Develop Mohali as first ‘startup valley’: Panellists

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 5

Panellists participating in the startup session of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit-2019 at the Indian School of Business (ISB) here wished to develop Mohali as the first ‘startup valley’.

In the 90-minute session dedicated to the startup ecosystem, the panellists invited talent and venture capital from across the world.

The panel members, representing stakeholders of the startup ecosystem, included Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder at Indian Angel Network and founding partner, IAN Fund, Nandu Nandkishore, professor, ISB, and former EVP and Head of Asia, Africa and Oceania at Nestlé SA, Switzerland, Akshay Sangwan, executive director, Sonalika Industries, Kunal Upadhyay, co-founder and managing partner, Bharat Fund, and Taranjeet Bhamra, founder, AgNext Technologies.

During the session, one of the panellists suggested creating a ‘Shivalik Valley’ for startups in Mohali.

The panellists stressed upon the need to set up joint innovative projects that should be promoted and supported by the government.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial for the future growth of the state’s economy and Punjab has all elements available to make the state the next startup hub of the country to eventually grow rapidly across the globe,” the panellists said.

They said the state was rapidly becoming a startup hub and Mohali had the ingredients to become a startup valley. The Mohali area can be developed for the purpose due to the presence of international airport here.