Kolkata, India, August 12, 2025: In a landmark collaboration to empower creative entrepreneurs, the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP), one of the country’s leading startup incubators, has joined forces with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Deemed-to-be-University.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed in Kolkata by Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO, IIMCIP, and Mr. Samiran Datta, Vice-Chancellor, SRFTI (DTBU). This alliance marks a pivotal step in bridging the worlds of creativity, business and technology to unlock the full potential of India’s creative economy.
“This is not just a partnership, it’s the foundation of a new ecosystem that enables artistic imagination to scale through structured innovation support,” said Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal. “We believe this will unlock new economic value and career pathways in Bengal’s creative sector and beyond.”
The collaboration aims to foster and accelerate startups working at the intersection of storytelling, digital content, design, animation, gaming, AR/VR and allied creative technologies. Startups will gain access to a comprehensive support system, including:
Mr. Samiran Datta highlighted the strategic importance of the collaboration: “The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has mandated the film school to maintain strong connections with the industry. This partnership with IIMCIP is a direct and powerful step toward fulfilling that mandate, creating a bridge between our artistic talent and the entrepreneurial world.”
This initiative is expected to create a ripple effect, enabling young filmmakers, designers, and digital content creators to transform their ideas into sustainable ventures, while also contributing to India’s larger vision of becoming a global hub for creative and cultural industries.
About IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP), established under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 2014, is a premier business incubator that empowers innovative, impact-driven enterprises. With a strong focus on underserved regions and rural women entrepreneurs, IIMCIP combines business expertise, funding and network connects to catalyse the growth of socially impactful startups and build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems across India.
About Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Deemed-to-be University
Located in Kolkata and named after the legendary maestro Satyajit Ray, the Satyajit RayFilm & Television Institute (SRFTI), Deemed-to-be-University, is the only national centre for cinema education in eastern India.
SRFTI has been offering three-year postgraduate programmes in Cinema across six specialisations: Direction and Screenplay Writing, Editing, Cinematography, Sound Recording and Design, Producing for Film & Television, and Animation Cinema. In 2017, the Institute launched the Electronic & Digital Media (EDM) wing, which offers two-year postgraduate programmes in Electronic and Digital Media in six specialisations: Management, Writing, Direction & Producing, Cinematography, Editing, and Sound.
SRFTI’s alumni have consistently earned acclaim for their creative excellence, setting new trends in filmmaking through a fusion of thought, craft, and entrepreneurship. On 22nd April2025, the Ministry of Education awarded SRFTI the status of a Deemed-to-be-University under a distinct category under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.