India's first venture school, VenturEdu, has announced a panel of over 55 leaders from diverse sectors to mentor startups in its 14-month residential venture program. This initiative aims to provide first-time founders, early-career professionals, and next-generation business leaders with the necessary execution expertise, mentorship, and funding to transform their ideas into successful ventures.

The mentor cohort includes Pramod Arora, CEO of PVR INOX, and Sorabh Agarwal, Co-founder of AngelBay, along with senior leaders from global technology, consumer, financial services, and venture capital firms. These mentors will play a crucial role in candidate selection, curriculum design, venture reviews, execution support, and investment discussions throughout the program.

VenturEdu distinguishes itself from traditional incubators and classroom-based entrepreneurship courses by adopting a co-building model. In this model, mentors work closely with founders across the entire venture lifecycle, from validating ideas and achieving product-market fit to building teams, devising go-to-market strategies, and fundraising.

Kulmani Rana, Founder of VenturEdu, emphasized the importance of mentorship, stating, "Mentorship is often the difference between ideas that stall and companies that scale". Rana further noted that the mentors joining VenturEdu have firsthand experience in building and scaling businesses, possessing a deep understanding of capital discipline, leadership under pressure, and the realities of growth. Their role extends beyond advising to acting as co-pilots for first-time founders as they navigate high-stakes decisions.

The 14-month residential program combines structured learning, hands-on venture building, and early-stage capital. This comprehensive approach aims to address the challenges faced by individuals with strong ideas but limited access to the resources and guidance needed for successful execution. By providing a supportive and collaborative environment, VenturEdu seeks to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and foster innovation in India's startup ecosystem.