To promote start-up ideas and entrepreneurship at the grassroots level, the Odisha government will organise Start-up Yatra and Start-up Xpress, covering all districts of the state. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the programme organised by the MSME department here on September 11.

As Odisha marches towards its mission of 5,000 startups by 2025, Odisha Start-up Yatra and Start-up Xpress 2023 will be pivotal in bringing innovative ideas to the forefront, Minister Pratap Keshari Deb said.

He said with a track record of nurturing innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and providing robust support to women entrepreneurs, these initiatives stand as a transformative experience, poised to accelerate the start-up ecosystem's growth.

Through a series of engaging initiatives, including both van camps and boot camps for scouting innovative ideas, start-up Odisha will engage with over 25,000 students involving more than 200 colleges and 60 schools across the state. The top 25 ideas will be invited to O-Hub (the start-up hub building) for the demo, out of which 10 will be awarded with seed funding worth Rs 3 lakh each to develop their ideas into viable start-up ventures, Deb said. A dedicated mobile application has been developed to collect innovative ideas from the young innovators, he said.

Additionally, the top 20 ideas from Start-up Xpress 2023 will be invited for final pitching out of which 10 ideas will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each to encourage these young students and build their entrepreneurial spirit.

Dr. Omkar Rai, executive chairman of start-up Odisha said, “With 1700+ start-ups, including 42 per cent led by women, and supported by 27 incubators, Odisha thrives as an entrepreneurial hub. These initiatives will empower students by offering insights, idea pitching, and a pathway to the acceleration program. We aspire for this journey to enhance entrepreneurship, catalyse innovative breakthroughs, and unify the state on its path to becoming a transformative ideas hub.” 

"The programme is set to empower students, providing them with valuable insights, opportunities to pitch their ideas, and a clear pathway to help them build successful start-ups. The enthusiasm and eagerness of our youth to bring new ideas to life will exemplify the transformative power of entrepreneurship," said Saswat Mishra, principal secretary, MSME department.