CII to nurture startups in North

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

To promote and nurture entrepreneurs and startups in the northern region, CII plans to launch an initiative ‘CII Startupreneurs’ in a couple of months.

The forum will bring innovative ideas, emerging technologies and new business models of startups and budding entrepreneurs. It will also create an opportunity for startups to meet leading industry figures and potential venture capitalists and equity players to raise capital for their business.

The industry body aims at promoting non-IT areas such as retail, infrastructure, textile and food processing etc. It has agreed to set up a joint task force for continuing dialogue between the industry and the Punjab Government to attract investment.

CII-NR chairman Sumant Sinha while talking to The Tribune said the CII members would help the startups by supporting, mentoring them and sharing their experiences to foster their growth.

CII is also assisting the state government in framing the much-awaited startup policy to promote entrepreneurship in Punjab.

“We have been asked by the state government to give inputs pertaining to seven sectors, namely, entrepreneurship & skill development, food and agro processing, aerospace and defence, manufacturing, renewable energy and animal processing for the formulation of the new policy. We hope to submit the report in the next 10 days.”

On the CII’s agenda for 2017-18, he said, “Our focus will be on enabling policy framework, ease of doing business, enhancing competitiveness, efficient physical and social infrastructure,  expanding reach and exploring horizons, engaging society-CSR and affirmative action.”