Sambalpur: Under its flagship mission “100 Cube,” the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has set an ambitious goal of supporting 100 start-ups and helping them achieve ₹100 crore valuations by 2036, with a special focus on ventures that uplift local livelihoods—particularly those linked to Sambalpuri textiles, tribal entrepreneurship, agrotech innovations, and women-led enterprises.
The institute announced this vision during the Foundation Day of its Innovation and Incubation Hub (I-Hub), celebrated alongside its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit, NAVYUG 2.0.
This year’s summit, themed “Made in Bharat: Local Roots, Global Routes,” highlighted IIM Sambalpur’s commitment to nurturing grassroots entrepreneurs emerging from small towns and rural ecosystems.
The I-Hub showcased a diverse set of start-ups working on solutions ranging from autism childcare and sustainable fashion to tribal livelihoods, urban mobility innovations, and digital platforms empowering small businesses.
Strengthening its regional footprint, IIM Sambalpur signed co-incubation agreements with Sambalpur University and Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), expanding collaborative support for innovators. During the event, the institute facilitated its first cohort of incubatees while welcoming the second cohort, reaffirming its role in building a robust grassroots innovation ecosystem.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, emphasised that research, innovation and entrepreneurship are essential pillars of national growth. “Start-ups not only contribute to the economy but also transform mindsets toward solution-oriented thinking,” he said, highlighting the institute’s commitment to ventures addressing real societal challenges.
Ranju Sigtia, National Product Head – Start-up Ecosystem, ICICI Bank, urged students to engage deeply with the entrepreneurial ecosystem and learn from experienced founders.
Shivtosh Kumar, Co-Founder of Sugar.fit, encouraged innovators to prioritise solving real problems: “True entrepreneurship is not about launching a product, but being obsessed with creating solutions that genuinely help society.”
Rajat Chawla, AVP Finance, YourNest Venture Capital, stressed the importance of aligning business models with venture capital strategies to scale globally.
Over the past year, I-Hub has hosted more than 80 mentorship sessions, 30 masterclasses, and supported 27 start-ups, including ventures promoting millet farming, reusable sanitary solutions for rural women, autism childcare, and livelihood support for master weavers. These efforts reflect IIM Sambalpur’s deep engagement with grassroots entrepreneurship.
Looking ahead, Diwahar Sunder Nadar, Chairperson, Incubation, announced that I-Hub will soon launch a Business Clinic, a Women’s Incubation Programme, and a Masterpiece Incubation Programme to further empower early-stage founders.
By combining innovation, integrity and inclusiveness, IIM Sambalpur is working toward cultivating responsible leaders and scaling grassroots solutions across India and beyond—contributing to the larger national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
