Tech exposition workshop to boost ‘Startup India Mission’

By Jyoti Singh

New Delhi: The Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, in partnership with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and IKP Knowledge Park, organized a Tech Exposition and Workshop to boost entrepreneurship amongst start-ups and innovators. The event is being held in Chandigarh. The goal of this Tech Exposition is to showcase translational ideas and support researchers who want to create feasible start-up plans in the areas of pharma, medical devices, diagnostics and agriculture.

The Investor Meet facilitated one-on-one meetings between budding entrepreneurs angel investors/venture capitalists. The event also provided budding researchers an opportunity to learn the nuances of how to pitch their ideas to potential investors to secure adequate funding/investments for giving concrete shapes to their ideas. During the process, they also learned about developing good business proposals.

Dr Manoj Raje, Officiating Director, CSIR-IMTECH, during his welcome address stressed on the need of having such Tech Exposition workshops in all parts of the country to boost Start-up India Mission. Dr. Raje said, “This is a unique event, which is being organized in the premises of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-IMTECH, and will bring a paradigm shift in motivating innovators and nurturing their technologies from a nascent stage.”

About 20 teams, comprising two to three members in each team, were shortlisted for the Tech Exposition and were provided mentorship by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Managing Directors of reputed organizations to refine their pitches on the basis of work already done for their prototype, preliminary data, business plans, intellectual property and regulatory compliances. Each team was free to choose their mentor based on their domain expertise to interact with start-ups and aligning to their business goals and product issues.

Two winners were announced and they shall be awarded incubation facility at IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad/IKP Eden, Bangalore. The aim of this award is to provide access to facilities in an established incubator to take their ideas forward.

Ms. Deepanwita Chattopadhyay, Chairman and CEO, IKP Knowledge Park said, “IKP has always believed in promoting entrepreneurs, advancement of technology-based innovators and small and large companies through customized space, shared equipment, incubation, mentorship, and funding. IKP has so far supported over 550 companies from eight countries, 80% of which are start-ups.”

The BIRAC Regional Innovation Centre at IKP is mapping life science innovation in India. Chandigarh cluster is one of the 23 innovation clusters that is being mapped and the Tech Expo organized at CSIR-IMTECH is part of that exercise.

(India Science Wire)