The Boardroom 2026
Simulate. Strategize. Solve.
The Boardroom 2026 is a startup simulation competition organised by the Entrepreneurship Cell at IIT Hyderabad as part of E-Merge ’26. Participants step into executive roles such as CEO, CFO, CMO and COO, analyse a real business challenge sourced from a startup, and make strategic decisions under pressure. Teams develop commercially viable solutions and present their strategies to an experienced startup leadership panel. The competition is designed to develop business judgment, strategic thinking, teamwork and leadership skills through a practical, decision-driven experience. Date: 1 November 2026 Venue: IIT Hyderabad, Telangana
Registration happens on an external partner platform. Any details you enter there are collected by that platform under its own privacy policy — see our privacy notice.
Eligibility
- Students enrolled in colleges or higher-education institutions
- Teams must have 3–5 members
- Each team must provide its college or institution details
- Participants must complete the official registration and payment process
- All participants must comply with the competition rules specified by the organisers
Competition Format
- Team Formation — Build a team of 3–5 members
- Executive Role Allocation — Take on leadership responsibilities
- Business Challenge Analysis — Understand the startup's real-world problem
- Strategic Decision-Making — Develop and refine business decisions
- Solution Development — Build a commercially viable strategy
- Final Presentation — Present your strategy to the evaluation panel
Benefits
- Solve a real-world startup business challenge
- Experience executive decision-making across CEO, CFO, CMO and COO roles
- Develop strategic thinking, business judgment and leadership skills
- Present solutions to an experienced startup leadership panel
- Compete for prizes from the advertised ₹2 lakh prize pool
- Connect with the entrepreneurship ecosystem at IIT Hyderabad
Prizes & Rewards
- ₹2,00,000 advertised prize pool — confirm the final allocation and whether it is shared with other E-Merge competitions.
Partners & Collaborators
- Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Hyderabad
- School2Startup
Frequently asked questions
What is The Boardroom?
The Boardroom is a startup simulation competition organised by E-Cell, IIT Hyderabad.
When is The Boardroom 2026?
1 November 2026.
Where will the competition take place?
IIT Hyderabad, Telangana.
Who can participate?
College students, in teams of 3–5 members.
What will participants do?
Analyse a real business challenge, assume executive roles and present a commercially viable strategy.
What is the prize pool?
The official page advertises a ₹2 lakh prize pool. Confirm the final prize allocation with the organisers.
What is the registration fee?
The official registration page lists ₹799 per person under its early-bird offer. Verify the current fee before paying.
How do I register?
Complete the team details and payment process on the official Boardroom registration page.