IIT Kanpur and Kolhapur Incubation Center to launch Kolhapur Startup Mission today

The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and the Kolhapur Incubation Center (KIC), with support of DY Patil Education Group, have partnered to launch Kolhapur Startup Mission (KSM).

KSM is a first-of-its-kind initiative that will invite startups and innovators for solving civic issues in Kolhapur city and to ignite the spark of innovation and entrepreneurship among the youth of the city.

Established in the year 2000, SIIC of IIT Kanpur is one of the oldest technology business incubators with many successes under its belt.

Kolhapur Startup Mission will leverage the experience of SIIC IIT Kanpur’s world-leading incubation ecosystem, local reach and experience of Kolhapur Incubation Centre and that of the DY Patil Group to bring together tech startups, young innovators, and local administration to co-create innovative solutions to transform communities in Kolhapur.

Under KSM, selected startups and innovators will be awarded upto Rs 5 lakh for implementing their technology product and services in the district of Kolhapur. In the current call for application, the focus areas are some of the most critical civic issues for the city of Kolhapur - water management, waste management, air quality management, education, public health, EE-governance, agriculture, mobility and transportation. The call for application will be open from January 15 to 24, 2021, where any Indian startup and innovator can apply. 

Speaking on this, the minister of State (Home and IT), Government of Maharashtra Satej Patil said, "Kolhapur has historically been a very enterprising city. Through Kolhapur Startup Mission, we want to invite young startups to our city, facilitate testing of their ideas and bring in innovative solutions to civic problems of Kolhapur. I am confident this initiative will make Kolhapur a new startup destination."

Startups and social enterprises are widely regarded as the key to addressing developmental challenges, especially in emerging economies such as India. With path breaking innovation brewing at incubate startups, SIIC IIT Kanpur aims to create impact at the bottom of the pyramid.

The launch event kicks off today, January 15 at 6.30pm on a virtual platform. To attend it, click here.

The event will be hosted by Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, professor and in-charge of incubation and innovation, IIT Kanpur. “Through the Kolhapur Startup Mission, we look forward to attracting  young innovators and startups towards solving the real problems faced in the tier-2 cities and rural India, and thus  nurtures the students and residents of Kolhapur towards pragmatic innovation and entrepreneurship,” he commented.

To know more about SIIC click here.