KOLKATA: The US Consulate, Kolkata, in collaboration with KIIT Technology Business Incubator (TBI) hosted a three-day “Regional Startup Network (RSN)” advanced workshop at the American Centre, starting on Thursday, to build entrepreneurial capacities of select startups in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, and to strengthen linkages between them through ecosystem partnerships to foster greater economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Inaugurating the event, US Consul General Melinda Pavek said: “The program provides a nurturing entrepreneurship ecosystem, helping startups gain valuable insights, expand their network, and showcase their ideas to a global audience. By increasing cross-border collaborations between startups, accelerating market linkages, and providing investor access, RSN aims to ensure a sustained growth trajectory for startups in the region.”
Guest of Honor Dr. Mrutyunjay Suar, DG R&D & Innovation KIIT and CEO KIIT-TBI said: “The Regional Startup Network Program is an unique initiative taken by the US Consulate Kolkata that follows a structured path of first building capacities of the startups in their home countries and then provides a launch platform to leverage cross cultural exposure for deeper
understanding of the similar geographical markets and access to larger funding bases, while constantly building on their entrepreneurial skill base with progressive degree of complexity”
The RSN program consisted of a 20-hour certified online entrepreneurship course, followed by a two-day formative workshop for top 20 startups selected from India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and a three-day advanced workshop in Kolkata for the top 20 startups selected from the formative workshops.
The top five startups from each country will make pitches to an expansive investor panel at the advanced workshop on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
The program has engaged more than 350 established young entrepreneurs. Selected five startups from the workshop will be selected for the Nexus Program in New Delhi.