The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, which has over 10 years of experience in nurturing more than 100 technology-based entrepreneurs, has now started a programme to help technical institutes cultivate a start-up ecosystem. With around 30 successfully graduated start-ups to its credit, the institute’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) has started a programme that helps engineering colleges promote entrepreneurship and establish an incubation centre.

At least 30 participants from engineering colleges across the country gathered at IIT-B recently for a four-day course on innovation, entrepreneurship and incubation. After the programme, an engineering college in Assam will soon start its incubation centre.

“While most colleges have the intent to establish an incubation centre, they don’t know how to go about it. On the other hand, those who have incubation centres are not able to make good use of it. The course helps bridge these gaps,” said Milind Atrey, the professor in-charge for SINE.

Established in 2004, SINE has not only helped incubate over 103 start-ups, it also provides physical infrastructure and support systems. “This is the first time SINE is sharing its learnings and experiences for the benefit of other institutions,” said Atrey.

The course included sessions on intellectual property, social entrepreneurship and technology trends. A session on government schemes for promoting entrepreneurship, too, was part of the course. It also included a panel discussion on women entrepreneurs. Success stories of SINE incubated start-ups were projected as examples. Each participant was made to prepare a business plan at the end of the course. “We also shared our experience about industry partnership to support a start-up ecosystem,” added Atrey.

Participants included academicians from across the country. Gunajit Sarma, an economics professor and the coordinator of the Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar, Assam, who attended the course, said they will start an incubation centre and a special programme for woman entrepreneurs.

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