Shajeev Shivesh tells Nikhil Davar about the recently launched iSEED which aims at promoting young entrepreneurs and help them in their start-up venture
What is iSEED (Indian School for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development) aboutIJ
iSEED is solely based on promoting entrepreneurs through various long term and short term programmes on entrepreneurship. From helping these aspirants to identify an innovative idea to motivating them towards their goal, iSeed is like a guide to help them take every step at a time. We teach aspiring businessmen leadership values among other things. We also aspire them of all the possible challenges they could face while taking up a project.
Tell us about the programme offeredIJ
We’ll be commencing our first batch of Post Graduate Programme in Entrepreneurship (PGPE) in May 2014. The duration for this will be for about a year. After consulting known entrepreneurs and investors, the curriculum is designed to prepare aspirants to face real life challenges. In the first semester of the course, the students are exposed to the world of ideas, planning and entrepreneurship in general. The second semester includes encouraging students to come up with their start-up venture. Through this, students will get an opportunity to do what they have dreamt of and we help them in achieving what they have aimed for.
Apart from teaching them all that would come in handy, we also bring investors and other financial institutions to fund the project at it’s early stage.
Tell us about the short-term programme offeredIJ
The two short term programmes offered by iSEED are —Weekend Entrepreneurship Programme for working professionals and our Guide For Starting New Businesses, which is currently running. The fee of the programme is Rs30,000. In September we’ll be coming up with a new programme — Scale Up Startup Programme for three to five years.
This will be for entrepreneurs who have already chosen their field of expertise.
What is the purpose of launching thisIJ
For any country to prosper and develop there will be the need for entrepreneurs and aspiring businessmen with leadership qualities.
Such countries need someone to lead from the front and we at iSeed aim at providing that one leader.
Having taught entrepreneurship at some of the best institutes in India, the major drawback that I have witnessed in this field is that nothing much comes out of the elective enterpreneurship courses and students end up moving to another field eventually. We generate interest and then leave students in between. As a result, all the positive energy fizzles out. There is no dedicated platform which can carefully nurture aspiring entrepreneurs.
How important is it to promote entrepreneurship in the studentsIJ
An entrepreneur essentially looks for ways and means of solving people’s problems in a sustainable manner. They bring hope, newage ideas, create products and services and most importantly create jobs. At our institute we conducted a study of start-ups in Gurgaon which showed that within three years of the initiation, start-ups end up employing an average of 40 people per year.
What are the skills requiredIJ
Entrepreneurship is essentially built on diverse skills like liberal arts, culture, creativity, engineering, fashion, science and technology. What also matters is what sort of entrepreneurial traits do the applicants put in to use both in life and at work.
Creating innovative ideas and being passionate about making it happen is what are the traits of a successful entrepreneur. We want students who will challenge us. People that know their own mind and strive for both personal and team success is the kind of aspiring entrepreneurs that we are looking to train under our guidance.