Startupathon Campus — college communities and startup challenges
Bring your campus. We bring the startups.
Your members build real products on Startupathon, backed by Persist Ventures. You get opportunities to share, and a network of campus leads. Free for every community.
What we provide
A real startup to build
Your members get a real product to build and a deadline. Winners build it for real with Persist: paid while they build, 10% of the product, and a team of founders who have done it before. No toy projects.
Priority reviews
Members from your community who build with us get reviewed first. When your people ship here, their work goes to the front of the line.
A network that stays open
Approved communities join a private group with other campus leads and the Persist team. Campfire keeps your members building with other builders and teams long after the session ends.
Your name on the wall, and a session with us
Your community is listed here as an official partner, with you as its Campus Lead. When you're ready, we join a session on your campus to walk your members through the challenges and roles.
Community leads are invited
Community leads are invited to our in-person meetups. You meet other campus leads and the Persist team, in one room.
Partner communities
- A
Aya Community
Delhi · Led by Bhawna
- G
GDG Meerut
Meerut · Led by Tanishq
- S
SDIETTechies
Faridabad · Led by Prince
How it works
Register your community with a short form: who you are, your college, and how many people you reach. We review applications within 48 hours. Once approved, you get a welcome email with next steps and an invite to our campus lead WhatsApp community. Then you host your first challenge, and we'll be there if you want us. It's free, and the only commitment to start is one session.
Want to see what your members would work on? Browse the open roles and challenges.
FAQ
Do we charge anything?
No. Startupathon Campus is free for communities and for members.
Who can register a community?
Campus leads, people who already gather a college audience. Clubs, meetups, WhatsApp groups, or campus societies.
How fast do you review applications?
We review every application within 48 hours. You can check the status on the register page.
What do my members actually work on?
Real Startupathon challenges and open roles. Winners can build the product with Persist: paid while they build, with 10% of the product.
What happens after we are approved?
You get a welcome email with next steps and an invite to the campus lead WhatsApp. Then you host your first challenge. We will join a session on your campus when you are ready.
Have more questions? Contact us at startupathon@persistventures.com