Bhubaneswar: With efforts to support Startup ecosystem in Odisha, Startup Odisha and HDFC Bank organized a Startup Connect program with the State Level Bankers’ Committee Odisha on at O-Hub chaired by P K Jena, Development Commissioner cum ACS, Govt of Odisha.
The Event was attended by Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary, MS&ME, Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Uday N.Das, Addl Secretary, MS&ME , MD Saddique Alam, Director of Industries cum CEO, Startup Odisha ,Pragyansmita Sahoo, Director of Institutional Finance & Arupananda Jena, Convenor SLBC.
Members present were Deepak Kumar Singh Zonal Head , HDFC Bank other Senior officials from Government Department, Banker’s , Incubation Centre & Startups.
CEO, Startup Odisha introduced the fraternity with the budding ecosystem & emphasised how Startup Odisha has been pivotal in nurturing them and laid emphasis on how bankers should develop innovative banking solutions for them.
Speaking at the event, Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary, Finance spoke about the need of Startup Policies for the banks &how banks need to adopt a valuation mechanism for Startups.
With MS&ME being the nodal Department of Startup Secretariat, Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary, MS&ME gave significance that good ideas should be nurtured & informed about the gamut of services like Testing, Mentoring, Marketing etc are being made available to the budding ecosystem at O-Hub, Startup Odisha Incubation Centre. With the budding ecosystem growing bigger, Ms Chopra informed that such meetings are just precursor for Make in Odisha 2022 to be held during Nov-Dec.
P.K. Jena, Development Commissioner cum ACS, Govt of Odisha addressed the gathering that a dedicated guidance and mentoring support should be provided to the first-time entrepreneurs. Jena informed about the Funds of Funds being made available for the Startups & how Government of Odisha has been reshaping procurement policies for the Startups. Jena in his address laid emphasis on the vertical growth of the Startups & laid emphasis on having a dedicated allotment of land/space for Startups post their incubation period as well opening a SLBC Cell in O-Hub to give banking handholding to Startups.
Deepak Kumar Singh, Zonal Head HDFC Bank Odisha addressed all startup’s about banks offering for startups under flagship program SMART UP & interacted with the Startups. HDFC Bank has been giving grants under their CSR to various Startup’s in Odisha since 2017.
4 Shortlisted Startups were given HDFC Bank CSR Grant Cheques by the Development Commissioner cum ACS, Govt of Odisha.