By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Atal Innovation Centre (AIC)-SOA Foundation, an initiative
of the SOA Deemed to be University aiming to spawn start-ups involving students, was
inaugurated in the campus of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), SOA’sfaculty of engineering and technology here, on Thursday.
Mr. Gokulananda Mallik, Odisha’s minister for Fisheries, Animal Resources and MSME,
inaugurated the facility set up with the support of the Atal Innovation Mission of the NITI
Aayog.The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a Government of India initiative under the NITI
Aayog which was launched by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi on February 16, 2016
with the objective of fostering a nationwide culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It
helps establish Atal Innovation Centres (AIC) in universities and industries to support start-upsand mentor innovators, creating a comprehensive eco-system for technology-driven self-employment.
Congratulating SOA for focusing on research and innovation and establishing the AIC,
Mr. Mallik said the state government’s start-up policy aimed to encourage students and
strengthen the start-up ecosystem. “Acquiring skill is vital today and it is for the youth to focuson innovation and start-ups to boost the economy,” he said.
The AIC-SOA Foundation will act as a catalyst for transforming innovative ideas into
scalable and sustainable ventures thereby strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in thestate and across the nation.
Dr. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, who was the
guest of honour on the occasion, said six out of every ten students would be launching theirown start-ups in the near future.
Describing the students as a privileged set of youngsters, he urged them to take
responsibility on their own shoulders as a new India was taking shape.
“New start-ups are getting added every day pointing at a new engine of growth. While
there were only 400 start-ups in the country in January 2016, as many as 200,000 start-ups hadbeen registered since then,” Dr. Bagla said.
India figured among the top three nations in regard to start-ups, he said adding it was
the top country as far as new start-ups were concerned while it stood second in the number ofstart-ups registered. As regards unicorns, India stood third in the world, he said.
Describing AIC as the world’s largest grass root innovation mission, Dr. Bagla said it was
a privilege for Atal Innovation Mission to partner with SOA University in this field.
The program was also addressed by Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of
SOA, Mr. Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, CEO of Start-up Odisha, Prof. Prasanta Kumar Patra, Pro-ViceChancellor of SOA and Prof. Prasanta Kumar Panigrahi, Director of SOA’s Centre for QuantumScience and Technology.
Prof. Nanda said that AIC-SOA Foundation had received the first phase of grant which
would propel its activities.Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and alsoformer Director of IIT Kharagpur, Pro VC Prof. Anup Ku. Samantray, Pro VC Prof. NeetaMohanty, Controller of Examination Prof. Manjula Das, Prof. U.C Mohanty DistinguishedProfessor at Centre for Climate Smart Agriculture (CCSA), Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Directorof AIC-SOA Foundation, were also presents.
Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), ITER, delivered the welcome
address while Ms. Lopa Mishra Jana, CEO of AIC-SOA Foundation, proposed the vote of thanks.
