The IIM Sambalpur on Monday began hosting a five-day "Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship (IDE) Bootcamp (Phase II)" at its campus. Organised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell (MIC), the bootcamp was inaugurated by AICTE Chairman Prof TG Sitharam in virtual mode.
As many as 81 start-ups are participating in the bootcamp from the States like Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh. Out of them, 40 start-ups are from Odisha.
IIM Sambalpur Director Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal said this initiative aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who envisions India leading in the start-up age. In today's world, power can be classified into hard power and soft power; and innovation is a crucial element of soft power. Research, innovation, and entrepreneurship are interlinked components of soft power. India is making strides in research and innovation, with efforts to reposition it from a lower rank, albeit challenging in funding. However, in entrepreneurship and start-up, India is among top three positions in the world.
Prof Jaiswal further said, “It is important for students and innovators to become job givers and creators rather than job seekers. The focus should extend beyond completing the curriculum.”
An introductory address was given by Prof Diwahar Nadar, faculty of IIM Sambalpur.