The Jharkhand Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (JIIDCO), in collaboration with Start-up India under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), organized the TEJAS (Transforming Entrepreneurial Journeys Across States and Districts) workshop at a city hotel on Wednesday. This initiative is designed to promote entrepreneurship beyond tier-1 and tier-2 cities by raising awareness about startup opportunities, government support schemes, mentorship, and funding avenues. Speakers emphasized that the program aims to build a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem at the grassroots level and encourage innovation across districts and underserved regions.
Building an Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship
Varun Ranjan, Managing Director of JIIDCO, stated, “We are not here to create entrepreneurs but to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurship can thrive. TEJAS seeks to provide a platform where entrepreneurs from different sectors and regions can come together, interact, exchange ideas, and find solutions to common challenges.” He highlighted the long-term vision of the initiative, adding that TEJAS would begin with state-level workshops before expanding to district-level programs across Jharkhand. This approach, he noted, would help create a continuous pipeline of entrepreneurs and strengthen the startup ecosystem at the grassroots level, ultimately fostering a culture of innovation and economic growth.
Key Objectives of TEJAS
- Promote entrepreneurship in tier-3 cities and rural areas
- Create awareness about government schemes and funding opportunities
- Provide mentorship and networking platforms for aspiring entrepreneurs
- Encourage innovation and problem-solving at the local level
The workshop saw participation from various stakeholders, including aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and representatives from financial institutions. Interactive sessions were held to discuss challenges faced by startups in smaller cities and ways to overcome them. The event concluded with a commitment to organize similar workshops at the district level to ensure widespread reach and impact.
