MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024

MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024 puts forth a springboard for Meghalaya entrepreneurs

The valleys of Meghalaya reverberated with a chorus singing paeans to the entrepreneurial spirit and the evolving entrepreneurship landscape in the state during the 3-day mega MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024 held recently. The event was graced by the honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, who is spearheading the entrepreneurship renaissance in the state through the PRIME Meghalaya initiative. The EXPO drew a large audience, including state government dignitaries, accomplished startup founders, corporate representatives, local entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.

Apart from creating a premium space for the display of innovative offerings of Meghalaya’s entrepreneurs and facilitating interactions among the local entrepreneurs, the 3-day mega event had let out the stage for successful startup founders like Shashank Kumar, founder of the IIMCIP-incubated DeHaat, Raghuram Kuchibatla, founder of Yespoho, Zomawii Khiangte, founder of Mizo Brewery, to share their journeys, inspire local entrepreneurs and equip them with valuable entrepreneurial insights. Besides, representatives from Walmart Vriddhi and ONDC were invited to enlighten the audience about the e-commerce environment and its latest trends. Additionally, Mr. Jayanta Das, Area Director of IHCL for NE, Darjeeling, Bhutan and Nepal, delivered an enlightening session, advising entrepreneurs to measure their success not only in terms of profit but also in how they positively impact the community.

The event also marked the graduation of Cohort 3.0 of PRIME’s E-championship program and the onboarding of the new Cohort. The event’s culmination featured several awards ceremonies, including the prestigious presentation of the CM-ELEVATE Award.

Meghapreneur EXPO 2024 was more than just an occasion; it was a celebration of the people of Meghalaya choosing the entrepreneurial path.

Northeast Startup Summit, organized by the North Eastern Council and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park

The North Eastern Council, in association with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, organised the “Northeast Startup Summit” on the 29^th of January, 2024, at Hotel Vivanta, Guwahati, bringing much-needed exposure to the startup ecosystem of the region.Serving as the culmination of the incubation program for the initial cohort of 270 startups under the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme, a joint initiative by the North Eastern Council and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park as the Implementation Partner, the Summit stood out as the largest of its kind in the area.

The primary goal of the Summitwas to showcase and celebrate the evolution of the startup ecosystem in Northeast India while providing a platform for innovative minds to connect, collaborate and gain exposure. The eventwitnessed a footfall of over 500 startup founders from Northeast India, ecosystem enablers, celebrated entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and some of the top-notch investors in the country.

The event was graced by the Secretary of the North Eastern Council, K. Moses Chalai, IAS, who wasaccompanied by Som Kamei, IPoS, Planning Advisor, North Eastern Council and M.C Omi, Ningshen, IRS, NECBDC.The Chairman and Managing Director of NEDFi, PVSLN Murty was also present at the Summit, offering his valuable insights on funding andencouraging the emerging startups of the region.

Addressing the gathering, the NEC Secretary conveyed his satisfaction with the results of the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme.”I am happy to see the 270 startups selected for the program benefiting from the guidance and mentorship provided by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park,” he remarked. He further assured the startups of comprehensive support and emphasised their crucial role in driving the economic transformation of the region.

The Summit garnered significant exposure for the fast-evolving startup ecosystem of the region as numerous reputed figures from India’s startup ecosystem participated in the event. Notable attendees included Sagar Daryani, Founder & CEO, Wow! Momo; Pratap TP, Founder, QwikCilver Solutions; Shradha Sharma, Founder & CEO, YourStory Media; SP Singh, Chief General Manager, SIDBI; Vikram Gupta, Founder & Managing Partner, IvyCap Ventures; Hari Balasubramanian, Member, Indian Angel Network; Anuj Sharma, Founder, ALSiSAR IMPACT; and Anil Chhikara, Head – Global Strategy, Marwari Catalysts, to name a few.

A key highlight of the mega eventwas an eclectic exhibition by over 80 startups from across the eight states of Northeast India, serving as a testament to the unique products and innovations emerging from the vibrant region.

While the visiting investors expressed interest in a number of startups from the region, the celebrated entrepreneurs were overwhelmed by the sheer variety and diversity of the products displayed by the startups at the exhibition.

IIMCIP Annual Strategy Meet 2023

Maruti Suzuki Idea Hunt Grand Finale 2023 Winners

The grand finale of the Maruti Suzuki NURTURE Idea Hunt, in association with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, was organised at the IIM Calcutta Campus on June 27, 2023, marking the grand culmination of the contest. The top 12 startups selected from the regional editions in West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya competed for the winner’s title. Finally, 6 winners were selected for an exclusive pre-incubation program with Maruti Suzuki and prize money of Rs. 50K each.

IIMCIP and Maruti Suzuki congratulate these incredible minds for their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. The winners will now prepare for an extraordinary journey with Maruti Suzuki! During the pre-incubation program, the 6 winning startups will get the opportunity to collaborate with industry experts, receive mentorship from Maruti Suzuki’s top leaders and refine their ideas to transform them into viable businesses.

The Maruti Nurture Grand Finale was an exhilarating event filled with groundbreaking concepts, insightful discussions, fireside-chat and inspiring stories. The day opened with open pitching. It was followed by an insightful fireside chat with industry experts like Mr. Sanjay Gupta – Country Head & VP, Google India (IIMCIP Chairman); Mr. Rajesh Uppal – Member, Executive Board (HR, IT, Safety, DE) Maruti Suzuki; Mr. T.N. Hari- Co-founder Artha School of Entrepreneurship (IIMCIP Board Member); Mr. Aditya Aggarwal – EVP, Head-Digital Enterprise, Maruti Suzuki; Mr. Bharat Salhotra – Co-founder and President, Insightzz; and Mr. Rohan Chhatwal – Head-Innovation Centre of Excellence, Maruti Suzuki. The program ended with a closing speech by Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal – CEO, IIMCIP.

DST PRAGATI Accelerator Program – The Investor Pitching Day

The DST PRAGATI Accelerator Program culminated with a Demo Day on April 28, 2023, where eight top-performing startups pitched to Angel Investors from different parts of the country.

The day was packed with crucial learnings and an understanding of business and investment nuances. The quality and impact of the event were augmented by the presence of Ramaswamy Sankar, CEO, The Chennai Angels; Gantavya Kshatree, Investment & Portfolio Management, Social Alpha; Ankur Shah, VP, Patni Financial Advisors; Neha Aggarwal, Principal Investment, Mumbai Angels Network; and Naresh Priyadarshi, CEO, IIITD Innovation and Incubation Center.

16 social impact startups were selected for the 6-month DST Pragati Accelerator Program, to provide them with targeted handholding and networking support, and consequently make them ready to pitch for investment by the end of the program.

Startup Investment Management Program for 16 officials (Batch 1) of the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)

First round of Challenge Fund under NRETP Incubator Program conducted in Assam

The curtains to the first round of the Challenge Fund under NRETP Incubator Program (Assam) were pulled down on 21 July 2022, following 3 days of vivacious exhibition of entrepreneurial spirit by the enterprising women of rural Assam.

150 women-led rural enterprises were divided into 3 batches to participate in the Pitch Training Camp organized by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park. Post the training, each batch pitched before a panel of experts that comprised of IIMCIP mentors, subject matter experts and high officials from National Rural Livelihood Mission.

The vibrant gamut of products dealt in by the entrepreneurs represented the quintessential colours and flavours of Assam, and were sights to behold. The stories of these entrepreneurs are true blue examples of passion and perseverance. Almost everyone had stories to tell about the massive challenges in meeting the needs of daily life. Yet, their optimism and tenacity to look right into the eyes of the challenges and pursue entrepreneurship to dismantle those challenges, are qualities that everyone can take a leaf from.

Six months of extensive outreach across Assam, 7000 plus applications, screening, orientation programs, and field verification had led to the first round of the Challenge Fund. The second round with another 100 women-led rural enterprises in Assam will be held in September this year. Subsequently, 150 of these enterprises will be selected to receive funding in the form of grant and interest-free loans, along with incubation support from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park.