Given the hands-on experience of successfully driving a rural incubation program for the states of Assam, Bihar and West Bengal as part of the NRLM-led NRETP Incubator Program, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park has picked up the baton to pass on the learnings and best practices for supporting rural entrepreneurs to the enablers who are in a position to play crucial roles in supporting enterprises within the rural landscape of the country. Taking the first step towards realising the objective, IIMCIP designed a 4-month capacity building program for the officials from the Tamil Nadu Rural Economic Transformation Project (TNRETP). This strategic program, designed in collaboration with the Government of Tamil Nadu, sought to equip officials with the necessary skills, tools and insights to drive meaningful economic change in rural communities.

The primary objective of the capacity-building workshop was to enhance the ability of TNRETP officials to effectively manage and implement rural development programs. Through a focus on leadership and management development, the program aimed to prepare officials to design and execute initiatives that drive tangible change in rural communities. By the end of the training, participants gained the confidence and skills needed to address complex challenges, mobilise resources and meet program objectives with greater efficiency.

Capacity enhancement through bootcamps

The Capacity Enhancement Workshop was conducted in three distinct bootcamps, held across three batches over three days, from May to September. Each batch was led by its respective facilitators, viz., V. Babu, S. Muruganantham and Jagan Kumar L. Each bootcamp was tailored to different groups of officials, followed by a final session specifically designed for senior executives. For the bootcamps, the participants were trained in essential components for empowering rural entrepreneurs, like leadership, market access and value chain development. From understanding rural business models, the MSME sector and practical insights into rural development, to mastering the intricacies of legal compliance and financial management, TNRETP officials gained comprehensive insights that have built their capacity to enhance rural livelihoods through entrepreneurship and innovation. Experts to lead the sessions were Divvay Chaddha and Nitish Mawkin from Singhania & Co., while Rakesh Singh from S. Sanghi & Co. and Debapratim Das, the IIMCIP CFO took charge of the sessions on financial management.

A significant aspect of the program was its emphasis on market-driven strategies to promote rural enterprises. Officials were trained in value chain enhancement, enabling rural entrepreneurs to connect with broader markets, increase competitiveness and achieve better economic outcomes. This market-oriented approach aimed to improve the viability and profitability of rural businesses, directly contributing to enhanced livelihoods.

Hands-on learning and real-world impact

One of the hallmarks of IIMCIP’s approach is its emphasis on experiential learning. The workshop didn’t just focus on theoretical knowledge—it immersed participants in the realities of rural entrepreneurship. Officials had the unique opportunity to directly interact with entrepreneurs and explore real-life case studies. This hands-on experience allowed officials to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during the workshop to real-world scenarios, deepening their understanding of the dynamics of rural entrepreneurship. The final phase of the program culminated in team presentations, where officials showcased their strategies for rural enterprises. The most innovative and impactful team was awarded for their presentation.

Boosting competencies for sustainable rural transformation

At the heart of IIMCIP’s initiative is the belief that capacity building is key to long-term rural transformation. The workshop introduced innovative tools and methodologies to help officials address key issues related to rural entrepreneurship, livelihood creation and sustainable development. Participants were introduced to methods for streamlining processes, improving communication, and leveraging data for more informed decision-making.

Furthermore, the program placed a strong emphasis on mentorship. IIMCIP’s mentors, including Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal (CEO), Debapratim Das (CFO), Suman Mukhopadhyay, Gaurav Kapoor (CBO), Prof. C.D. Mitra, Kaustav Majumdar, Dr. Bikash Chandra Mondal and Saumitra Dutta, trained officials towards guiding rural entrepreneurs through challenges, fostering innovation and ensuring the long-term sustainability of grassroots-level enterprises.

The capacity enhancement program was further strengthened by the involvement of Ms. S. Divyadharshini, IAS, CEO of TNRETP and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihoods Mission (TNSRLM), whose presence underscored the significance and impact of the initiative.

IIMCIP’s Capacity Enhancement Workshop for TNRETP officials represents a bold step forward in rural development, with a clear focus on creating a lasting impact. As IIMCIP continues to champion rural innovation and entrepreneurship, programs like this are expected to create agents of change who will lead the way in fostering sustainable rural economies towards achieving the goal of a Viksit Bharat.

The 12^th edition of the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (TSEC) at IIM Calcutta has marked another significant milestone in promoting social entrepreneurship in India. This year’s edition introduced innovative features, expanded its reach, and created new categories that opened doors for a broader range of entrepreneurial talent. The event, which concluded in September 2024, set new benchmarks for future editions and continued its mission of nurturing social enterprises that address critical societal issues.

The event unfolded over three dynamic days, offering a mix of mentoring, training, and pitching opportunities. It began with a bootcamp that offered rigorous training to the Top 50 startups. The day began with a specialised workshop by Dr. Ringo Rajagopal, CEO, uMobi Solutions Corp and Visiting Faculty at IIM Calcutta. It was followed by one-on-one mentoring sessions with prominent mentors from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, like Debapratim Das, CFO, IIMCIP; Suman Mukhopadhyay, Mentor, IIMCIP; Namami Ghosh, Head of Incubation, IIMCIP; Pankaj Baruah, Head of Portfolio Management, IIMCIP; Dr. Ringo Rajagopal, CEO, uMobi Solutions Corp.; and Gaurav Kapoor, CBO, IIMCIP. The mentoring allowed the participants to enhance their pitches and boost their chances of success in the competition.

The second day was all about the pitch presentations. Startups presented their ideas to esteemed panels of judges, with a focus on innovation, scalability and social impact. The panels featured a distinguished lineup of industry experts and entrepreneurs, including T N Hari, Executive Chairman, STEER World and Member of the Board, IIMCIP; Mr. Ankur Shah, AVP, Patni Capital; Dr. Ringo Rajagopal; Foram Nagori, Head CSR, Tata Power; Anuj Sharma, Founder, Alsisar Impact; Uday Chatterjee, Director, TiE Dehradun; Deepak Daftari, Founder, E-Siksha & Ex-President, TiE Kolkata; Debraj Kundu, TCS, Sub ISU Head, CBG Retail UK & EU; K Chandran, MD & CEO, Campus Angel Network and Member of the Board, IIMCIP; Rachana Chandrashekhar, Upaya Social Venture; and Gaurav Shah, Founder, ISDM (TBC).

The top 10 startups advanced to the final day’s summit, while others benefited from a funding strategy workshop led by Debapratim Das. The workshop covered critical aspects of securing funding and scaling a social venture, giving participants the tools to navigate their entrepreneurial journeys.

On the final day, the top startups competed for prestigious awards and recognition, pitching their ideas to a distinguished panel comprising senior members of the Tata Group and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park like Ajay Jain, Member of the Board, IIM Calcutta & IIMCIP; Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO, IIMCIP; K Neelakantan, Partner, Ankur Capital; Hari Balasubramanian, Member, Indian Angel Network; Chako Thomas, Head, Tata Sustainability Group; Manojit Sengupta, TCS, Digital Customer Experience Head; and Sourav Roy, Chief (Corporate Social Responsibility), Tata Steel Foundation.

The TSEC Summit

The program’s final day concluded with a grand Summit, bringing together more than 500 startup founders, industry leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs and students.

Peppered with insightful panel discussions, the Summit featured an interesting discourse on the “Challenges & Opportunities of Social Entrepreneurs” by IIMCIP-incubated startups and social entrepreneurs, Ekta Jaju, Founder of Onganic and Prarthana Kaul, Cofounder of GiftAbled. Another discussion, “Social Entrepreneurship: Challenges & Exploring Opportunities,” featured experts like Hari Balasubramanian and K Neelakantan. These discussions provided actionable advice and a rich networking opportunity for the attendees.

The competition culminated in the announcement of this year’s winners. Backyard Creators, founded by Raman R. and Lakshmanan R., took home the top prize, while Navmarg Research and Innovation and Padmaseetha Technologies were declared first and second runners-up, respectively. Alphaion received the seed fund award for its innovative efforts, marking a promising future for the startup.

New additions

One of the standout additions this year was the Tata Steel Thematic Prize, designed to recognise startups tackling challenges across five key themes. These included environmental sustainability, health and wellness, waste management, manufacturing for social good, and water and sanitation. Each theme highlighted the importance of targeted solutions for some of the world’s most pressing concerns. Startups such as UGreen Technology in environment and climate action, CareNX Innovations (Fetosense) in health and wellness, Aarug Reusable Pads in manufacturing and social good, Royal Bengal Greentech in waste management and recycling and Vaidic Srijan in water and sanitation emerged as exemplary innovators in their respective fields.

The introduction of the TSEC Young Innovators Challenge was a thoughtful addition, providing a platform for young entrepreneurs from West Bengal to present their innovative ideas. Teams like Ayudyog from Jadavpur University, AvionX Aerospace from Adamas University and Jamabavantha from Heritage Institute of Technology showcased their creativity and problem-solving skills. The inclusion of students and young professionals reinforced TSEC’s commitment to fostering the next generation of social entrepreneurs.

The 12^th edition of TSEC reaffirmed its role as a catalyst for social change, offering a platform for entrepreneurs to address crucial societal issues. With every edition, the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge continues to evolve, solidifying its commitment to fostering impactful social enterprises that contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world.

The second bootcamp for the 16 urban development startups selected for City Champions 2024 took place at Hotel Chancery Pavilion and the Omidyar Network India on September 19 and 20 respectively.

Day 1 of the bootcamp commenced with welcome notes from Aparna Bansal of Josh Talks and Devasish Sharma from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, setting an encouraging tone for the sessions ahead.

The first session focused on Understanding Cost, Revenue and Unit Economics, where participants learned to break down financial components at a granular level. Resource persons Debapratim Das, CFO of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, and Ms. Geeta Tolia, CA and Co-founder of Gravitech Business Solutions, guided the startups through the intricacies of unit economics, providing critical insights into managing financial health.

Following this, a practical session on Understanding Financial Projections and Funding Needs Analysis helped startups evaluate their financial strategies with a focus on future funding requirements. The interactive approach enabled participants to engage directly with the experts, ensuring a deeper understanding of financial projections.

The evening culminated in a fireside chat with TN Hari, Author, Investor, Mentor and Executive Chairman of STEER World and Member of the Board of IIMCIP, who shared his insights on the “Investment Landscape on Climate Tech and Sustainable Urban Development.” His engaging discussion provided valuable perspectives on emerging trends and opportunities within the sector.

Day 2 opened with an impactful session on the Investment Process: Elevator Pitch to Cheque, led by Prateek Jain, Principal at Fundamentum Partnership. Following this, a discussion on Fundraising by TP Pratap, Founder of Qwikcilver Solutions, delved into practical strategies and insights on navigating the fundraising landscape. Participants gained a clearer understanding of various funding sources and approaches. To wrap up the bootcamp, TN Hari returned to lead a session on Building a Winning Team.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), organised the fourth edition of Assam’s biggest startup networking meet, CONNECT.X, in Guwahati on September 24, 2024.

Designed to bring key stakeholders in the startup ecosystem under one roof for idea sharing, learning, networking and meaningful collaborations, the latest edition of the program saw the participation of around 120 startup founders, seasoned entrepreneurs, investors and leading representatives from corporates, PSUs, incubators and media houses in the region.

A major highlight was a keynote session by Pratap TP, founder of QwikCilver Solutions, the world’s first end-to-end gift card provider, where he shared his journey of building the startup and its successful exit after being acquired by Pine Labs for over $100 million. “Never say never—you never know when opportunities will come,” he remarked.

In addition, a panel discussion was conducted, focused on the importance of adopting emerging technologies to help startups stay relevant and competitive. Dr. Ringo Rajagopal, CEO of the US-based technology management solutions company, uMobi Solutions, and Nilotpal Boruah, co-founder of Assam-based technology startup, TechVariable, highlighted the need to align a company’s vision with technology adoption, rather than forcing trends like artificial intelligence and machine learning without purpose.

Adding a new freshness to the event was an experience-sharing session by Nayanjyoti Saikia, winner of MasterChef India S7, who detailed his journey of discovering his culinary passion at a young age, his trial-and-error experiences with a patisserie venture, and how MasterChef India became a turning point leading to the launch of his fine-dine venture, Roohani. His journey of identifying his calling, overcoming hurdles, learning from mistakes and evolving continuously as an entrepreneur resonated with the startup founders attending the event.

Other prominent attendees included Himanshu Acharya, Head of New Business Development at Mitsubishi Corporation India; Dr. Geetima Das Krishna, Head, NE – Invest India; Krishna Hazarika Rao, DGM (PR), Oil India Ltd.; veteran journalist and author Mrinal Talukdar; Zaveer Zaman, AGM (Investments), NEDFi Venture Capital Ltd.; Atreyee Borooah Thekedath, Founder of Web.com (India); and Jahnabi Phookan, Founder of Jungle Travels India, among others.

New and emerging startup founders expressed their excitement about finally having a one-of-a-kind platform in the region to connect with prominent figures from the startup ecosystem, learn from their vast experience and gain valuable exposure.

Over its four editions, CONNECT.X has gained a strong reputation for facilitating collaboration and exposure, particularly for emerging entrepreneurs in the region. IIMCIP launched CONNECT.X in 2022 after recognising the importance of networking and exposure for fostering the growth of Assam’s startup ecosystem. The aim has been to build a supportive community of stakeholders to drive the region’s startup ecosystem forward.

The MeitY TIDE 2.0 Northeast Techathon – X4, Northeast India’s largest hunt for ICT-based business ideas, organised by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, was successfully concluded recently, covering five states in Northeast India. Spanning the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland from August 29 to September 20, 2024, the idea hunt series aimed to identify, nurture and celebrate innovative ideas, while equipping entrepreneurs with essential skills and mentorship.

Each state hosted a two-day event, beginning with a workshop by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) focused on effective pitching techniques, which helped the participants sharpen their presentation skills in preparation for the final pitching session on Day 2. Additionally, local startup founders from each hosting state shared their entrepreneurial journeys, providing inspiration and valuable insights to the participants

On Day 2, participants pitched their ideas to a distinguished jury, which selected three winners from each state. The events blended learning, motivation and competition, culminating in the discovery of some of the most promising startups in Northeast India.

The Techathon showcased impressive talent across the region. In Assam, the event held at Gauhati University Institute of Science and Technology on August 30 and 31, saw Hatk Media LLP, Stemcorp Dynamics LLP and Gentledental.ai emerge as the winners. The subsequent event in Assam at Jorhat Engineering College on September 19 and 20 recognised Outplayed, AgroNexa and Telescope Records as winners.

Arunachal Pradesh’s event at Rajiv Gandhi University on August 29 and 30 awarded Paradise on Wheels, InstaLaw and Ninur Farms AI. In Nagaland, the YouthNet Incubation Centre hosted participants on September 9 and 10, where Earthian Ki, Kiphire Mart and Splinxify (Coders Hope) walked away as winners. Meghalaya’s PRIME Hub in Shillong held its event on September 4 and 5, with Dejame Creacion, Iewduh Techz and Recycle Bazzar taking the winning spotlight. In Mizoram, the Mizoram Startup Hub celebrated Hinside, Style n Pose and 3D Printing Solution as winners on September 12 and 13.

The MeitY TIDE 2.0 Northeast Techathon series has been playing a remarkable role in fostering the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Northeast, providing a vital platform for bright minds to showcase their ideas and gain essential guidance. The response received by the program is a testament to the region’s potential for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The curtains to the first round of the Challenge Fund under NRETP Incubator Program (Assam) were pulled down on 21 July 2022, following 3 days of vivacious exhibition of entrepreneurial spirit by the enterprising women of rural Assam.

150 women-led rural enterprises were divided into 3 batches to participate in the Pitch Training Camp organized by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park. Post the training, each batch pitched before a panel of experts that comprised of IIMCIP mentors, subject matter experts and high officials from National Rural Livelihood Mission.

The vibrant gamut of products dealt in by the entrepreneurs represented the quintessential colours and flavours of Assam, and were sights to behold. The stories of these entrepreneurs are true blue examples of passion and perseverance. Almost everyone had stories to tell about the massive challenges in meeting the needs of daily life. Yet, their optimism and tenacity to look right into the eyes of the challenges and pursue entrepreneurship to dismantle those challenges, are qualities that everyone can take a leaf from.

Six months of extensive outreach across Assam, 7000 plus applications, screening, orientation programs, and field verification had led to the first round of the Challenge Fund. The second round with another 100 women-led rural enterprises in Assam will be held in September this year. Subsequently, 150 of these enterprises will be selected to receive funding in the form of grant and interest-free loans, along with incubation support from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park joins the focused effort of the Government of Mizoram to take entrepreneurship activity to the next level by helping scale business enterprises in the state.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park joins the focused effort of the Government of Mizoram to take entrepreneurship activity to the next level by helping scale business enterprises in the state.

IIMCIP partnered with the Government of Mizoram and MEDMOC to kickstart the one-year-long Mizoram Kailawn Accelerator programme in the state of Mizoram on December 21, 2020. Pu Lalrikhuma Sailo, the Principal Advisor cum Additional Secretary, Planning & Programme Implementation Department, Govt. of Mizoram, inaugurated the program online, which was followed by the first boot camp attended by 20 entrepreneurs from the state. The Accelerator aims to identify promising start-ups with proven business models in revenue stage and provide them with intense handholding and mentoring through a structured programme to achieve sustainability and scale operations within and outside the state.

The Mizoram Kailawn Accelerator looks at structured intervention that ranges from capacity building to mentoring and from market linkage to funding support. This coupled with intense mentoring support and handholding will help startups align with their growth aspirations. Additionally, entrepreneurs in the North East also need to build capacities and widen their knowledge base especially in business processes, customer identification and acquisition. This fast track accelerator with multiple cohorts is in line with the Mizoram Government’s Startup Policy. In addition to mentorship and investment opportunities, the Accelerator aims to facilitate access to logistical and technical resources as well as shared office space. in collaboration with other incubation centres. The selection of businesses/start-ups for acceleration was competition based.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, with its large network of mentors, investors, market and startup connects, will facilitate customized need-based engagements for these entrepreneurs. The accelerator will consist of two cohorts – Growth Certification Cohort and Growth Mentoring Cohort. For 20 of those start-ups supported by various Govt. programmes/schemes, a curriculum-based structured certification programme has been designed on various aspects of attaining sustainability and scaling up and presented in a blended virtual and physical 6-month programme. Out of these 20 startups from the Growth Certification Cohort, IIMCIP will select 10-12 of the most promising start-ups and offer them dedicated mentoring, handholding and acceleration support over the next 6 months, to enable faster scale-up.

With the growing interest in entrepreneurship, the active support provided by an equally growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the able backing of Mizoram State Entrepreneurship Development and Monitoring Committee (MEDMOC), this year-long accelerator aims to take entrepreneurship up the next step on the “Kailawn” (ladder in Mizo).

The Patna edition of the hackathon was in association with Bihar Entrepreneurs Association (BEA) and saw 11 teams participating. In the fifth position was a start-up Chickenwala, a business selling online hygienic chicken. In the fourth place a start-up which provided traceability of food from farm to plate by the usage of blockchain technology thereby bringing transparency in the food supply chain. In the third place was Luggage Star, a start-up which provided tracking tokens, travel insurance and safe custody of an individual’s luggage for a day’s travel. In the Second place was placed a start-up Course an ICT platform that conducted courses for skill development and corporate industry agnostic programs increasing the employability quotient of an applicant. Finally Mitti, a start-up in the supply chain management from farm to retail market had developed their platform which eliminated levels of middle men thereby reducing the retail price of produce and providing a better remuneration to the farmers.

The hackathon was held at National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Silchar with 49 participants. The winners were Team View, a driver friendly mechanism to avoid road mishaps and accidents because of drowsy driving. The runners up were Web Nerds with their idea to keep a digital check on vaccines that a baby gets and Unnamed Creators with their smart farming monitoring system with automated watering and fertilization. Other notable ideas were that of Drop scaling which focused on selling baby carrier bags for working mothers on e-commerce platforms and Einstein Bergs, a software based program to track flights.

The hackathon was held at Tezpur University and saw over 6 mentors and 33 participants. The winners of the hackathon were Clinical Bots with an automated solution for inborn injuries, accidents and disabilities. The runner ups were Power Step with their solution to convert pressure energy to electrical energy, and SQUARE, a smart farming monitoring system. Other notable ones were Ethnica which promoted NorthEast India’s indigenous culture on e-commerce platforms and Analyse.io which was a centralised marketing recommender system.

One of the most inspirational talks organised by IIMCIP, Darr ke Aage Jeet Hai saw a large number of attendees. Satyarup Siddhanta, an ace mountaineer with a Guiness World Book Record, spoke about how Mountaineering and Entrepreneurship are similar in a lot of ways. Recognised as the youngest mountaineer to have climbed the Seven Summits and the only Indian to have climbed the Seven Volcanic peaks, he motivated the listeners to look at the ultimate goal, be determined, go through every weather condition, but still reach the goal.

CA Pankaj Periwal, Senior Manager at V. Singhi & Associates, and CA Ansul Agarwal, Manager at V. Singhi & Associates, discussed the special Measures under Companies Act and LLP Act in view of COVID-19 outbreak. They focussed on the relaxation in KYC NORMS and the amendments related to board meetings

The inspirational Nagaraja Prakasam, Founder Chairman of NativeLead Foundation and Partner at Acumen Fund, spoke about how social enterprises should look at pivoting and look at this crisis as an opportunity. If an industry is non-essential, they should be able to communicate with your customers to understand them better. Also stressing on the importance of employees, he asked startups to ensure that employees are given the minimum because laying off is easy but hiring is tough. Additionally, this is an opportunity to build a more equitable society, based on fair chances, innovations, focus on necessary problems and build a cadre of social entrepreneurs who would take pride in building India.

Amit Antony Alex, India Country Director of Upaya Social Ventures, leads all efforts in identifying, coaching and investing in early stage startups while also working with social entrepreneurs to solve global development issues through a market-based approach. During the webinar, he highlighted the need for entrepreneurs to assess situations more closely and include a lot more short term planning at least in the next 2 years. Moreover, consumers in general will become more ecologically conscious which can impact businesses and this, entrepreneurs should immediately improve their cash flows. He stressed on the fact that collaborations and partnerships in these unprecedented times can be a win-win situation.

This webinar was particularly insightful for startups. Vikram Gupta, Founder and Managing Partner at IvyCap Advisors Venture Private Limited, was live in conversation with Chandradeep Mitra, a mentor at IIMCIP. Vikram Gupta has over 22 years of experience in private equity, business consulting and M&A, and has held leadership positions in various organisations in India and abroad.

For the webinar, he focused on how the pandemic crisis has impacted startups, and how digitization is the way forward. Startups working in these digital sectors will have the opportunity to scale up their businesses substantially by making sure that they are targeting the right customer segments and the products are aligned with the demands.Also, investors will now look at different ways to invest and will change their strategies accordingly.

When the startup world was adapting to the new ways of working, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park organised a webinar with Rohit Jain – Senior Associate at Singhania & Associates, New Delhi. Startup founders took away expert advice about employment contracts and relaxations rolled out by the Government Of India for Startups.

The hackathon at Guwahati University saw 75 participants and 5 mentors. The top 5 included Nyrize and Bachelor, with their innovative solution to automate farming activities like irrigation and fertilization through Android apps. Runner up TechHack came up with a solution for local sports players to showcase their talent on a digital platform. VidyaZone is another A to Z solution for online education and to manage attendance digitally. A notable idea was that of Technos, that came up with a smart quality detection of food productivity

The Tata Social Enterprise Challenge 2019-2020 drew curtains following an elaborate grand finale program on 4th January 2020 at the IIM Calcutta Auditorium.

The 8th edition of India’s biggest exposure platform for social entrepreneurs witnessed some flabbergasting social startups from India and beyond battle it out to claim the coveted winner’s title. As many as 450+ applications were received from social entrepreneurs in myriad sectors, including healthcare, agriculture and food, clean technology, education and skills development, handicrafts, among others.

Following the screening of the applications, 4 regional rounds were conducted out of which 20 teams were shortlisted to pitch before the jury in the semi-finals on 3rd January. 3 entrepreneurs from Germany were also selected for the semi-finals. Top four social entrepreneurs were duly awarded in a scintillating Grand Finale on 4th January.

Trestle Labs was declared the winner of the Tata Social Entrepreneurship Challenge 2019-2020. PadCare Labs was adjudged the Runner Up, while Aerobiosys Innovations and Greenikk jointly took away the Second Runners Up title.

Apart from the prize distribution ceremony, the finale witnessed valuable keynote address from talismanic speakers like Ms. Shanti Raghavan (Social Entrepreneur of the year 2019), Mr. Abhay Jere (CIO, MHRD), Mr. Nagaraja Prakasam (Angel Investor), Mr. Satyarup Siddhanta (Alpinist), Mr. Ashish Gupta (MD, TMILL – Tata Steel subsidiary) and Mr. Julian Zix (Head – GINSEP).

Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, expressed his gladness at the success of the 8th edition of TSEC. He assured of a continuous effort to scaleup the program so that more and more social enterprises could find a platform for recognition, thereby spurring social entrepreneurship in the country for the overall development of the quality of life of its people.
The finale ended with refreshing rendition of Baul gaan and a stunning Chhau performance by the folk artists of Bengal.

Serial Entrepreneur Neil Bhaskar, alumnus IIMC, Founder & Chairman of BoDE Foundation along with Priscilla Alvarado, Entrepreneur in Residence & Operations Manager of BoDE Foundation Team (USA) visited IIMCIP and interacted with our Incubatees. They were delighted to see how the startups solved problems at various junctures of a startup journey and impressed by the social impact made. Moving forward BoDE Foundation showed deep interest in working together with IIMCIP and the incubatees.

An HNI Meet, Angel Miniversity Program, was organized at The Nest last evening. Ms. Nandini Mansinghka, CEO & MD, Mumbai Angels Network, addressed a cream gathering of High Net Worth Individuals (HNI) of Assam and discussed the varied aspects of angel investment.
Mrs. Manjula Saikia Bhuyan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Assam, and Managing Director, AIIDC, also graced the occasion. She urged the HNIs to come forward to support the startups and take steps towards forming the Assam Angel Network. She assured them of complete support from the Government of Assam.

Go-To-Market Partnership Workshop: A 2-day workshop on GoTo Market Strategy was conducted by IIMCIP at IIM Calcutta campus on 16th and 17th October’19. A part of the capacity building initiatives, the workshop was specially designed for the startups incubated under IIMCIP and was addressed by Mr. Shaikh Mobin Tariq, Manager, Villgro-Acceleration Program. The session was attended by 16 startups who found the session very useful for their upcoming market analysis. A special one to one session with the startups was the main highlight of this 2-day event.

Thomson Reuters is an organisation which provides professionals with the intelligence, technology and human expertise they need to make decisions.

The workshop was taken by Mr Simit Bhagat, who is the Program officer Asia.

There were 8 incubates present there for the workshop which were Medi360, R C Hobbytech, Growvill Education, NexConnect Ventures, BigCells Technologies, Bongiyo Gramin Krishi Udyog, Onganic Foods and Sanjevani Khamar.

Mr Bhagat spoke about how the help the organisations to connect with different legal matters if any.

There was also a QnA session between Mr Bhagat and the incubates and that helped the incubates to clarify their doubts.

Mizoram Kailawn 2019 saw 4 entrepreneurs from Mizoram sign up MoU’s with entrepreneurs from other parts of the country to work together. This will pave the way forward for collaborations and synergies and growth of business in Mizoram.

The third year of Mizoram Kailawn was launched on 17 June 2019 by honourable Chief Secretary Pu Lalnunmawia Chuaungo. Thereafter, Outreach and Awareness Programmes were conducted in each district capital by the MzCG team and District Master Trainers chosen under the Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (EDS). Awareness programmes focused on entrepreneurship awareness as well as a call for invitation to apply for the business plan competition. District Outreach and Awareness Programs were coordinated with the support of Offices of the Deputy Commissioner. A total of nine Outreach and Awareness Programs were conducted for Mizoram Kailawn 2019, with approximately 150-200 attendees for each program. Mizoram Kailawn this year saw great enthusiasm with a total of 456 participants registering, an increase from the 330 applicants in 2018, and 287 in 2017. Evaluators from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and other stakeholders from the entrepreneurial ecosystem shortlisted 40 Finalists to take part in the Boot Camp/Training programme hosted at the Tourist Lodge in Chaltlang, Aizawl. The four day residential Boot Camp was packed with rigorous sessions by IIMCIP Mentors who covered sessions on business presentation pitches, financial projections, idea valuation and other aspects required of a viable business.Given that evaluators conduct a blind evaluation of the applications, it is truly remarkable that there was representation from all districts among the Top 40 Finalists. The fourday residential Boot Camp was packed with rigorous sessions by IIMCIP Mentors who covered sessions on business presentation pitches, financial projections, idea valuation and other aspects required of a viable business. Women founders/entrepreneurs represented 32.5% (13 women) of the Finalists selected to participate in the Boot Camp/Training.

True to the inclusive nature of Mizoram Kailawn, the Top 40 Finalist business plans covered a range of sectors, whether at idea stage or start-up phase. Business plans spanned all sectors including Agriculture and Allied, Manufacturing, Service Industry, Food and Beverage, Handicrafts, Food Processing, and Information Technology amongst others. The finalists selected spanned in age as well, where the youngest was 20 years old and the most senior finalist was 65 years old. The Top 20 Finalists were then shortlisted at the close of the Boot Camp, and delivered their final presentations on 16 September 2019.

Mizoram Kailawn 2019 concluded with the Entrepreneurship Summit on 17 September 2019 at Vanapa Hall, Aizawl. The Summit included a Start Up Conclave, highlighting start-ups from Mizoram as and those incubated at IIMCIP, a Master Class by Srikant Sastri, talks and panel discussions on entrepreneurship development in Mizoram, and announcement of MoUs between start-ups in Mizoram and those incubated by IIMCIP. The grand finale of the Summit was the announcement and felicitation of the Mizoram Kailawn 2019 Business Plan Contest Winners.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park organized “Thinking Social” seminar in partnership at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune on 11 th September, 2019. The primary objective of this exercise was to build awareness, interest and desire to engage with the Social Enterprise Ecosystem amongst the aspiring entrepreneurs and start ups. The seminar was formally inaugurated by Dr. Apoorva Palkar, Director- Innovation, Incubation and Linkage, SP Pune University, Pune. This was followed by keynote address by Dr. N.S. Umarani, Pro Vice Chancellor, SP Pune University.The other eminent speakers comprised Ms. Geeta Tolia, Chartered Accountant and a Sloan Fellow from London School of Business armed with over 30 years of Indian and international experience in the areas of Financial Management, Business Turnarounds and Indian and International Taxation; Mr. Swapnil Chaturvedi, popularly known as Poop Guy. He was the co founder and Chief Toilet Cleaner at Samagra Empowerment Foundation; Mr. Suman,Mukhopadhyay, Mentor-IIM Calcutta Innovation Park. There was a panel discussion on social entrepreneurship moderated by Mr. Suman Mukhopadhyay and the panellists were Mr. Amit Godse, Founder – Bee Basket, Mr. Harshad Bhagwat, Founder – Wordsmaya Edutech, Mr. Dhananjay Abhang, Founder – Cleanergy Tech Solutions. The event was attended by over 100 enthusiastic participants comprising entrepreneurs, aspiring start ups and students and members of faculty from SP Pune University.

The third year of Mizoram Kailawn was launched on 17 June 2019. The Boot Camp was held at the Chaltlang Tourist Lodge, Aizawl from 4-7th September. In this 4-day Boot Camp, experts from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park mentored finalists, and guided them as they refined their business plans.