The open world market scenario has given a huge fillip to entrepreneurship in India in recent times. India boasts the largest percentage of youth human resources in the world. Hence the an urgent need to tap the youth energy pool through employment generation by both Government and private enterprises if India is to become an economic superpower.
With this in mind, RCM organized ‘E-Start’, a two-day Boot Camp, in collaboration with Startup Odisha, on 15th-16th July 2019.
Young serial entrepreneur Vishnu Nagaraj, co-founder of Carve Startup Labs (CSL) in Bangalore, conducted the workshop. The organizers divided the students into 20 teams of four to five members each. The workshop focused on inviting fresh and innovative ideas for potential business enterprises.
Day-1
Explaining the necessity for entrepreneurship in present times Nagaraj said, “Instead of working monotonously for someone, you actually use the same amount of energy and time in working to create what you believe in”. He said, “Entrepreneurship involves generating ideas, systematic planning for execution & implementation as well as assessing economic value”.The workshop encouraged students to participate in several rounds of activities. These activities helped them understand problem identification, idea development, implementation, and revenue generation when launching a startup.
Activity Details
Round 1: Idea proposition
Round 2: Each team prepared a canvas highlighting the existing problem areas that their startup aimed to address. They also identified potential competitors and defined their target customers.
Round 3: Teams created pictorial posters on canvases to illustrate the key components of their startup ideas.
Round 4: Two members from each team visited other teams to promote their ideas and gather feedback. They also discussed the potential value of their products or services.
Round 5: Each team prepared a one-minute skit to promote its product or service. The teams then performed their skits before the other teams and faculty coordinators.
Day 2
Round 6: Students received a new canvas covering key partners, key resources, value propositions, cost structures, revenue streams, and other important business elements. They completed the canvas based on their startup plans.
Round 7: The simulation exercise focused on entrepreneur interaction. Individual participants acted as entrepreneurs and held professional conversations with other participants about their proposed startup plans.
Round 8: Teams prepared PowerPoint presentations based on their proposed startup plans.
Round 9: Each team presented its startup plan to a jury. The presentation concluded with a question-and-answer session.
The Jury consisted of:
- Mr Sangram K Mohanty, (CEO) Entrepreneurship & Incubation Cell (RCM)
- Prof (Dr) Nirmala Dutta ,( Head) Entrepreneurship Cell (RCM)
- Prof (Dr).Itishree Devi, Entrepreneurship Cell(RCM)
- Mr Rashmi Ranjan Sahu, Senior Mission Associate, Startup Odisha, Govt of Odisha
All the Participating Teams had interesting and innovative Startup Proposals. The three winning Teams were felicitated with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes along with Achiever Certificates by Dr Prabir Pal, Chairman RCM, and Mr. Prashant Biswal, Evangelist, Odisha Startup. All participants received Participation Certificates.
1st– Idea: “KANTABAI”: “Ghar ko ghar banane ke liye KANTABAI haazir hai..!
Team Members: Simran Jahan Begum ; Devyani Mohanty; Kanhu Charan Mishra; Biswajita Mohanty; Laxmipriya Rout
2nd – Idea: “MECH 24*7”
Team Members- Debasish Behera; Mukul Manohar Jena; Saiyad Faizan Ahmed; Pritish Nanda; Sikun Kumar Panda
3rd– Idea: “DARZI”: “Find your perfect fit at your place”
Team Members: Rajeev Pradhan; Erum Firdoush; Ajay Sharma; Rajesh Kumar Sharma
The Boot Camp evinced enthusiastic participation from a hundred (approx.) students from MBA, PGDM, BBA & BCA. Students were full of energy and excitement while brainstorming and creating innovative business ideas. It was an extraordinary opportunity for students to gain preliminary knowledge on startups and the wide avenues open for fresh enterprises. Some students were genuinely interested in founding their own Startups. Overall the “E-Start” Boot Camp at RCM was a huge success.
