Bhubaneswar: In a bid to support startup ecosystem in Odisha, Startup Odisha organised a Startup Connect program with the State Level Bankers’ Committee, Odisha, on Monday. The event was chaired by Development Commissioner PK Jena. He gave away HDFC Bank CSR Grant Cheques to four shortlisted startups.
Among others, MSME Secretary Ranjana Chopra, Finance Secretary Vishal Dev, Additional Secretary, MSME, Uday N Das, CEO Startup Odisha, Md Saddique Alam, Pragyansmita Sahoo, Director of Institutional Finance and Arupananda Jena, Convenor SLBC were present.
Deepak Kumar Singh Zonal Head, HDFC Bank other senior officials from Government Departments, Bankers, Incubation Centres and Startups attended the event.
Alam introduced the fraternity with the budding ecosystem and emphasised how Startup Odisha has been pivotal in nurturing them and laid emphasis on how bankers should develop innovative banking solutions for them.
Speaking at the event, Dev spoke about the need of Startup Policies for the banks &how banks need to adopt a valuation mechanism for Startups.
Chopra said that good ideas should be nurtured & informed about the gamut of services like Testing, Mentoring, Marketing etc, are being made available to the budding ecosystem at O-Hub, Startup Odisha Incubation Centre.
“With the budding ecosystem growing bigger, such meetings are just precursor for Make in Odisha 2022 to be held during November-December (2022),” she added.
Jena addressed the gathering that a dedicated guidance and mentoring support should be provided to the first-time entrepreneurs. Jena informed about the funds being made available for startups and how the State Government has been reshaping procurement policies for the startups.
Jena laid emphasis on the vertical growth of the startups and laid emphasis on having a dedicated allotment of land/space for Startups post their incubation period as well opening a SLBC Cell in O-Hub to give banking handholding to Startups.
Singh addressed all startup’s about banks offering for startups under flagship program SMART UP and interacted with the Startups. HDFC Bank has been giving grants under their CSR to various Startup’s in Odisha since 2017.
