Key Takeaways
- The Startup & Corporate Bridge unites startups with hotels to drive innovation and market access.
- Government officials like the Minister for Tourism and industry leaders such as the Dempo Group endorse the event.
- Participants gain mentorship, validation, and networking opportunities, boosting the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The first edition of the GCCI Startup & Corporate Bridge will be held on Monday, October 23, 2023, at the GCCI Hall, Panaji, Goa. The launch event will be addressed by the Chief Guest, Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, IT, Printing & Stationery, Government of Goa; the Guest of Honour, Shrinivas Dempo, President GCCI and Chairman, Dempo Group of Companies; Ralph de Sousa, Past-President GCCI and Chairman, de Souza Group of Hotels; Lalit Saraswat, Chairperson, GCCI Startups Innovation & Growth Taskforce and CEO Sancoale Technologies; and others.
Prominent hoteliers, Saurabh Khanna, The Park, Jack Sukhija, Panjim Inn, and Carlos de Sousa, de Souza Group, among others, will also be present.
The event will bring together the government, corporates, and startups, along with startup ecosystem enablers. It is an attempt to bridge the gap between startups and established industries through meaningful interactions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.
The first event will showcase carefully curated startups that will help hotels access innovation, talent, market trends, mitigate risks, and increase competitiveness. The startups will have access to experienced hoteliers, resources, mentorship, get market validation, and increased credibility.
The event is supported by the Department of IT and the Startup Promotion Cell, Government of Goa.
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Dempo Group also back the initiative.
Additional partners include FiiRE (Forum for Innovation Incubation Research and Entrepreneurship), MeWo, Biznest, the Goa State Innovation Council, BITS BioCyTIH Foundation, the Atal Incubation Centre at Goa Institute of Management, Goa Carbon Limited, Sancoale Technologies, and the Headstart Network Foundation.
The GCCI Startup & Corporate Bridge program will have periodic events across different sectors of mutual interest to startups and corporates. Such an event can act as a catalyst, promoting collaboration, innovation, and mutual growth, leading to a more vibrant, diversified, and resilient economy.
