Amity Innovation Incubator, Amity University Noida organized “Bharat Startup Festival (Noida Edition)”, in collaboration with Bharat Startup and Innovation Society (BSIS), with an aim to promote innovation and entrepreneurship amongst the students by connecting them with industry leaders and experts. The Festival was attended by more than 1100 startups and a huge audience of 5000 people in 14 countries and 29 cities across the world, being the first of its kind multicountry Startup Ecosystem Program in India.

Addressing the students, Chief Guest Shri Sunil Kumar Sharma, Minister of Electronics and IT, Government of Uttar Pradesh, averred, “Entrepreneurship and innovation are the key drivers for making India a developed country. Hon’ble Prime Minister has envisioned a self-reliant India, and the “Make in India” initiative propelled this initiative and was a huge contributor in making India “Aatm Nirbhar”. Uttar Pradesh has the Best Start-up Ecosystem in the country, with about 12,000 registered start-ups, out of which 5,000 start-ups are run by women. Uttar Pradesh is an agriculture-based state, and the government of Uttar Pradesh is providing all the support to start-ups in the field of agriculture, healthcare and other sectors.” He urged the students to imbibe leadership skills, have self-confidence and become job creators instead of job seekers so that they can play a huge role in nation-building.

Sharing his views on the occasion, Shri Awanish Awasthi, IAS (R), Chief Advisor to CM, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said, “BSIS has conceptualised Bharat Startup Festival which is unique program which will create opportunities for startups to gain exposure and emphasises upon the opportunities in the startup ecosystem. Uttar Pradesh is on the path to becoming 1 Tn$ economy under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Yogi Aditya Nath and the startups from Amity have huge potential to play a significant role in shaping the future of the state as well as the country. The Start -up sector and Tourism sector in Uttar Pradesh is growing at the rate of 40% which shows exponential growth, and the need of the hour is to further enhance these sectors.”

Dr. Aseem Chauhan, Chancellor Amity University & President Amity Innovation Incubator , opined, “Uttar Pradesh has the best policies for supporting start-ups policies, funding all facilities. At Amity, students are encouraged to launch their own start-ups and Amity Innovation Incubator is the one of the best incubators in the country. Amity University will leave no stone unturned in supporting the government’s mission of expanding the start-up ecosystem of the country and will extend all its support and resources in accomplishing the mission.”

Prof. Shri Vinayak Nath, Co-Chair Startup20, G20 (Brazil Presidency) and National President, BSIS, stated, “As of now, there are 141 Unicorns in the country, out of which 46% Unicorns are from Uttar Pradesh. India is the 3rd largest startup ecosystem of the world and by 2026, it will become the 2nd largest startup ecosystem in the world.” He also announced that BSIS will be opening BSIS Industry Cell which will work as a single window at all Amity global campuses to connect the startups with the industry, investors, mentors and government programs.

Dr. Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor Amity University Uttar Pradesh , asserted, “The Bharat Startup Festival is aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship amongst the students, which is a step forward towards Viksit Bharat@2047. The Festival focuses on a diverse range of socially impactful startups, thereby providing a valuable platform for idea development and networking. Through engaging Panel Discussions, Keynote Speeches, Workshops, and Networking Sessions, the festival aims to empower the next generation of innovators and ignite young minds to become job creators.”

Dr. Jitendra Kumar, MD, BIRAC, Dept. of Biotechnology, Government of India, said, “Innovation-led growth makes a country prosperous and therefore, such conferences are extremely relevant in the current scenario, when India is moving forward on the path of development. Biotech companies are doing extremely well in India and taking the lead in new technologies and innovation. With India’s startup ecosystem which has the third ranking in global unicorns and 39th rank in the Global Innovation Index, the opportunities for students are unlimited in the start-up sector.”

Mr. Ojasvi Babber, CEO, Amity Innovation Incubator emphasized that innovation is an essential catalyst for growth, which enables businesses to adapt to the changing market demands, improve efficiency, and enhance product quality. It also plays a critical role in generating new opportunities, attracting investments, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.”

On this occasion, “BSIS Ecosystem Builder Award” was presented to Dr. Aseem Chauhan, Chancellor Amity University and Mr. Mahesh Gupta, Chairman & Founder, Kent RO. During the Bharat Start Up Festival, Shri Sunil Kumar Sharma, Minister, Electronics and IT, Government of Uttar Pradesh, along with the other dignitaries, visited Amity Innovation Incubator and interacted with the start-ups. Panel Discussions on topics such as “Deep Tech and AI: Future of Fund Raise” and “Def Tech Innovation Ecosystem” along with a Fireside Chat on “Biotechnology Industry and its Role in the Startup Ecosystem” were also organized. Also present on the occasion were Mr. Amol Chauhan, Executive Director, Strategic Operations- Amity Education Group, HOIs, faculty and students of Amity University.