Field Visit Organized for BBAU Students under ‘Navkalpana’, Providing Practical Insights into the Startup Ecosystem

Lucknow: Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, in collaboration with the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), Department of Statistics, and the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), organized a field/exposure visit for students under ‘Navkalpana – BBAU Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’. The theme of the programme was ‘Entrepreneurship and Start-up’. The programme was organized under the guidance and direction of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal. The programme was attended by Prof. Manoj Joshi, Consultant, Navkalpana; Prof. Naveen Kumar Arora, Chairman, Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) and Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), Prof. Surinder Kumar, Dean, School of Physical and Decision Sciences, Ms. Madhulika, Incubator Manager, Navkalpana and Dr. Rahul Varshney, Programme Coordinator. The objective of the activity was to provide students with practical exposure to the functioning of the incubation unit, the possibilities in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship, and the process of developing a startup.

During the programme, Prof. Manoj Joshi, Consultant, Navkalpana; Prof. Naveen Kumar Arora, Chairman, IIC & CIIE; and Prof. Surinder Kumar, Dean, School of Physical and Decision Sciences, provided valuable guidance and motivated the students to pursue opportunities in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ms. Madhulika, Incubator Manager, Navkalpana, addressed the students and highlighted the objectives of the incubation unit and the importance of entrepreneurship. She encouraged the students to develop innovative thinking, identify new opportunities, and transform their ideas into practical and viable startup ventures. She also emphasized the need to develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Programme Coordinator Dr. Rahul Varshney stated that the field visit provided students with a practical

understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship. Overall, the activity proved to be an informative and inspiring experience for the students and encouraged them to develop innovative ideas and pursue them further as startups.
Through the field visit, students had the opportunity to go beyond classroom learning and understand the innovation, incubation, and startup ecosystem. They learned how incubation facilities help in developing innovative ideas and provide guidance and support to potential entrepreneurs. The activity helped enhance students’ awareness of entrepreneurship, creative thinking, opportunity identification skills, and confidence. The programme also encouraged students to consider entrepreneurship as a potential career option alongside traditional career paths.
On the occasion, Prof. Subhash Kumar Yadav, Head, Department of Statistics; Prof. Madhulika Dubey; Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra; Dr. Meenakshi Mishra; Dr. Prayas Sharma; along with other faculty members, research scholars, and students were present.

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