Sixty seconds
to make a founder press green.
Founders 25 and under, in a real lift, with a guest of consequence on the other side. Red buzzer and walk off, or green and walk out richer by ₹1 Lakh.
Applications close 26 May
The format
Seconds
Each pitch
Guest
Red buzzer, or green
Lakh
On green, decided in the room
A founder of consequence presses red and walks the pitcher off. Or presses green and writes a cheque, live, in the room.
What's at stake
The stakes are real, the room is small.
₹1 Lakh
Per pitch on green
Unconditional cheque if the green buzzer hits. No equity, no royalty, no obligation.
5 guests
Founders of consequence
A different chair every session. Each one decides red or green in the moment.
60 pitches
Across two days in Bengaluru
6–7 June 2026, in a live studio. Selected pitchers will be flown in if outside the city.
Past guests
Who's been in the lift
Varun Mayya
Founder, Avalon Labs
Pratham Mittal
Founder, Masters' Union
Ashish Singhal
Co-founder, CoinSwitch
Sabeer Bhatia
Co-founder, Hotmail
Bengaluru's lineup will be announced over the next ten days.
Who should apply
The room is built for one shape of founder.
Press green
- Founders 25 or under
- Building a startup, ideation through revenue
- Annual revenue under ₹1 Crore
- Comfortable pitching live, on camera
- Based anywhere, we'll fly you to Bengaluru
Press red
- Founders over 25 (Masters of the Market is in build)
- Companies past ₹1 Crore (Scaled Founders is in build)
- People pitching someone else's idea
- Decks that need a 30-minute setup
Shoot day
What happens once you're in the building.
- 08:30
Arrive at the studio
Coffee, headshot, signed release. Sound check on the buzzers.
- 10:00
Doors open
First guest takes the stool. The lift readout goes live.
- 10:15
First pitch
Sixty seconds on the clock. Red, or green. No second chances.
- 13:00
Lunch on set
Pitchers and guests eat together. The room loosens up.
- 14:00
Afternoon block
Two more guests rotate in. Ten more pitches each.
- 19:30
Wrap, day one
Day two repeats with two new guests. Same lift, same stakes.
Frequently asked
The questions everyone asks first.
Who can apply?
Founders 25 or under, building a startup with annual revenue under ₹1 Crore. Ideation-stage qualifies.
Where is it shot?
Bengaluru, in a live studio. Selected pitchers will be flown in if outside the city.
What does Masters' Union take in exchange for the prize money?
Nothing. No equity, no royalty, no obligation. The ₹1 Lakh is unconditional if the green buzzer hits.
What if I'm 26 or older?
This edition is for founders 25 and under. Masters of the Market is a separate Masters' Union format built for operators at a different stage.
What if my startup is past ₹1 Crore in revenue?
Same answer. We're building a separate edition for scaled founders. Apply anyway, we'll route you to the right room.
Do I need a pitch deck?
No. Sixty seconds, voice and conviction. A deck is optional.
Last call
Step inside.
Sixty seconds is a long time when the cheque is real.
Open the liftApplications close 26 May 2026