State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition Begins in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition was inaugurated on Thursday at Rama Devi Women’s University, bringing together 72 students from 14 universities across Odisha to showcase innovative ideas and research-driven startup projects. The two-day event, being held on January 16 and 17, is being organised for the first time jointly by the Higher Education Department, Government of Odisha, and the Odisha State Higher Education Council.

Health & Family Welfare, Electronics & Information Technology, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling graced the inaugural ceremony as the Chief Guest. After formally launching the competition, the Minister visited the exhibition stalls and interacted with participating students, engaging in detailed discussions on their innovations, research concepts, and entrepreneurial aspirations.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mahaling said the State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition is playing a crucial role in nurturing creativity among students and strengthening Odisha’s startup ecosystem. He emphasised that such initiatives encourage learners to move beyond textbook-centric education and actively engage in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Highlighting the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Minister noted that higher education is increasingly focused on experiential learning and research-oriented approaches. He added that platforms like this competition not only promote self-reliance among students but also align with the objectives of the Startup India mission, contributing to broader societal development.

The competition follows a structured, multi-tier selection process. Initially, college-level contests were conducted, followed by university-level rounds, from which outstanding teams qualified for the state-level event. At the final stage, 10 best startup projects will be selected, with each project receiving financial assistance of ₹5 lakh from the Higher Education Department. In addition to financial support, the selected teams will be provided mentorship, research guidance, and access to facilities for further development of their innovations.

Students presented their startup ideas across nine thematic categories, including agriculture and rural development, health, food and nutrition, fashion and handloom, artificial intelligence and technology, mental health, finance and business services, education, and environment protection and sustainable development. Participants described the competition as a valuable platform to demonstrate their skills, creativity, and entrepreneurial potential while gaining exposure to expert feedback and peer learning.

The inaugural event was attended by Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department, Dharani Dhar Nanda, Additional Secretary Pratibha Sahu, Joint Secretary Mausumi Nayak, Vice-Chancellor of Rama Devi Women’s University Prof. Chandi Charan Rath, Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University Prof. Yajneswar Dandapat, Padma Shri awardee Prof. Aditya Prasad Dash, Prof. Bedang Das, and other eminent academicians and dignitaries.