AKTU to set up centre to promote startups

Dr Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow will set up a Centre for Innovation and Incubation of Startups at the university.

The university held a three hour brainstorming session to collect ideas and evolve a plan for establishing an international level ecosystem for promoting and supporting startups among the students and alumni of the university.

Vice chancellor Vinay Pathak and registrar of the university Rakesh Verma anchored the meeting. International investor Anand Govindaluri was also present to explore the opportunities for investments in startups in the state.

Prof Pathak emphasised on the need to create the best ecosystem to ensure that the students of AKTU were provided all facilities to promote their innovation on the campus and beyond it.

He said that the university had confidence that several students would come up with startups, with the right platform being created.

Srijan Pal Singh, former advisor to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, highlighted the need for multiple different stakeholders to share knowledge and infrastructure to ensure the success of all startups from the youth of the state.

The session focused on three tracks to promote startups among the students. They were: creation of academic ecosystem , setting up incubation facilities, sharing resources and mentorship with budding entrepreneurs and creating funding opportunities for startups.

The session was attended by about 30 representatives from the university, state government, affiliated colleges, representatives from industry bodies including SIDBI, CII, Lucknow Management Association, The Indus Entrepreneurs and Indian Industries Association.

Senior representatives from JSS Noida, AK Garg College, Kanpur Institute of Technology, IET Lucknow, Galgotia College, PSIT Kanpur, Ambalika Institute of Technology and Management, GL Bajaj Group of Institutions, Bansal Institute of Technology, BNCET, SRIMT Lucknow, SRMSCET Barielly, ITS Engineering College and ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad attended the seminar.

Govindaluri from Govin Capital, stressed on the opportunity international investors saw in Uttar Pradesh startups, and the need to develop high quality incubation culture.

Rakesh Verma spoke about the need for startups with innovative ideas.

He said it was important to identify and nurture ideas while the students were in college and build a culture of entrepreneurs.