Odisha govt decides to procure startup products from 2021-22

Bhubaneswar: In order to promote start ups and strengthen the ecosystem within the state, Odisha government has decided to procure products made by statrtups.

While inaugurating the Hall of Fame programme organised by TiE Bhubaneswar in association with Startup Odisha, MSME secretary Satyabrata Sahu informed that Odisha is very keen to promote start-ups through procurement of their products.

Sahu said, “Hopefully by 2021-22 financial year, we will be promoting and marketing start-up products. That was a major decision taken by honourable chief minister. I am happy to inform you all that in last 4 years more than 900 startups set up their base in Odisha. To provide more favourable ecosystem to start up organisations, we have redrafted Odisha start up policy recently.  As per the advice of Startup Council of Odisha, many clauses of previous policy have been modified. Before that a deliberation meeting was organised in KITT-TBI with all major stakeholders and their suggestions were collected which give impetus for preparing this draft of revised policy.”

He also informs that during Panchayatiraj Divas in March 5, which is also birth anniversary of late Biju Patnaik, Odisha government will organise a 5 days Entrepreneurship Week-2021 event in exhibition ground where a special hanger will be dedicated for start-ups.

Many eminent personalities would attend the event and it will provide huge exposure to start-up to showcase their products and service to them. 

Very shortly state government will inaugurate Odisha Startup Hub at Infocity. This is being built by IDCO with cost of Rs 180 crore. Internal furnishing is underway. Soon this facility will be accessed by startup organisations in subsidised rate, said the MSME secretary.

Guruprasad Mahapatra, Secretary, DPIIT, Government of India talked about various schemes of government of India like fund of Fund in association with SIDBI, credit guarantee scheme, which benefits can be leveraged by start-ups. 

Asit Kumar Tripathy, Chairman, Western Odisha Development Council highlighted the commercialisation aspect which is crucial in entrepreneurship journey.

He said that state government is committed to support entrepreneurs.

While discussing about the event, Devasish Patnaik, President, TiE Bhubaneswar said, “Startpups ranging from tea making to coffee vending machine, E-bike and drone manufacturers are participated in Hall of Fame. Our dignitaries personally visited all start-ups and discussed with them.”

In Hall of Fame, start-ups of Odisha have showcased their products and services. An exhibition is organised for participants where they showcased and exhibited their products.

Investor like Bhubaneswar Angels, Mumbai Angels and Lead Angels are participated in the event. Start-ups engage themselves with various investors and pitch their project to them to get their attention and funding as well.

A special session on pitching has been held for selected start-ups. Participants got opportunity for interact with investors in Open House session. Today, 25 start-ups have showcased their products and services and 10 start-ups pitched their ideas and few launched their products.

For mentoring of start-ups a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between TiE Bhubaneswar and IIM-Sambalpur.

Other dignitaries present at Hall of Fame are Subrato Bagchi, Chairman, Odisha Skill Development Authority, Sunil Taneja, VP, TiE Bhubaneswar and Mahadev Jaiswal, Director, IIM-Sambalpur.