NAVISHKAR 2024 : A collaborative initiative by NRIIC & XCEED XLRI to boost young startup innovators in Jharkhand and Eastern India

Jamshedpur: With a grand ambition to contribute to the economic and entrepreneurial ecosystem of the state of Jharkhand and eastern India at large, NRIIC and XLRI Council for Entrepreneurship Excellence & Development (i.e. XCEED) came together to boost the existing and future entrepreneurs of the state and beyond. NAVISHKAR-2024 grand finale saw tremendous participation of not only the existing entrepreneurs and start-ups but also the eager and aspiring school children who had a sneak peek into the high promising world of start-ups at XLRI.

10 successful start-ups were selected from 865 applications received from 19 states after working tirelessly for the last 4 months, a successful event was organized in Jamshedpur by NRIIC in collaboration with XCEED XLRI, an independent incubation organization under the banner of XLRI. XLRI understood and appreciated this commendable effort of NRIIC Directors Shri Amarnath Singh and Shri Kartik Kumar Choudhary and gave its full support in making this program a complete success and create a model for successful entrepreneurs. Under the leadership of Professor Sunil Kumar Sarangi CEO of XCEED XLRI, start-up founders from all over the country got the opportunity to present their projects and were awarded in the grand finale of Navishkaar 2024.

There is a wave of start-up all over India. Be it Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, or Hyderabad, they all represent the North, South, and West of India. But there is a void in the mineral-rich states Jharkhand and Odisha, to agricultural Bihar and the state that is rich in nature and port West Bengal, where start-ups have still not taken off. However, there are many founders of start-ups who are emerging from these eastern states and are touching new heights.

Many organizations have tried to bridge this gap in the last several years, but no one has been very successful. In the same sequence, for the last few years, some youths of Jamshedpur have planned and started work by establishing an organization named Navaachar Innovation Research Innovation and Incubation Council (NRIIC) and this year 2024, witnessed the second edition of the mission started last year, as Navishkar 2024, which was successfully organized in a two-days event. The Grand Finale was held on 29th and 30th July 2024 in collaboration with XLRI, India’s renowned business school situated in Jamashedpur.

The inaugural ceremony on the first day of this two-days grand finale was attended and chaired by Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, Chairman of the East Zone of the Khadi Village Industries Commission, under Minstry of MSME, Government of India, Father S. George, Director of XLRI, Dean (Administration) Father Donald D’Silva, Dean (Academics) Dr. Sanjay Patro. Along with them on the Dias were, two start-up stars emerging from Jamshedpur Mr. Arunabh Sinha, founder of U-Clean and Mr. Abhishek Kumar, founder of XoXoDay joined by Mr. Jatin Kataria, founder of InMeSta. On behalf of NRIIC, Professor (Ret.) Ranjit Prasad, former Head of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NIT Jamshedpur as Convener, and Professor Sunil Kumar Sarangi, as the CEO of XCEED XLRI, graced the stage. The program was moderated by the famous host Mr. Sudarshan Chetlur of well-known TV brand show.

The two-day grand finale featured a series of workshops along with presentation based on style of Shark Tank India where founders of start-ups showcase their prototype projects before panels of experienced founders along with eminent professors of XLRI, Dr Smitu Malhotra, Dr Kanagaraj A, Dr Trilochan Tripathi.

The second day of the event kicked off with a presentation on Start-up India by Mr. Binil Mathew, Senior Manager, DPIIT, Government of India, along with Shark Tank India finalists, MasterChef Aditi Bhutia Madan (Momo Mami), Founder of Bluepine Foods and First Bud Organics. There was also a panel discussion with Mr. Mitresh Sharma Founder of First Bud Organics, alumni of XLRI and funded by Shark of Shark Tank India joined by Professor Giridhar Ramachandran of XLRI.

A Panel Discussion on Behtar Jharkhand – Bridging Tradition and Modernity with Vivek Singh, ex OSD to Finance Minister and Founder of Behtar Jharkhand, Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, Author and Founding Member, Angel One Health, and Mayur Jha, Co-founder, Behtar Jharkhand took place where the panelists shared their thoughts on capitalising on the rich demographic and cultural heritage of state for economic progress of the eastern region and by extension the country. The region rich in tribal heritage, tourism, sports, and biodiversity is the core strength of Jharkhand and it is imperative for the development of the state. This interactive session that saw a lot of youth in the audience from different colleges in Jamshedpur participating was one of the key highlights of the event.

Professor Sunil Kumar Sarangi CEO of XCEED XLRI, believes that such start-up programs should be promoted and conducted more frequently in the Eastern region of India and especially in Jharkhand.

If such partnerships between young networks like NRIIC, academy like XLRI with its vast potential to create societal impact and state institutions can be formed, then it can be highly beneficial for society and state of Jharkhand.