Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday launched a ‘Startup India-Odisha Yatra’ and said the Yatra van would travel to 60 educational institutions across 16 districts.

He said selected ideas would be put to three days of an intensive acceleration programme and the best 50 innovators would be provided incubation and mentorship support to convert their ideas into startups. During the Yatra, 500 innovative ideas are likely to be pitched.

The Chief Minister expressed his happiness that in the last eight months, 175 startups have been registered with the Startup Odisha initiative; and the Government is fast moving towards its mission of 1,000 startups by 2020.

The Yatra would cover educational institutions in the districts of Khordha, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Rayagada and Ganjam.

Besides, 10 Boot Camps would be organised during this period at Fakir Mohan University, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Government Engineering College-Keonjhar, KITT, NIT, Vikram Dev College, Government Engineering College-Kalahandi, MST-Brahmapur and BPFTIO-Cuttack.

Boot Camps, ideation workshops and idea pitching sessions would be organised for the benefit of innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs. The winners of the camps would get cash prizes, legal consultation, advisory services and mentorship support.

MSME Minister Prafulla Samal said the objective of the Yatra is to create awareness about the startup ecosystem in tier 2 and tier 3 towns and encourage the aspiring entrepreneurs and youths to set up their ventures in the State.

He added the Yatra would be of one month’s duration and conclude with a grand finale in Bhubaneswar. MSME Secretary lN Gupta informed that during the period, Startup Clubs would also be formed at each educational institution falling on the Yatra route. The clubs would function under the supervision of a professor in-charge and three to four volunteers.