JAMMU: The School of Management at the Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET), Jammu, in collaboration with the Institution Innovation Council, organised ‘NourishPreneur: Micro Entrepreneurship Challenge 2026’ at the MIET campus on Friday, providing students with a practical platform to explore entrepreneurship through healthy food-based business ventures.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Ankur Gupta, Director, MIET, who emphasised the importance of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among students, encouraging them to take initiative, think creatively and develop practical solutions to emerging market needs.
Prof. Gupta visited the participating ventures and interacted with student teams to understand their food philosophy, brand values and innovative business propositions.
The event featured two distinguished culinary experts as jury members — Vijay Kumar Menon, Managing Director and Partner, Chef Aroma Group, and Rajeev Haryani, Executive Chef, Sanjeev Caterers, Royal Retreats Hari Niwas. Their industry experience and professional insights contributed to the evaluation process.
The jury assessed the teams on their product offerings, relevance to the event theme, creativity, business potential, presentation and understanding of target customers.
Ten student-led ventures — Healthpreneurs, MBA Blues, Baked and Unbothered, Clean Canteen, Amulya Swaad, Fresh Fusion, Popeye’s Fuel, Wholesome Bites, The Whimsical Kitchen and Clean Cravings — showcased a range of healthy food-based business ideas, demonstrating creativity, teamwork and an understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing a micro-enterprise.
The challenge enabled students to connect classroom learning with practical business operations while exploring product design, quality standards, customer preferences, pricing strategies and effective marketing for sustainable ventures.
Three teams received special recognition for their efforts. Amulya Swaad won the BrandPreneur Award for best branding, Wholesome Bites secured the TastePreneur Award for best taste, while Clean Cravings bagged the InnoPreneur Award for best innovation.
The jury members were felicitated by Prof. Ajay Khajuria, Professor of Practice, and Prof. Ankita Nanda, Head of the School of Management.
The event was also attended by Col. Rajesh Sharma, Registrar, MIET; and Prof. Atul Bargotra, Head of the Department of Commerce.
The programme was coordinated by faculty members and student coordinators of the School of Management, reflecting MIET’s continued efforts to promote innovation, experiential learning and entrepreneurial thinking among students.
