Bhubaneswar: Startup Utsav will act as a catalyst for new ideas, partnerships, and innovations which will propel Odisha to new heights, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
Speaking at the Startup Utsav organised by Startup Odisha, an initiative by the MSME Department of Odisha government on Wednesday,Patnaik said Startup Odisha had conducted the Odisha Startup Yatra and Odisha Startup Xpress for college and school students respectively to nurture a strong pipeline of entrepreneurs for the future,
“We have reached more than 36,000 students, receiving a record-breaking 4,400 innovative ideas, ” he said adding that the top 100 student ideas have been selected and felicitated.
Congratulating these future entrepreneurs,the Chief Minister said “As we envision a sustainable future, let it be a future of collaboration, inclusion, and shared prosperity”
The event, dedicated to celebrating the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, witnessed a convergence of industry leaders, government officials, startups, incubators, academic institutions, mentors and other stakeholders of the ecosystem.
Besides, the top ten student innovators from Startup Yatra & Xpress each, Women entrepreneurs, Winners of Millet Innovation challenge, Top 20 startups of Fundstack 3.0 were present.These leaders shared valuable insights into the state’s commitment to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.One of the highlights of STARTUP UTSAV 2024 was the felicitation ceremony which acknowledged the outstanding contributions across various categories.
The event saw forging of strategic alliances with industry giants such as National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Indian Steps & Business Incubators Associations (ISBA), The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), National Innovation Foundation (NIF) through significant Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs).
State MSME Minister Pratap Keshari encouraged the dynamic youth to transcend the conventional notions of job-seeking and embrace the empowering role of job creation.
By nurturing their entrepreneurial acumen, the youth of Odisha can weave dreams into reality, illuminating a path towards a brilliant and promising future for both themselves and our state, he said.
Startup Odisha Executive Chairman Dr. Omkar Rai said the success so far in Odisha’s startup ecosystem would form a bedrock and a strong plinth for the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state.
With over 1800 recognised startups, including more than 700 women-led ventures, and an impressive Rs 500 crores in external funding, the event echoed the thriving spirit of innovation in the state, Rai said.
