Veterinary University organises start-up grand challenge

Ludhiana, June 28

Veterinary and Livestock Innovation and Incubation Foundation (VLIIF), Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, organised Start-up and Entrepreneurship Grand Challenge in collaboration with Start-up Punjab, Government of Punjab. The two-day programme concluded today.

Dr Inderjeet Singh, vice-chancellor, said that this is the first time the vet varsity has taken the initiative for promotion of start-ups and development of an ecosystem for the growth of entrepreneurial culture in the university.

Dr RS Sethi, director, VLIIF and dean, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, in his welcome address said that DST-NIDHI has provided a grant of Rs 5 crore to establish an ‘inclusive Technology Business Incubator (i-TBI)’ in the university to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and excellence within the academic community.

The two-day event was divided into parts as lectures and an idea pitching session.

Deepinder Dhillon, joint director, Invest Punjab, talked about the various initiatives of Government of Punjab in linking various incubators with stakeholders. Top three ideas will be given cash prizes by Start-up Punjab. Dr Dapinder Kaur Bakshi, joint director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, highlighted the significance of science and technology for creating innovative ideas.

In two sessions of idea pitching under entrepreneur and student categories, three were selected and awarded cash prizes. These ideas were on innovative and sustainable solutions to solve problems in livestock, dairy and fisheries sectors. Under ideas pitching category Jaspreet Singh Sandhu got the first prize and received a cash prize of Rs 51,000, Aditya Tyagi got the second prize with a cash prize of Rs 31,000 and Vaidyanath Bobbili came in third and received a cash prize of Rs 21,000.