KIIT, NIST to have incubators for entrepreneurs

Two private technical institutions in Orissa- National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)-Berhampur and KIIT University are among the 22 top educational institutes across the country selected by the Union Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for the establishment of full-fledged incubators for the entrepreneurs.

The MSME ministry has selected these two institutions alongside institutes of national repute like the IITs and IIMs for setting up the incubators to boost entrepreneurship.

The incubation facility will help the budding entrepreneurs in Orissa in general and south Orissa in particular, said the director of NIST, Sangram Muduli.

NIST will provide the required infrastructure and consultancy through its 132-strong faculty members.

“NIST will offer project funding and marketing support to the entrepreneurs. NIST has already set up an Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) in the campus. The institute would extend all assistance and cooperation to the entrepreneurs who wish to translate their dreams into reality”, Muduli said.

In the first phase, the MSME ministry has granted a sum of Rs 2.65 crore for the purpose. The ministry has also approved the funding of four projects for the entrepreneurs. These projects include Solar Lawn Mower; Wi-Fi based e-guide for tourists and museum applications, Robotic kits for students and e-learning module for management.

The approved projects are mainly those of the entrepreneurs from the districts of south Orissa.

Pawan Kumar, coordinator of the EDC cell of NIST, will coordinate the proposed programme.