The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 16, 2024
Odisha’s unwavering dedication to cultivating a robust startup ecosystem has earned it the coveted title of “Top Performer” in the DPIIT State Startup Rankings 2022. This remarkable achievement was announced by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during a distinguished felicitation ceremony held in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The 4th edition of the State Startup Rankings, orchestrated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), aimed at bolstering collaborative efforts among States and Union Territories (UTs) in nurturing comprehensive and dynamic startup ecosystems. The State Startup Ranking Framework 2022, conceived as a robust and results-driven initiative, sought to catalyze substantial advancements in every State and Union Territory (UT) through a meticulous evaluation process that spanned various parameters.
A total of 25 action points were meticulously employed to gauge a combination of absolute, relative, and feedback-based grading, offering a comprehensive insight into each State’s or UT’s distinctive startup environment.
The framework urged 31 states and union territories to streamline regulations for startup expansion and enhance support for the startup ecosystem.
Launched in 2018, this initiative acknowledged Odisha as the “Top Performer” for its support to the Startup Ecosystem in 2019. In the State Startup Ranking-2021, Odisha once again excelled, securing the “Top Performer” position for implementing inclusive and holistic policies and schemes to foster entrepreneurs across the state. In 2022, Odisha has successfully retained its position as a ‘Top Performer,’ underscoring the state’s progressive initiatives in empowering young talent aspiring to become entrepreneurs.
“Odisha’s retention of the ‘Top Performer’ status in the DPIIT State Startup Rankings 2022 is a testament to our unwavering commitment. Under the visionary guidance of Shri Naveen Patnaik, we are driven not only to maintain but elevate the capabilities of our startup ecosystem. Odisha is dedicated to creating a conducive environment with a new startup policy under consideration, aligning with global best practices, focusing on ESG factors, and promoting women’s entrepreneurship. Our goal is to inspire and support an increasing number of entrepreneurs on their journey,” said Dr. Omkar Rai, Executive Chairman of Startup Odisha.
Startup Odisha has nurtured over 1,800 startups across agritech, IT, artificial intelligence, healthcare, fintech, and biotechnology sectors, with 42 per cent being women-led startups. Startup Odisha aims to foster at least 5,000 startups by 2025. Odisha currently hosts 27 incubators, including O-Hub, the State Government’s incubator, boasting an expansive 4 lakh square feet space — one of the largest incubators in the entire country. Presently, there are 75 active Entrepreneurship Cells (E-cells) and 93 incubates, with these numbers anticipated to witness substantial growth in the coming years.
