- 233 Startups in 39 sectors registered employing about 2000 people.
- 108 mentors and 12 nodal centers operationalized to facilitate the startups.
- 4 lakh sq feet of space available for startups in 7 incubators.
- Chief Secretary directed for need based mentoring of the startups to make them successful entrepreneurs.
Bhubaneswar: June 08: Odisha strides ahead in Startup initiative with an average rate of 20 startups recognized per month which is more than national average. This was known from the Startup Council Meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Aditya Prasad Padhi in secretariat conference hall today wherein Additional Chief Secretary, Micro Small & Medium Enterprises Sri Laxi Narayan Gupta presented the updates and outlined the issues for discussion. Considering the proposals, Chief Secretary Sri Padhi gave nod to 3 new nodal agencies, financial assistance for 2 new incubators and need based assistance for 2 new startups.
Approving the proposals Sri Padhi directed to have close need based mentoring of the startups so as to make them successful entrepreneurs and producers. Development Commissioner Sri R. Balakrishnan advised the department to organize one Startup conclave along with Make in Odisha conclave. Chief Secretary advised the department to promote employment intensive startups in Odisha.
The meeting approved the proposals for registering 3 new institutions as Nodal Centers for the startups. These are Institute of Hotel management, Bhubaneswar, Sri Sri University, Cuttack and NIST Berhampur. The proposal for providing financial assistance to Technology Business Incubator in NIIT, Rourkela and Technology Business Incubator in KIIT, Bhubaneswar were also approved in the meeting. Need based assistance was approved in favour of Ordunio Labs for carrying forward its innovation of embedded Sim. The innovative ideas of Coastkings Pvt Ltd for sea food processing and packaging was also accorded approval for need based assistance.
Review of the activities taken so far revealed that in Odisha Startup Initiative has registered around 233 startups accross 39 sectors within one year with a registration rate of around 20 per month. These units are presently providing employment to around 2000 persons. Additional Chief Secretary Sri Gupta mentioned, “ the rate of registration of startups in Odisha is higher than the national average”. Sources say, the national average is around 17 to 18 units per month. Around 30 units in Odisha have been provided various benefits like monthly allowance, product development assistance, need based assistance, reimbursement of expenses and one time matching capital grant. Presently 7 recognized incubators are operating for stratups in the State. These Incubators are in IIT, Bhubaneswar, NIIT, Rourkela, Institute of mineral and Mining Technology, Bhubaneswar, Software Park of India, Bhubaneswar, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, NIFT, Bhubaneswar, KIIT Technology Business Incubator, Bhubaneswar, Centurion, Bhubaneswar and Xavier University, Jatani. Around 4 lakh sq. feet of space have been made available for the startups in these incubators. Chief Secretary Sri Padhi directed to intensify the Startup Odisha Yatra launched by Hon’ble Chief Minister for motivating more number of youths to venture their innovative startups.
Chairman Skill Development Authority of Odisha Sri Subroto Bagchi, Development Commissioner Sri R. Balakrishnan, Principal Secretary Finance Sri Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Principal Secretary Electronics and IT Sri Ashok Kumar Meena, Secretary Skill Development and Technical Education Sri Sanjaya Kumar Singh along with Industry partners and experts participated in the discussion.
