The row over its pulling out of the Make-in-Odisha Conclave notwithstanding, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) launched Innovation Clubs at four leading engineering college campuses here on Friday.
This is an attempt to support, handhold, incubate and mentor startups in Odisha and also help realise the State Government’s vision to build an enabling environment and supporting eco-system that can facilitate at least 1,000 start-ups in the next five years, said a CII Press release.
“The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), National Institute of Science and Technology, Silicon Institute of Technology, Temple City Institute of Technology and Engineering Knowledge Campus (a unit of Techno India Group) are the institutes where the CII Innovation Clubs will be housed. Not only do we intend to create a strong and enduring culture of innovation and entrepreneurship here in the State, incubate start-ups and connect them with funding agencies, the CII will also help start-ups get funding for their projects,” said Chairman, CII Eastern Region Startup and Innovation Taskforce, and Managing Director, Radiant Telesystems Pvt ltd, JB Pany at a conference, ‘Financing Innovation: Fueling Startup Growth’ organised by CII here. The conference featured about 100 industry leaders, academic luminaries, fund managers and thought leaders.
Pany said the CII runs 20 such clubs elsewhere in eastern region. This CII initiative has already resulted in the creation of a number of student-driven start-ups, he told.
“As for the Innovation Clubs in Odisha, the CII will serve as a bridge between academic institutions and industry, connecting future innovators, start-ups with funding agencies and corporates,” Pany added.
According to him, the CII Innovation Clubs will involve top academics, scientists, industry members who as mentors will interact with students and help them in coming up with projects which have the potential to get commercialised. The CII mentors will also teach them about revenue models, intellectual property, and how to structure and pitch, he explained.
“We strongly believe that the CII Innovation Clubs, which are designed to groom and pick future champions in innovation and entrepreneurship, will spark and create a whole new culture of start-up. I am sure it is going to make a huge impact in Odisha in a few years to come,” said Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Startup and Innovation Taskforce and Executive Director, Technology Optimization lead PricewaterhouseCoopers India Pvt ltd, Dipankar Chakrabarti.
Director, Software Technology Parks of India Manas Ranjan Panda and Director, Templecity Institute of Technology and Engineering Dr Ratikanta Sahoo also spoke.