BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has been declared ‘Top Performer’ in the Startup Ranking-2018 which was announced by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) at New Delhi on Thursday.This is the first-ever ranking of States on 38 parameters relating to their respective startup ecosystem besides feedback from a large number of beneficiaries. The key objective of the exercise, which began in January 2016, is to encourage States and Union Territories (UTs) to take proactive steps towards strengthening the startup ecosystems.
On the basis of performance, the States were recognised as the best performer, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders, emerging States and beginners. Odisha has also been declared ‘Champion State’ in terms of startup policy implementation, incubation hub, seeding innovation, regulatory change framework, public procurement initiative and communication (awareness and outreach).
Additional Chief Secretary of MSME department LN Gupta received the top performer certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Odisha Government from Secretary of DIPP Ramesh Abhishek.
Abhishek appreciated the State Government for its sustained and pro-active efforts in creating a robust and startup-friendly ecosystem. “The exercise was conducted for capacity development and to further the spirit of cooperative federalism,” he said.
A total of 27 States and three UTs participated in the exercise. An evaluation committee comprising independent experts from the startup ecosystem assessed the responses across various parameters. Odisha was one of the first few States in the country to come up with a dedicated Startup Policy apart from putting in place a transparent online portal for recognition and financial support to startups and incubators. Startup Odisha is a flagship initiative of the State Government which aims to support 1,000 startups by 2020 apart from making Odisha one of the best startup hubs in the country.
“We have taken multiple steps in implementing the Odisha Startup Policy 2016 which aims to place Odisha among the top three startup hubs in the country. Currently, we are one of the fastest growing startup States with over 20 startup registrations per month,” Gupta said.
Odisha has recognised 334 startups within a period of just 18 months. It has nine incubators, 12 nodal institutions and 110 mentors to support them. Startups from Odisha are now regularly winning national and international awards while a few have catalysed venture capital funding.