Apoorva Vikrant Kulkarni is an academician, researcher, and mentor and moderator with 20 plus years of experience in higher education. Currently serving as Assistant Professor and Quality Improvement & Assurance at Symbiosis International University, Pune, she holds a PhD n Cult Branding and serves as President of the institute's Institution’s Innovation Council (MoE). Her expertise spans branding, strategic management, sustainability, curriculum design, and startup incubation, with a strong focus on empowering women founders and leading national innovation initiatives for startup mentoring.