About the Program

Startup Scale-Up Masterclass
Series 2.0

AIC IIT Delhi successfully organized the Startup Scale-Up Masterclass Series 2.0 – Building Sustainable Growth Through Value Engineering & GTM on 04 August 2026 to strengthen the growth, commercialization, and strategic capabilities of startups. The program brought together startup teams and participants from academia to provide practical insights into Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies, Product-Market Fit, business strategy, technology-led transformation, and value engineering.

The masterclass provided participants with an opportunity to learn from experienced industry and strategy professionals and understand practical approaches for building sustainable and scalable ventures.

Date

04th August 2026

Time

10:00 AM - 04:30 PM

Venue

AIC IIT Delhi, IIT Delhi Sonipat Campus, Sonipat, Haryana

Objectives

Enhance understanding of Product-Market Fit and Go-to-Market strategies.

Provide practical insights into business models and growth strategies.

Introduce Value Engineering as a tool for sustainable startup growth.

Develop understanding of cost optimization without compromising quality.

Encourage innovation, customer-centric thinking, and value creation.

Summit Highlights

Explore the key activities, interactions, and innovation showcased at the event

Session 1: GTM, Product-Market Fit, Business Strategy & Technology-Led Transformations

The first technical session was delivered by Shri Gaurav Sahni, IIT Delhi Alumnus, Strategy & Growth and Design Thinking Expert (Ex-Nike).

The session focused on helping startup founders understand key aspects of building and scaling a successful business. The discussion covered:

Understanding Product-Market Fit (PMF)
Developing an effective Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy
Customer discovery and market validation
Business model and growth strategy for startups
Strategies for product commercialization
Scaling through technology and digital transformation
Practical insights from global product and strategy experience

The session provided participants with practical perspectives on aligning products with customer needs, developing effective market strategies, and building scalable business models.

Session 2: Value Engineering (VE) as an Innovative Tool-Kit

The second technical session was conducted by Dr. Saurabh Kwatra, Head, Trimmed Innovations; Partner, Tokyo Innovation Base, Tokyo Metropolitan Government; and Teacher (Summer 2023), ESP, MIT.

The session introduced Value Engineering as an innovative approach for startups to enhance customer value, optimize costs, and support sustainable growth. The discussion covered:

Fundamentals of Value Engineering for startups
Identifying customer value and eliminating non-value activities
Cost optimization without compromising quality
Design thinking and innovation for sustainable growth
Value creation through product and process innovation
Case studies on applying Value Engineering in startups
Case studies on applying Value Engineering in startups

The session enabled participants to understand how systematic value engineering and innovation can contribute to improved products, efficient processes, and sustainable business growth.

Participation Summary

The event witnessed participation from startup teams and students/participants from academic institutions.

30 participants from GJUS&T, Hisar
40 team members from AIC IIT Delhi incubated startups
Total Participants: 70

The diverse participation provided an opportunity for interaction, knowledge sharing, and networking between incubated startups and academic participants.

Key Outcomes

The participating startups represented sectors including Artificial Intelligence, Textile Tech, Defence Technology, Road Safety & Mobility, Aerospace, CleanTech, AgriTech, HealthTech, Biotechnology, Agri Tech, Energy &Sustainability, and EdTech etc.

                            The Startup Scale-Up Masterclass Series 2.0 successfully:
                            
                                    Strengthened participants' understanding of Product-Market Fit and GTM strategies.
                                
                                    Provided practical insights into business strategy and sustainable growth.
                                
                                    Enhanced understanding of technology-led business transformation.
                                
                                    Introduced Value Engineering as an innovative toolkit for startups.
                                
                                    Highlighted approaches for cost optimization and customer value creation.
                                
                                    Encouraged design thinking, product innovation, and process innovation.
                                
                                    Facilitated interaction and networking among incubated startups and academic participants.

Conclusion

The Startup Scale-Up Masterclass Series 2.0 – Building Sustainable Growth Through Value Engineering & GTM successfully provided startup teams and participants with practical knowledge and strategic insights required to build scalable and sustainable ventures.

The sessions on GTM, Product-Market Fit, Business Strategy, Technology-Led Transformation, and Value Engineering offered valuable perspectives on market validation, business growth, cost optimization, and innovation. The program further strengthened AIC IIT Delhi's commitment to empowering startups through knowledge, industry expertise, mentoring, and ecosystem engagement.