Enterprising Bharat 2024 empowers Vizag’s budding startups and student entrepreneurs

The ‘Enterprising Bharat – Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide’ event, held on 23 and 24 March 2024 at YVS Auditorium, Vizag, was a resounding success this year as well, following its success in the September edition in 2023.

“Enterprising Bharat” is a transformative workshop dedicated to the development of the startup ecosystem in Vizag, with an aim to equip budding entrepreneurs in Vizag with the skills they need to succeed, and also reinforce the need for them to embrace rural solutions in rural India.

Held for the second year in a row, the two-day event comprised of workshops and sessions on Day 1. The sessions held by Mr Hari Pudipeddi, CEO of HAPLO and Studio Navaka dealt with ideation and business modeling. On Day 2, over 100 students pitched their ideas in front of an esteemed panel of judges from diverse business backgrounds.

The two-day event saw a participation of over 250 students on each day. Also, over 30 pitches were held on Day 2, with the top 3 entries winning cash prizes. The top 3 winning entries were WeVida which won the first position, AIR which won second place, and Cow Archaic which placed third. Three startups that have won the Grameena Grant for 2024-26 also showcased their work. These startups were Gulab Tribe, Kisan Saathi and Gullakari.

Enterprising Bharat 2024 saw the active participation of students from colleges such as GITAM, Gayatri, Vigyan and Andhra University, based in Vizag. Speaking on the event, B Sri Ram Murty, CEO of Grameena Incubation Center, stated, “This was a much-needed event for students to get started on their entrepreneurial journey and identify that a wealth of opportunity awaited them.” Additionally, Harsha Nandan, the Chair of Young Indians’ Visakhapatnam chapter, expressed that, “This event was as successful as last year, and it has given many students the unique opportunity to pitch their ideas before industry experts.” Conducted jointly by the Grameena Incubation Center, Bhagavatula Charitable Trust, Young Indians, MeitY Startup Hub, and the Confederation of Indian Industry, the event was well received by all.