● Shri Tusharkanti Behera, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for E & IT, Sports & Youth Services, Govt. of Odisha, aspires to nurture an ecosystem capable of supporting a minimum of 5000 startups in the state by the year 2025
● He also announced support for Women-Led Startups with a financial backing of Rs 22,000 per month at the idea stage and Rs 16 lakh for product development and marketing assistance
Bhubaneswar: The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE Delhi-NCR), in continued partnership, extended the LEAP AHEAD Initiative to Bhubaneswar. TiE Delhi-NCR further collaborated with TiE Bhubaneswar to organize the LEAP AHEAD STARTUP SUMMIT, a seminal event at Bhubaneswar. Following the resounding success of the initiative’s launch in Delhi, the SUMMIT at Bhubaneswar aims to provide substantial support and acceleration to tech startups across India and in particular in the emerging hubs across Odisha.
STPI, in collaboration with TiE Delhi-NCR, and a prestigious group of Investors, recently launched the LEAP AHEAD (Launchpad for Tech Entrepreneurs towards Accelerated Growth and Pioneering AHEAD) – a pan India initiative to select tech startups . This is a remarkable opportunity for startups to accelerate their growth. The objective of the LEAP Ahead Initiative is to select 75 startups and provide them with mentorship and business guidance culminating in potentially raising up to 1cr of funding. The Initiative offers an intensive three-month mentorship program. This unique initiative combines virtual and in-person sessions to provide startups with a holistic learning experience. It also grants startups access to an expansive network and one-on-one mentorship sessions with seasoned investors and industry experts.
The LEAP AHEAD STARTUP SUMMIT at Bhubaneswar was inaugurated by Shri Tusharkanti Behera, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), E & IT, Sports & Youth Services, Govt. of Odisha . He said, “With a vision that resonates in the rise of 1780 startups, the government’s strategic initiatives and policies, including the launch of a groundbreaking policy in 2016, have propelled Odisha into a pioneering startup ecosystem. This visionary policy aspires to develop a world-class startup hub in Odisha with the capability to nurture an ecosystem facilitating at least 5000 startups by 2025 in the state.The collaborative spirit and strategic partnerships exemplify Odisha government’s support to the LEAP Ahead initiative, reinforcing our strength in innovation and entrepreneurship. Through these efforts, Odisha aspires to be among the top 3 startup hubs in India, a shining example of transformation and resilience.”
The event was attended by a number of important dignitaries like Shri Manoj Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, E&IT Department, Govt. of Odisha; Pradeep Gupta, Mentor NGIS and Chairman & MD, Cyber Media; Surya Pattanayak, Director, STPI, Bhubaneswar; Supria Dhanda, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, WYSER (Z2O); Kumar Saurabh, Venture Catalysts; AK Mohanty, President, TiE Bhubaneswar, Vandana Srivastava, Director, STPI-Guwahati; Binuta Patra, Group General Manager (R&D), NALCO; Prasanta Biswal, Head CSR & Corporate Relations, JSW Group Odisha, Rajesh Ram Mishra, Chief Mentor, NGIS Bhubaneswar, Deboo Patnaik – Member, Bhubaneswar Angel, Maneesh Srivastava – Founding Partner & Director, Alpha Value Consulting amongst others.
Manoj Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, E& IT Department, Govt. of Odisha, said, “I am immensely proud of our state’s unique association with STPI, boasting 8 centers with full incubation support. Acknowledging the rapid global changes, we emphasize on the crucial role of technology in today’s landscape. Over the last four years, the reliance on tech for companies, including service-based giants like Zomato and Uber, has become evident. We believe that tech is the key in solving various challenges, making entry into startups easier with STPI’s support.”
The LEAP AHEAD STARTUP SUMMIT in Bhubaneswar included two very insightful panel discussions . The session on “Corporate Startup Collaboration” moderated by Lopa Mishra Jana, Chief Operating Officer, STPI NEXT saw participation from prestigious organizations such as Nalco, JSW Steel, ILS Bio Incubator, Department of Technology Bhubaneswar, Mool Innovation & Mridyaa Ventures. The second session on “Funding Insights: Navigating the Investment Landscape” saw insights shared from the leadership of Alpha Value ventures, Bhubaneswar Angels, WYSER (Z2O), Nexus Power and moderated by Sanu Rath, MD, Prelude. Both sessions received an overwhelming response from participating startups and entrepreneurs. The event served as an invaluable platform for networking, and connecting entrepreneurs with peers, potential investors, and influential thought leaders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Geetika Dayal, Executive Director, TiE Delhi-NCR said, “Our mission has been to foster robust startup ecosystems, and the LEAP AHEAD program perfectly aligns with these objectives. The initiative is poised to be a game-changer for tech startups in the scaling, growth, product diversification, and geographical expansion stages. We at TiE Delhi-NCR are glad to bring this opportunity in partnership with STPI to cities nationwide & with the collaboration of TiE Bhubaneswar. ”
Delivering Welcome Address, Surya Kumar Pattanayak – Director, STPI Bhubaneswar, gave a brief overview of Leap Ahead Program and requested Starups to take benefits of the unique scheme.
The event in Bhubaneswar witnessed further strengthening of the startup ecosystem through the exchange of MoUs with investor partners like WYSER (Z2O), Venture Catalysts & Bhubaneswar Angels. Startups namely Thinkraw Innovative Solutions & Velotech Innovations also received a funding grant from STPIs’s flagship ESDM CoE, Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar. The event played host to pitching by startups for selection into the LEAP Ahead programme.
The LEAP AHEAD Summit after Delhi & Bhubaneswar will also take place in Vijayawada and Chandigarh on Dec 6 and Dec 13 respectively.
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