Lovely Professional University (LPU) recently hosted the Startup Ecosystem Enablers Meet, a pivotal event aimed at fostering entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Punjab in general of LPU campus specifically. The gathering brought together prominent stakeholders from esteemed organizations to shape and discuss the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the state.
Distinguished guests, including Ahmed Aljneibi, Diplomat in the UAE Embassy and Director, UAE-India CEPA Council, Dipan Sahu, Asst. Innovation Director, MoE, AICTE, Govt. of India & Center Incharge of Jaipur INOVATION, ATAL Academy & Idea Lab Facility of AICTE. and other key representatives, were warmly welcomed by Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lovi Raj Gupta and Senior Dean Dr. Sorabh Lakhanpal.
The event witnessed insightful discussions among industry leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, who shared strategies and perspectives on bolstering entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Punjab. Key topics included policy frameworks, investment opportunities, foreign direct investment, technological advancements, and support mechanisms for start-ups. Significantly, the role of incubators in higher education institutions (HEIs) was emphasized as a crucial factor in driving innovation and entrepreneurship.
Deepan Sahu, in his address, highlighted the need to transform India’s position as the world’s largest economy. He emphasized the mobilization of resources, institutions, and individual capabilities towards problem-solving, entrepreneurship, innovation, science, and technology. He emphasized the importance of shifting the focus from quantity to quality in the Indian education system, which currently boasts 60 thousand higher education institutions and 15 lac schools. He stressed that innovation and entrepreneurship serve as key indicators of quality education, requiring higher management commitment and a multidisciplinary approach. He dispelled the myth that only technical institutions foster innovation and entrepreneurship, noting that non-technical students often bring fresh perspectives and unconventional solutions.
Ahmed Aljneibi shed light on the framework, opportunities, and innovation support between India and the UAE. He underscored the collaborative projects between the two countries, expressing optimism for increased collaboration in the future.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lovi Raj Gupta acknowledged the significant contributions made by Indians in various fields, citing AI as a prime example. However, he lamented the lack of courage in taking these inventions from India to the world stage. He commended LPU for taking initial steps by providing seed funding to students’ ideas, fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The event witnessed the participation of esteemed attendees, including Anish Somani, Program Director MSH, MeiTy, Sanjeev Chawla, Additional Development Commissioner heading MSME Development & Facilitation Office (DFO), Ludhiana and Karnal, Ajay Thakur, ex-head BSE SME & startup Mumbai, Dr. Dapinder Kaur Bakshi, Joint Director PSCST, DST, Dr. Sumeet Suseelan, Chairman, ASSOCHAM JSSDC, Ishita Thaman, Assistant Director MSME, GOI, Dr. Radhika Trikha COO TIF, AWaDH, IIT Ropar, Mamta Bharadwaj, Chief Operating Officer, Neuron, STPI Mohali, Advait Upadhyay, Co-Founder, Talentelgia Tech. Pvt. Ltd. (Board Member, TiE Chandigarh), Vishal Kedia, Board Member, and Navsudeep Kaur, Senior Program Manager, TiE Chandigarh, Suhani Kumar, Senior Investment Specialist, Startup India, Invest India, Jagmeet Singh, Director and Head, CII Punjab State Office, Harsh Khanduja and Vishal Khanna, Joint Director, FICCI, and Abhishek Ranjan, Head of Government Relations and Outreach, UAE Embassy, Shubham Singh, Policy Manager, UAE-India CEPA Council, Shyam Sundar, and Amarpal Singh Walia, Joint Manager, Startup Punjab, Invest Punjab.
