- The 9 teams of students were selected as finalists of SmartIDEAthon – a national idea-pitching competition organized by Venture Development Centre at GITAM (Deemed to be University).
- SmartIDEAthon is organized in collaboration with Startup India, Northeastern University’s Center for Entrepreneurship Education (NUCEE), and Center for Emerging Markets (CEM).
In a significant opportunity to boost global competencies and gain valuable insights into the international startup ecosystems, nine teams of student entrepreneurs from India recently participated in the Boston Immersion program at Northeastern University, US. The teams were selected as finalists in SmartIDEAthon – a national idea-pitching competition organized by Venture Development Centre at GITAM (Deemed to be University) in collaboration with Startup India, Northeastern University’s Center for Entrepreneurship Education (NUCEE), and Center for Emerging Markets (CEM).
During their visit, the budding entrepreneurs received a comprehensive understanding of Boston’s vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through the program that featured various workshops to refine business models, perfect pitches, and foster networking opportunities with seasoned industry professionals.
Krish Nangegadda, Chief Innovation Officer at GITAM, said, “The Boston Immersion program gave student entrepreneurs of India an opportunity to get exposure to global entrepreneurship ecosystems to broaden their perspectives on how to build their ventures and take them forward. This unique experiential learning opportunity was designed to make them better future entrepreneurs.”
Curated sessions were delivered on Reverse innovation by Prof. Ravi Ramamurti – Distinguished Professor of International Business & Strategy and Founding Director of the Center for Emerging Markets at Northeastern University. He said, “Everyone here at Northeastern was impressed and inspired by the creativity and commitment shown by the visiting Indian students. Many of them will surely have a positive impact on society.”
Prof. Greg Collier, Director of International Programs NUCEE and Professor of Practice Entrepreneurship and Innovation, delivered a session on building your financial model, the first pitch, and business model design. “The visiting teams in the Boston Immersion program were impressive. From participating in the Pitch-a-Thon to receiving critical feedback from our investors, the group’s exposure to the Northeastern University and Boston entrepreneurship ecosystems couldn’t have been more rewarding,” said Prof Collier.
Additionally, Prof. Nikki James spoke on “Social entrepreneurship – skills and traits” and “Global social enterprise”. Prof. Stephen Golden presented an overview of “Dimensional Prototypes.”
One of the program’s highlights was the Pitch-a-thon 2024, where Team Newrup Solutions, winners of SmartIDEAthon 2023 held at GITAM, showcased their entrepreneurial vision alongside students from prestigious institutions such as Northeastern, Harvard, and MIT. Pitch-a-thon is an inaugural intercollegiate pitch competition hosted by IDEA, and real-world problem-solving from the most outstanding undergraduate founders.
Reflecting on his experience, Anup Paikaray, the winner of SmartIDEAthon 2023, expressed, “One of the best learning experiences I’ve had in my life! Seeing the USA startup ecosystem, networking with fellow entrepreneurs, meeting with investors, attending speaker sessions with business tycoons, and receiving feedback from industry experts have helped me improve my startup fundamentals. Representing India in the mega pitchathon event and winning the 3rd position was an out-of-this-world experience. I am very grateful to GITAM University for this opportunity.”
This unique initiative is a testament to GITAM’s commitment to continuous innovation and empowering students to make meaningful societal contributions. GITAM and its partner universities are breaking boundaries and creating pathways for global education. The goal is to prepare students to seamlessly transition into their chosen careers, ready to impact the world positively.
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