Bhubaneswar, January 16: The two-day State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition was inaugurated on Friday here at Rama Devi Women’s University. As many as 72 students from 14 universities across Odisha were participating in the coemption. The competition has been organised for the first time jointly by the Higher Education Department and the Odisha State Higher Education Council.

Electronics & Information Technology Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling graced the inaugural ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion Mahaling said, “Such initiatives encourage students to move beyond textbook-based learning and engage in advanced research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, thereby contributing to societal development.”

He also visited the exhibition stalls and interacted with the students in detail regarding their innovative ideas and research initiatives.

It is pertinent to mention here that the competition follows a multi-tier selection process. Initially, college-level competitions were conducted, followed by university-level rounds. Outstanding participants from the university level qualified for the state-level competition.

At the State-level, a total of 10 best startup projects will be selected, and each selected project will receive financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh from the Higher Education Department. In addition, the selected students will be provided mentorship support and facilities for advanced research.

Students showcased their startup projects across nine categories, including agriculture and rural development, health, food and nutrition, fashion and handloom, artificial intelligence and technology, mental health, finance and business service, education, environment protection and sustainable development. The participants described the competition as an effective platform to showcase their skills, innovation and entrepreneurial potential.