Odisha CM invites entrepreneurs to invest in sports sector

Bhubaneswar: Sport IT 2020, India’s first sports and innovation festival organised by Xavier Emlyon Business School (XEBS) and Sports and Youth Services Department came to a grand end with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik exhorting startups and entrepreneurs to invest in sports sector of the State.

Addressing the Valedictory Ceremony at Kalinga Stadium, Naveen Patnaik said, “I appreciate the unique venture of the Xavier Emlyon Business School, Bhubaneswar and the Sports & Youth Services Department in hosting SPORT-IT 2020, India’s first ever sports and innovation festival here in Bhubaneswar.”

With SPORT IT 2020, we want to create an inclusive platform that would not only celebrate sports innovation and entrepreneurship; but also involve sportspersons, sports startups, high-performance centres and students in a significant way. It will encourage the participants from the Sports fraternity to meet, exchange knowledge, and learn from one another,” said Patnaik.

Welcoming sports entrepreneurs, investors and students from across India and foreign nations to Bhubaneswar, Patnaik said it was a matter of happiness that Odisha has been conferred with Sports-Star Ace Award for the consecutive second year as the Best State for Sports Promotion in the entire country.

This reflects the commitment of Odisha Government for the development of the sport, Naveen informed.

“I am sure the festival will enhance the outcome of our efforts to bring innovation to sports and promote a sporting culture among the youth,” the Chief Minister said.

The Odisha Government has also invited the startup entrepreneurs who participated in the event for interaction for future association.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister handed over the Best Startup Award to Funngage, a curated and integrated sports platform from Delhi, which received a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh as announced by emlyon business school, France.

Similarly, he also felicitated the team who won the Hackathon contest that included tennis player Chinmay Pradhan, paraathlete Dileshwar Rao, Program Manager, Naval Tata Hockey Academy Debashis Nayak, basketball coach Rajesh Singh, and Professor Sports Sovan Patnaik.

They would be flying to Lyon in September to attend the biggest sports innovation festival in Europe, Sports Unlimitech.