Rooman
Build · StartupVarsity

StartupVarsity. Where freshers become funded founders.

StartupVarsity is Rooman's six-month incubator for AI-first startups. Each founder gets an 11-member team, ₹10 lakh seed funding released against milestones, and 100+ industry mentors, and works in two-week sprints towards a launch. Cohort 1 applications are open, for founders, AI-native interns and, through the Founders' Track, senior industry veterans.

Apply as founderApply as intern
Cohort 1 open₹10 lakh seed funding11-member team6 months

Team model

One founder. Ten teammates around them.

  • Founder and co-founder

    You bring the idea and the drive. We help you find a co-founder if needed.

    The drivers · 2

  • CTO and CBO from industry

    Senior professionals with shipping and go-to-market experience.

    Industry experience · 2

  • AI-native developers

    Fresh graduates who ship fast with AI coding tools.

    Dev interns · 4–5

  • Sales and marketing interns

    Freshers trained in AI-era growth, content, outbound and CRM automation.

    GTM interns · 4–5

Roadmap

The 24-week roadmap.

  1. 01

    Weeks 1–4

    Validate and plan.

    Talk to 30+ potential customers, then scope the smallest shippable version.

  2. 02

    Weeks 5–8

    Build and iterate.

    Weekly releases to design partners; an MVP in 6–8 weeks.

  3. 03

    Weeks 9–16

    Traction and pitch.

    Paying customers, retention and unit economics, then the investor story.

  4. 04

    Weeks 17–24

    Launch and scale.

    Public launch, and follow-on capital or profitability.

Focus areas

Six focus areas, all AI-native.

  • A screen showing an AI chat interface in a dark room

    AI / ML

    Foundation models, agentic systems and applied ML for Indian markets.Focus area
  • Financial charts on a screen

    FinTech

    Lending, payments, regulatory tech and AI-assisted underwriting.Focus area
  • Healthcare technology in use

    HealthTech

    Clinical workflows, diagnostic AI and patient experience.Focus area
  • Software dashboards on a laptop

    SaaS

    Vertical SaaS for India's SMBs, with AI in the core workflows.Focus area
  • Online shopping on a device

    E-commerce

    Discovery, conversational commerce and Tier-2/3 retail technology.Focus area
  • A sustainability scene with green energy

    Sustainability

    Climate tech, the circular economy and AI-driven resource optimisation.Focus area

Join

Which seat is yours?

Founders and interns.

Bring an idea, or bring your skills.

  • Founders: an 11-member team and ₹10 lakh seed funding
  • Interns: a place on a funded team, with a monthly stipend
  • Interviews within 2 weeks of applying
  • Six months, in two-week sprints

Apply as founder

Senior veterans.

10–20 years in technology? Lead a team through the Founders' Track.

  • A team of 5–10 AI-native engineers
  • Office, infrastructure and cloud credits
  • 100+ mentors
  • A path to seed funding

See the Founders' Track

Good to know

Questions founders and interns ask.

Can't find your answer? Call 080 6945 1000 or WhatsApp us.

Who can apply as a founder?

Anyone 18 or over with an idea, or the drive to find one with us.

What does a founder get?

An 11-member team, ₹10 lakh seed funding released against milestones, 100+ mentors and six months of support.

Can I join as an intern?

Yes. AI-native freshers join funded teams as developers, sales or marketing interns, with a monthly stipend.

How long is the programme?

Six months, in twelve two-week sprints.

When do interviews happen?

Within 2 weeks of applying.

Can a university or company partner?

Yes. Universities can host a cohort, and companies can submit a problem for a team to solve.

More from StartupVarsity.

Visit StartupVarsity.com

Next step

Start with a conversation.

Tell us about yourself or your idea, and the StartupVarsity team will call you.

I'm enquiring

We’ll only use your details to contact you about this enquiry.

Page reviewed on 25 September 2026.