Bhubaneswar: State Minister for MSME Pratap Keshari Deb asserted that Odisha is the right place for startups to grow and nurture themselves.
At the concluding ceremony of the Odisha Startup Conclave organized at O-Hubs, he said that all those startups and investors who are trying to explore must know that the time of Odisha has come and this is the right opportunity to start in Odisha. He also asserted that the state has got a large technical pool of resources and the field ready with land, water, infrastructure & power which make Odisha a versatile state for anybody to start their enterprise here and grow holistically.
Executive Chairman, Startup Odisha, Dr Omkar Rai in his keynote address said: “O-Hub with its world-class facilities & services shall continue to be the epicentre of such programs in the state. Odisha has more than 1300 recognized startups with 40% of them being women-led which makes the state unique among all other ecosystems in the country.”
Shri Devjyoti Mohanty, CEO, AIC-Nalanda welcomed the dignitaries, guests and audience for their gracious presence in the program and elaborated on the successful journey of the first Odisha Startup Carnival. This was a one-of-its-kind Mentor-Investor-Connect Fest, organized by AIC-Nalanda in collaboration with Startup Odisha, UCCIL and Fluid Ventures. It was a 12-day long fest for startups with over 40 experts, mentors & investors coming to Bhubaneswar from varied fields and sectors across the nation. It was followed by 100 one on one meetings between Investors and Startups that gained unprecedented appreciation from all stakeholders. The networking sessions during the carnival gave startups an opportunity to interact with mentors & investors and seek the necessary guidance.
The closing ceremony included panel discussions with investors, industry stalwarts, Govt. officials and community enablers. A startup privilege club of 50 startups was also announced to benefit them with further support & linkages from Government, Industry and Investors. 10 best-performing startups were also felicitated on this occasion.
