NIT Raipur FIE hosts PRAVARTAN – A flagship startup outreach event

Raipur (Team Newsbuddy): The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur, through its Incubation Centre, the NIT Raipur Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NITRRFIE), in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), successfully hosted Pravartan 2024, a flagship startup outreach event . The event focused on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and early-stage investment within India’s dynamic startup landscape, drawing an enthusiastic response from entrepreneurs, investors, and students.

The program unfolded with insightful addresses and engaging presentations. Prof. Samir Bajpai, Head, Career Development Centre articulated NIT Raipur’s vision for nurturing future entrepreneurs, while Dr. Anuj Kumar Shukla, Professor In-charge, Incubation Cell presented a detailed overview of NITRRFIE’s role in startup incubation and mentorship. Representatives from SIDBI, including Vijay Kumar Singh, DGM and Anupam Srivastava, Manager highlighted the organization’s significant contributions to empowering MSMEs and startups. Suhani Kumar, Manager at Startup India outlined the government’s robust support systems available to budding ventures, providing practical insights to the audience.

A key highlight of the event was the pitching session, where select startups showcased their innovative business ideas to a distinguished panel of investors. The panel included prominent investors, including Rajiv Raghunandan, Managing Partner at Arali Ventures; Richa Bajpai, Founder and CEO of Campus Fund; and Mr. Rohan Pichai, Analyst at Unicorn India Ventures. These industry leaders actively participated in dynamic panel discussions, evaluated the pitches, and offered valuable feedback, exploring potential investment opportunities. Six startups received particularly enthusiastic responses from investors, who expressed interest in further discussions regarding investment.

The event concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks delivered by Pawan Kataria, Assistant Registrar, NIT Raipur, who expressed gratitude to all participants, sponsors, speakers, volunteers, and organizers for their contributions to the event’s success. The presence of NITRRFIE’s CEO, Abhijeet Sharma; Incubation Manager, Sunil Dewangan and Accountant Ashok Sahu, further underscored the importance of Pravartan 2024 in advancing entrepreneurial initiatives.

Reflecting on the event, Dr. Anuj K. Shukla emphasized that Pravartan 2024 reaffirmed NIT Raipur and NITRRFIE’s commitment to building a thriving startup ecosystem in India. With SIDBI as a key sponsor, the event provided critical insights into early-stage funding and practical business strategies, while also promoting meaningful dialogues between entrepreneurs, investors, and students. Pravartan 2024 stands as a testament to the transformative potential of such initiatives in promoting entrepreneurship at both the state and national levels.