E-Cell IIT Guwahati conducted its 16th Annual Entrepreneurship Summit: UDGAM 2024: Drifting Across Dimensions, presented by NABARD, co-sponsored by Pyrotech Solutions Pvt Ltd, IITG TIDF, and IITG TIC, from the 19th to the 21st of January 2024.
The summit was organized as a part of the continued efforts to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship among the youth of North-East India.
Under UDGAM, IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation, E-Cell, IIT Guwahati Research Park and IIT Guwahati Technology Incubation Centre conducted the Startup Expo to provide an opportunity for about 50 startups in the region to showcase their products or services, receive customer feedback and connect with investors.
The debut of Sparkle, the Student Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, drew an overwhelming response with over 6,000 registrations. From these, 12 finalists excelled in round 3, with the top 3 securing their positions. The judge’s special award of 1 lakh rupees added to the celebration.
The National Entrepreneurship Drive(NED) represented a laudable effort focused on establishing E-Cells across the nation and aiding other institutions in setting up E-Cells from the ground up. This four-week program provided thorough education on the nuances involved in constructing and overseeing an E-Cell.
The North East Entrepreneurship Conference (NEC) led to the formation of the North East E-Cell Association (NEECA) with six E-cells, promoting entrepreneurship in the region. Dr.Hirak Ranjan Das, Dy. Director of innovation, Incubation, and Entrepreneurship at Royal Global University, presided over the event, emphasizing its significance in promoting entrepreneurial endeavors in the North East.
Disrupt, the startup boot camp tailored for startups at all stages, marked a remarkable success. Across a span of 4 months, participating startups received invaluable mentorship from experts spanning various domains, along with engaging in insightful sessions. During UDGAM, the campus welcomed 11 finalists who presented their startups to esteemed investors. Notably, the event generated significant buzz with two standout offers: one for 50 Lacs at 15% equity and another for 20 Lacs, underscoring the program’s success and impact.
PMx, India’s largest product case study competition hosted at UDGAM, attracted 3k students from top engineering and management colleges nationwide. Alongside PMx, the Encode-AI hackathon, Dframe-design hackathon, and Equity Research Challenge all experienced significant success, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of UDGAM
Internfair remained a cornerstone for connecting eager minds and facilitating internships for students. This year, the event featured 70+ companies offering internships across 200+ roles, maintaining its tradition of fostering valuable opportunities for aspiring professionals.
UDGAM’24 also had a series of insightful sessions with renowned personalities like Sandeep Jain, founder of Geeks for Geeks, and Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO at Coursera were amazingly inspiring.
Besides its core entrepreneurial focus, UDGAM also celebrated the lighter side with a diverse range of entertainment. From an enchanting musical night featuring Sameer Walizada to engaging interactive sessions with the cast of TVF Cubicles, the event offered a holistic experience. UDGAM went beyond the traditional summit boundaries, nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and bringing out the fun-loving side of every individual!
