Bhubaneswar, March 20: The Atal Innovation Centre (AIC)-SOA Foundation, an initiative of the SOA Deemed to be University aiming to spawn start-ups involving students, was inaugurated in the campus of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), SOA’s faculty of engineering and technology here, on Thursday.
Gokulananda Mallik, Odisha’s minister for Fisheries, Animal Resources and MSME, inaugurated the facility set up with the support of the Atal Innovation Mission of the NITI Aayog.
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a Government of India initiative under the NITI Aayog which was launched by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi on February 16, 2016 with the objective of fostering a nationwide culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It helps establish Atal Innovation Centres (AIC) in universities and industries to support start-ups and mentor innovators, creating a comprehensive eco-system for technology-driven self-employment.
Congratulating SOA for focusing on research and innovation and establishing the AIC, Mr. Mallik said the state government’s start-up policy aimed to encourage students and strengthen the start-up ecosystem. “Acquiring skill is vital today and it is for the youth to focus on innovation and start-ups to boost the economy,” he said.
The AIC-SOA Foundation will act as a catalyst for transforming innovative ideas into scalable and sustainable ventures thereby strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state and across the nation.
Dr. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, who was the guest of honour on the occasion, said six out of every ten students would be launching their own start-ups in the near future.
Describing the students as a privileged set of youngsters, he urged them to take responsibility on their own shoulders as a new India was taking shape.
“New start-ups are getting added every day pointing at a new engine of growth. While there were only 400 start-ups in the country in January 2016, as many as 200,000 start-ups had been registered since then,” Dr. Bagla said.
India figured among the top three nations in regard to start-ups, he said adding it was the top country as far as new start-ups were concerned while it stood second in the number of start-ups registered. As regards unicorns, India stood third in the world, he said.
Describing AIC as the world’s largest grass root innovation mission, Dr. Bagla said it was a privilege for Atal Innovation Mission to partner with SOA University in this field.
The program was also addressed by Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, Mr. Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, CEO of Start-up Odisha, Prof. Prasanta Kumar Patra, Pro-Vice Chancellor of SOA and Prof. Prasanta Kumar Panigrahi, Director of SOA’s Centre for Quantum Science and Technology.
Prof. Nanda said that AIC-SOA Foundation had received the first phase of grant which would propel its activities.
Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and also former Director of IIT Kharagpur, Pro VC Prof. Anup Ku. Samantray, Pro VC Prof. Neeta Mohanty, Controller of Examination Prof. Manjula Das, Prof. U.C Mohanty Distinguished Professor at Centre for Climate Smart Agriculture (CCSA), Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director of AIC-SOA Foundation, were also presents.
Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), ITER, delivered the welcome address while Ms. Lopa Mishra Jana, CEO of AIC-SOA Foundation, proposed the vote of thanks.
