Bhubaneswar - Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched 'Odisha Startup Yatra and Startup Xpress 2023' on Monday, aiming to cultivate grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship with the ambitious goal of reaching 5,000 startups by 2025. This latest edition of the initiatives is notably larger, involving over 25,000 students from over 260 institutions who are expected to generate more than 3,500 innovative ideas. To ensure comprehensive outreach, Startup Odisha has deployed four dedicated vans covering all 30 districts in the state.

Notable attendees at the event included VK Pandian, Secretary to the Chief Minister (5T), Minister Pratap Keshari Deb, MSME Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra, and Director Dr. Omkar Rai.

The Startup Yatra will identify 50 promising ideas for a 3-day acceleration program, with the top 25 ideas earning an opportunity to present at O-Hub. Out of this elite group, 10 will receive seed funding of Rs 3 lakh each to develop their startup concepts.

Furthermore, the top 20 ideas from Startup Xpress 2023 will be invited to pitch their concepts, with 10 of them receiving a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each to inspire and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of these young innovators.

The vision is to position young entrepreneurs as the driving force behind Odisha's future economic growth and development, ushering in an era of innovation and prosperity for the state.

Startup Odisha, operating under the MSME Dept. Govt. of Odisha, serves as the primary agency responsible for nurturing the startup and innovation ecosystem in the state, having been established in 2016 with the Odisha Startup Policy-2016. The overarching mission is to create an inclusive and comprehensive ecosystem for startups, positioning Odisha as a leading startup hub in the nation, and empowering the youth of Odisha to become job creators and contribute to employment generation.

Since its inception, Startup Odisha has provided support to and facilitated the growth of over 1700 startups, with over 600 of these led by women directors, founders, and co-founders. The organization has consistently refined its policy measures, earning recognition as one of the top-performing Startup Hubs in the country for three consecutive years.

Startup Odisha offers an array of benefits to recognized startups, including monthly allowances, assistance with product development and marketing, need-based support, subsidized incubation, and financial aid for national and international events.

In recent years, Odisha has made significant progress in advancing socio-economic empowerment through strategic investments in sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, industries, and sports. These endeavors underscore the state's unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem and championing innovation, as evidenced by these initiatives.