Date – 15th January 2022
Startup Mela is a platform for young innovators/startups to showcase their innovations and get an opportunity to network with government bodies, industry experts, and investors. There were numerous interactive Panel Discussions, Pitching Sessions, Experience Sharing Sessions, Academic Leadership Talks, and Roundtable Conferences for startups as well as students. Startup Odisha realized that access to viable markets is critical to the survival of any startup and hence we lined up avenues for market linkage like Startup Expo and Food Exhibitions where our home-grown startups exhibited their products. The Startup Mela Group Discussion was designed to provoke the subconscious mind of the participants which would eventually elicit personality traits of the participants as well as enhance their knowledge base. The Group Discussion gave a platform for the students to discuss solutions rather than just brooding over problems. The GD also helped everyone understand the significance of a few qualities i.e. critical thinking, challenging preconceived ideas/notions, etc., expected from future innovators and entrepreneurs. The GD had 42 participants. The participants were divided into six teams. The top 3 teams were felicitated with cash prizes worth Rs. 15,000/-, Rs. 10,000/-, and Rs. 5,000 at the Valedictory Ceremony of Startup Mela. Startup Odisha organised ‘Quizzards – The Ultimate Startup Quiz” on 15th January 2022 at O-Hub during Startup Mela. Beyond the obvious academic advantages for a child at a young age, Quizzards was fundamentally organised to expose young students to the world of startups and test their knowledge about the Startup World. The quiz integrated game mechanics into a learning process to help students understand the Startup Odisha ecosystem. 20 teams (team of 2) participated and the top 3 were selected and were rewarded with cash prizes of Rs. 15,000/-, Rs. 10,000/- and Rs. 5,000 at the Valedictory Ceremony of Startup Mela.
Innominds – Hackathon 2023 was a step towards nurturing the creativity of young minds towards finding solutions for the burning problems in society. Startup Odisha focused on conceptual solutions for creating a circular economy around “Renewing Waste”. The top 10 pitch decks were shortlisted and were given an opportunity to present in front of an eminent Jury. The Top 3 selected best ideas/concepts were rewarded with cash prizes of Rs. 25,000/-, Rs. 15,000/- and Rs. 10,000/-, and “Best Innovative Concept” Certificates/Awards at the Valedictory Ceremony of Startup Mela. The concept was Creating a circular economy around “Renewing Waste”. There were a total number of 40 teams in the Hackathon.
