidance can come from unexpected places, and that humility is key when stepping into entrepreneurship.
Why mindset matters more than ever
India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is evolving rapidly—with government support, investor interest, and youth-led innovation at its peak. But for every successful start-up, there are dozens that fail not due to lack of ideas but lack of readiness.
The SYB programme acknowledges that the next wave of entrepreneurs needs more than tools—they need transformation. And transformation happens only through experience, reflection, and real-world exposure.
If you’re ready to step into entrepreneurship—not just as a dream but as a daily practice—the SYB programme gives you the structure, mentorship, and community to begin that journey.
