BITS to boost entrepreneurship

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani (BITS-Pilani), Hyderabad campus, is betting big on entrepreneurship development initiatives.

The institute is setting up a Technology Business Incubation (TBI) centre with assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The centre will focus on areas such as biotech, pharma, ICT (information, communication and technology) and healthcare. The incubation, which is being set up with a grant of Rs 5 crore from the DST and Rs 2.5 crore from the institution, will start operation in the next three months.

“To begin with, we plan to incubate five companies in the first year of operation,” V S Rao, director of BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad campus, told Business Standard. The institute has already seen many startups including Mauka.com, Slave Technologies Private Ltd and Red Bus, an online bus ticket booking services.

BITS recently set up a Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) to encourage entrepreneurship development.

CEL would promote entrepreneurial leadership across all disciplines,, facilitate entrepreneurial activity among students and invite entrepreneurs to use TBI services.

The institute has introduced a new course ‘New Venture Creation’, in association with its alumni association BITSAA International (Birla Institute of Technology and Science Alumni Association), to bring hands-on experience and real time learning for the students.

“Keeping in mind the changing trends in education which is going to be more innovation-oriented, we are creating a platform to promote entrepreneurship at the campus in a big way,” he said. CEL has some on-campus startups including Trippin Unlimited, Valonia, College Dhanda, Inc42 and gadgetronica.

BITS Hyderabad campus, spread across 200 acres, is a fully-residential institute with 2,800 students and 200 faculty members.

It offers 13 graduate and four postgraduate programme.