New Delhi: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is organizing the ‘Startup India Innovation Week 2024’ from January 10th to 18th to commemorate 8 years of Startup India. The week kicked off with an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session, focusing on opportunities for budding startups through incubators. Eight virtual AMA sessions are scheduled until January 17th, addressing various aspects of the entrepreneurial journey.

The inaugural AMA session provided valuable insights into seed funding sources and guidance across different startup stages. Simultaneously, the MAARG Mentorship Series launched with a session on ‘From Idea to Execution – Building a Solid Business Plan,’ shared insights using case studies on the MY Bharat portal.

Startup India introduced ‘Startup Shala,’ a flagship Accelerator Program, starting with a 3-month program for early-stage startups in the clean-tech sector. Applications opened on January 10th via the Startup India portal.

Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal highlighted India’s flourishing startup landscape at the India-UAE Business Summit. DPIIT’s Joint Secretary, Shri Sanjiv, emphasized the importance of international exposure for Indian startups during various engagements.

Incubators nationwide hosted events on January 10th, attracting over 845 entrepreneurs. The following day, DPIIT Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh addressed the startup seminar at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, discussing the e-commerce and fintech sector’s growth.

The second AMA session explored ‘Innovation at the Intersection,’ with leading corporates engaging startups. Following this, one-on-one mentorship sessions with shortlisted startups and corporates were planned in domains like financial lending, operations, sustainable innovations, and disruptive technology.

The second MAARG Mentorship session focused on ‘Understanding Business Structures and Processes to Incorporate an Entity,’ providing insights into startup business structures. Throughout the week, 14 physical events in 9 states showcased innovations, including an ideathon for student entrepreneurs, women-led startups, and a panel on deep tech frontiers and IPR strategies.