The first-ever KE Startup Fest brought together entrepreneurs, innovators, mentors and families for a day filled with learning, collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Media Release
Bengaluru, Aug 28: Kanara Entrepreneurs, Bangalore chapter proudly hosted its very first ‘KE Startup Fest’, marking a significant step forward in its vision of creating meaningful platforms for entrepreneurs to connect, learn, innovate and grow together.
The event brought together the KE Global leadership, members, distinguished guests, mentors and their families, creating an atmosphere that truly reflected the spirit of the KE family.
The inaugural session set the tone for the day, with a warm welcome to KE Global chairman Ivan Fernandes, president - KE Bangalore chapter Pramod D’Souza, distinguished guest Fr Will Conquer, speakers, mentors, members and their families.
Values, Leadership & Purpose
A special highlight of the opening ceremony was the presence of Fr Will Conquer, missionary priest, author and spiritual adviser to UNI-APAC Asia. With his focus on ethical business practices, purpose-driven leadership and values in business, Fr Will brought an important perspective to the event.
The day commenced with an opening prayer led by Evonne Gomes, followed by an address from president - KE Bangalore chapter Pramod D’Souza, who shared his vision and thoughts on the initiative.
KE Global chairman Ivan Fernandes then addressed the gathering, inspiring members with his thoughts on leadership, entrepreneurship and the continued growth of the KE community.
AI Meets Business
One of the key learning sessions of the day focused on one of the most transformative technologies shaping the business world today — Artificial Intelligence.
Roshan Sequeira, director events - KE Bangalore chapter and co-founder of Quantower and IQN Data, conducted a live, hands-on session demonstrating how AI can be used to create a CRM solution.
The session highlighted an important message for today's entrepreneurs: AI is no longer simply a future technology—it is becoming an essential business tool.
From Problems to Possibilities: The Ideation Challenge
The afternoon moved into one of the most exciting segments of the Startup Fest — the Ideation Session.
With the theme ‘Social & Community Impact’, participants were challenged to identify a meaningful social or community problem and transform it into a viable business opportunity.
The participants were encouraged to think beyond simply creating a product or service and instead focus on why their idea matters and the impact it could create.
Adding tremendous value to the session were a group of experienced KE mentors who were available to guide and challenge the participants, helping them refine their concepts and strengthen their business models.
Seven Teams Take on the Hackathon
The Startup Fest also featured an exciting Hackathon, with seven enthusiastic teams taking up the challenge.
The teams were given the opportunity to work collaboratively, develop solutions and turn their concepts into tangible propositions.
The hackathon brought together creativity, technology, teamwork and entrepreneurial thinking — providing participants with a glimpse into the fast-paced world of building and validating new ideas.
Pitching Ideas to Industry Leaders
Following the ideation and hackathon sessions, participants took centre stage to present their ideas before distinguished panels of judges.
The Ideation Pitch was judged by:
• Ivan Fernandes, KE Global chairman, entrepreneur mentor, corporate consultant and trainer, and founder of several successful startups.
• Sabitha Lasrado, partner at CB4, specialising in 3D visualisation, architectural rendering, animations and VR solutions.
• Rohit Fernandes, founder & CEO of Shippr and Brands of Bharat.
The Hackathon Pitch was judged by:
• Ivan Fernandes
• Rohit Fernandes
• Arun Vaz, founder of Arun P Vaz & Co, chartered accountants, and partner at R C Jain & Associates LLP.
The pitch sessions brought out some of the most energetic moments of the day, as participants presented their ideas, defended their business models and demonstrated their ability to communicate their vision under time constraints.
Celebrating Entrepreneurial Spirit
The much-anticipated awards ceremony brought the day’s celebrations to a memorable conclusion, recognising the creativity, effort and entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by the participants.
Three awards were presented across the Ideation and Hackathon categories. The Ideation Challenge recognised excellence through the Best Why and Best Pitch awards, while the Hackathon celebrated its winner with the Best Hackathon Award. A consolation prize was also presented in recognition of the participants’ efforts.
The Best Why award, presented by immediate past president-KE Bangalore chapter Claudius Pereira, was conferred upon Team ‘KASA KLEAR’, comprising Vinod Goveas, Udaya Mareena D’Souza, Vincent Anthony D’Souza, Eric Mascarenhas, Prince Pinto, and Carl D’Souza.
The Best Pitch prize, presented by our distinguished guest Fr Will Conquer, went to Team ‘PASS-PORT’, comprising Rohan Mathew, Ajay Melric Noronha, Zeeta Lorna D’Souza, Michelle Pinto, Alisha Fernandes and Elton Joy D’Souza.
The consolation prize presented by president - KE Bangalore chapter-Pramod D’Souza, was awarded to Team ‘Young at Heart’ comprising William Pinto, Ann Attavar, Ashly D’Souza, Maria Faustina, Neil Rodrigues, Deon Gomes and Jiji Joseph.
The Hackathon Award was presented to Carol Pinto and Ethan Kiran D’Souza for their project, ‘Clean Loop’. The prize was presented by KE Global chairman Ivan Fernandes.
Adding vibrancy to the proceedings throughout the day was Pramitha Menezes, who served as the master of ceremonies. Her confident stage presence, engaging delivery and smooth transitions helped maintain the energy of the event and ensured that each segment unfolded seamlessly.
Alongside the MC, Eugene Mathias, director – marketing and sponsorship, brought his infectious energy and enthusiasm to the proceedings, helping keep the spirit and excitement of the participants high throughout the event. His constant encouragement and vibrant presence added to the momentum of the programme. He also delivered the vote of thanks and played a key role in felicitating the distinguished judges and guest, bringing the event to a warm and memorable conclusion.
A New Beginning for KE
The inaugural KE Startup Fest was more than just an event. It reflected what KE stands for — bringing entrepreneurs together, encouraging collaboration, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for businesses and individuals to grow.
From AI and technology to social impact, ideation and entrepreneurship, the event created a platform where ideas could move from conversation to possibility.
As the first edition comes to a close, it also marks the beginning of what promises to be many more conversations, collaborations, innovations and success stories within the KE community.