Masai and XLRI Launch 6-Month Entrepreneurship Program to Nurture India’s Next Generation of Startup Leaders

Masai, one of India’s leading outcome-based platforms, in collaboration with XLRI, has announced the launch of a 6-month entrepreneurship program designed to equip recent graduates, working professionals and aspiring founders with practical skills, mentorship, and industry exposure.

The launch comes at a time when the global digital economy, largely driven by entrepreneurial ventures, is projected to reach $23 trillion by 2025, growing at an annual rate of 15-20%. In India, startups attracted a record $35 billion in funding in 2024, underscoring the strength and vibrancy of the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Against this backdrop, the Masai-XLRI program aims to prepare the next generation of founders with the skills and confidence to turn ideas into scalable ventures.

Mr. Prateek Shukla, Co-Founder & CEO, Masai

Delivered through live interactive sessions, hands-on mentorship, and real-world projects, the program is structured into six modules: Founder’s Mindset, Problem-Solving and Idea Discovery, Prototyping and Product-Market Fit, Marketing and Brand Building, Business Models and Fundraising, and Scaling and Demo Day. Participants will work on projects such as creating financial plans, building MVPs using no-code tools like Webflow and Bubble, running marketing campaigns, conducting customer interviews, and delivering investor-ready pitch decks. The program culminates with a Demo Day, where top teams present their startups to industry mentors and investors during a two-day in-person pitch challenge at the XLRI campus.

Commenting on the launch, Prateek Shukla, CEO & Co-founder of Masai, said, “India is brimming with entrepreneurial energy, but structured, outcome-driven pathways to turn ideas into ventures remain scarce. With this program, we aim to provide aspiring founders with the mindset, skills, and mentorship to navigate challenges and build sustainable businesses. By combining the academic strength of XLRI with Masai’s practical approach, we are creating a learning experience that prepares participants for the realities of entrepreneurship.”

Dr. Arindam Mondal, Program Director, XLRI added, “Entrepreneurship has the potential to create not only businesses but also long-term social and economic impact. This program reflects XLRI’s commitment to nurturing future leaders who are equipped with resilience, ethical grounding, and practical skills. Through rigorous training, mentorship, and real-world exposure, we want to help participants develop ventures that are innovative, responsible, and scalable.”

The curriculum features XLRI’s distinguished faculty alongside seasoned startup founders, investors, and industry leaders. Participants will also gain access to AI-powered and no-code platforms for product development, content generation, analytics, and automation. To strengthen industry readiness, the program incorporates case studies, collaborative peer learning, and direct engagement with the startup ecosystem.

Eligibility requires a graduation degree in any stream. Candidates must clear a qualifier test conducted by Masai, followed by a counselling process before enrolment. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate from XLRI Leadership Education and Development. Applications are now open on Masai’s official website.

About Masai

Established in June 2019, Masai embarked on its journey as a military-style coding school, committed to shaping individuals into skilled programmers and data analysts through an intensive curriculum. This immersive educational experience involved rigorous training from 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week, with the goal of equipping students with industry-ready skills within a span of 7-8 months.

In its fifth year of existence, Masai has undergone a significant transformation, evolving into a distinguished career institute. With over 800,000 applications, Masai has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to bridging the skill gap in the industry. The institute has been instrumental in the continuous skilling of talent for more than five years, and its impact extends to the placement of 4000+ candidates in various enterprises and 6000+ students currently in the system, focusing on individuals with a family income of less than or equal to 7.5 lakhs per annum. Masai is extremely proud of achieving the goal of bringing 350+ families out of poverty.

Masai has attained remarkable milestones, successfully securing employment for over 3,500 candidates in key roles as Software Developers and Data Analysts. These placements have extended to prominent unicorn startups like Ola, PayTM, Meesho, Swiggy, as well as multinational corporations, including Capgemini, Uber, JP Morgan, and GlobalLogic.

About XLRI

Established in 1949, XLRI – the oldest management school in India, introduced a range of management-focused courses for trade unions.

Over the years, XLRI has consistently expanded its academic offerings and enhanced its infrastructure to cater to the increasing demand from students, establishing itself as a leading management institution in India. XLRI is the first management school in India to internationalize our academic programmes. XLRI has always had and maintains a global outlook. True to its vision, XLRI strives to offer an education which just does not culminate in a mere degree, but one that inspires future business leaders to respond to the unmet needs of the society.

A key characteristic that sets apart XLRI students from other management schools is MAGIS – a quest for the best, never to settle down for mediocrity and always aspire to excel. They relentlessly strive for more, for something better than the best. Instead of wishing circumstances to change and become different, MAGIS-driven persons either make them happen or make the most of them; instead of waiting for golden opportunities, they turn all that they touch into gold.

Over the years, XLRI has launched quite a few short and long-term programmes for working executives to help upgrade their management-centric knowledge base and become more competent business leaders.