Bhubaneswar, 16 January (H.S.): The State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition was inaugurated on Friday at Rama Devi Women’s University, bringing together 72 students from 14 universities across Odisha. 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 inaugurating the competition, the Minister visited the exhibition stalls and interacted with participating students, gaining first-hand insight into their innovative ideas, research initiatives and startup concepts.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Mahaling said that the State-Level Innovation and Startup Competition is playing a crucial role in fostering creativity and innovation among students while strengthening Odisha’s startup ecosystem. He emphasised that such initiatives encourage learners to move beyond conventional classroom education and actively engage in research, innovation and entrepreneurship for societal development.

Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Minister noted that higher education now places strong emphasis on experiential learning, innovation and research. He added that the competition provides young innovators with opportunities for self-reliance and aligns closely with the objectives of the Government of India’s Startup India mission.

The competition follows a structured, multi-tier selection process. Initially, college-level competitions were organised, followed by university-level rounds, from which outstanding projects were shortlisted for the state-level event. At the conclusion of the competition, 10 best startup projects will be selected, with each receiving financial assistance of ₹5 lakh from the Higher Education Department. In addition, the selected teams will be provided with mentorship support and facilities for advanced research and incubation.

During the event, students showcased 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 innovation, technical skills and entrepreneurial potential.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda