Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 2 Oct: Aquarium 2026, an inspiring platform that brought together the entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and innovative thinking of students from Classes IX to XII, was hosted by St Joseph’s Academy, here, in the school auditorium on 1 October. The judges were Rahul Singhal, Founder, Shivalik Enterprises; Payal Bathla, Private Banker, Uttarakhand Region, ICICI Securities Ltd.; and CA Supriya Chandok, CEO and Marketing Director, Cquen Consulting Pvt. Ltd., along with Community Leader Brother Ernest Martin, Senior School Coordinators and students of Classes IX to XII.
The programme commenced with a prayer, followed by the introduction of the judges and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. The rules and format of Aquarium 2026 were then outlined, setting the stage for an engaging showcase of entrepreneurial ideas and innovation.
The Preliminary Pitch Round witnessed seven participating teams – Nutriforge, Mirosa, Terra Tint, Ambrosia, Pravesh Pass, Agrofoam and Aqora – present their innovative business concepts through well-prepared and thoughtfully structured presentations. The young entrepreneurs displayed confidence, originality and a commendable understanding of real-world challenges, along with creative solutions to address them.
Four teams subsequently advanced to Round 2, titled ‘Raising the Investment’, i.e., the Negotiation and Question-and-Answer Round, in which the shortlisted teams, Ambrosia, Mirosa, Terra Tint and Aqora faced questions from the judges. They were required to substantiate their ideas, establish their feasibility and respond spontaneously to a range of challenging queries. The round tested not only their business acumen but also their communication skills, teamwork, critical thinking and ability to think on their feet.
Following the completion of the rounds, Ambrosia, comprising Alia Bist, Myra Gujral, Ambika Negi and Mohommad Aryaan, along with their Mentor Teacher, Simmi Shridhar, secured First Place. The team presented an innovative concept of a powder capable of instantly transforming water and milk into flavourful beverages.
Aqora, with its vision of a portable water-purifying device designed to make clean and accessible drinking water available to people across all sections of society, emerged as the Runner-up of Aquarium 2026. The team comprised Arav Gupta, Pragya Vashishth, Aarav Kuthari and Vedaant Ajmani, along with their Mentor Teacher, Hitaishi Aggarwal.
The judges then addressed the gathering, appreciating the students for their innovative ideas, confidence and spirited participation. Brother Ernest Martin presented mementos to the esteemed judges and subsequently addressed the gathering before the declaration of the final results. The programme concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by Senior Commerce Teacher and the creative force behind Aquarium 2026, Sumit Gupta.
The event drew to a close with the School Song, followed by the National Anthem.
