Raurkela: Around 200 students from educational institutions in and around Raurkela participated in a two-day workshop organised by the Foundation for Technology and Business Incubation (FTBI), NIT Raurkela, to explore opportunities in entrepreneurship, startups, funding and investment.
The workshop, titled “From Idea to Investment: Unlocking GENESIS & GENESIS Investment 2.0 Opportunities”, was held on August 31 and September 1 at FTBI, NIT Raurkela. It aimed to familiarise students and aspiring entrepreneurs with the startup ecosystem and help them understand the journey from developing an idea to building a scalable venture.
Students from NIT Raurkela, RIMS, Kanak Manjari Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGIE, DAMITS, Ispat College, SSRVM and several other institutions attended the programme.
The workshop covered key aspects of entrepreneurship, including identifying and validating business ideas, understanding market opportunities, developing innovative solutions, building startups and exploring funding and investment avenues.
A major focus of the programme was on the GENESIS and GENESIS Investment 2.0 initiatives. Participants were briefed on eligibility criteria, the application process, funding and investment opportunities, mentoring support and other assistance available to early-stage innovators and startups.
The sessions also provided participants an opportunity to interact with the FTBI team and learn about the functioning of an incubation centre. Students were introduced to the support available for developing and commercialising innovative ideas and were encouraged to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.
Subrata Kumar Panda, President, FTBI, NIT Raurkela, stressed the importance of nurturing a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students. He highlighted the role of academic institutions and incubation centres in providing mentorship and an ecosystem that enables young innovators to turn their ideas into impactful solutions.
Chiranjibi Samal, CEO, FTBI, NIT Raurkela, said the workshop was aimed at connecting students with opportunities in the startup ecosystem and helping them understand the process from idea generation and validation to incubation, funding and investment.
He encouraged students to explore entrepreneurship and make use of the incubation, mentoring and funding support available through initiatives such as GENESIS.
The participation of students from diverse academic backgrounds reflected the growing interest in entrepreneurship and innovation among young people in the region. The workshop also gave participants an opportunity to exchange ideas, interact with peers and gain practical insights into the startup journey.
The programme concluded with several participants expressing interest in taking their ideas forward and exploring incubation and funding opportunities through FTBI.
FTBI, NIT Raurkela, has been organising outreach and capacity-building programmes to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and startup culture among students and aspiring entrepreneurs and strengthen the startup ecosystem in Odisha.
