Startup India International Summit 2021: PM Narendra Modi to address summit on January 16th

The Startup India International Summit- ‘Prarambh’ is being organised virtually by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) between January 15-16, 2021. The summit was inaugurated by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal who stated that Prarambh’ is a beginning of a new journey towards new horizons with hope, encouragement & confidence.

‘Prarambh’ is a beginning of a new journey towards new horizons with hope, encouragement & confidence.

In fact, the global stage is available to our startups: @PiyushGoyal

— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) January 15, 2021

The Minister further said that the government has decided to go beyond  Government to Government, Business to Business collaboration to a startup-startup collaboration and thus, invites startups from neighbourhood countries to engage with Indian startups.

The global stage is available to our startups. When we begin with our neighbourhood, invite startups from other countries in South Asia to engage with Indian startups, we are going beyond govt to govt collaboration to a startup to startup collaboration: @PiyushGoyal

— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) January 15, 2021

He stated that such a collaboration will have a huge potential as it will enable new ideas to prosper and encourage young minds to come together and work collectively to come up with new ideas, innovations and inventions.

I see huge potential in this collaboration because we will see new ideas prospering, and see young minds working together to come up with new ideas, new innovations & new inventions: @PiyushGoyal

— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) January 15, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the concluding session of the summit tomorrow, on January 16th. 

Significance

The Startup India International Summit marks five years of the launch of the Startup India initiative. which has played a key role in encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship across India. 

Key Highlights 

• The summit is expected to bring together top industry people, policymakers, investors, academia, startups and all stakeholders from across the globe.

• The summit' sessions have been designed in a way to showcase the spread of entrepreneurship based on innovation in India. They will also deliberate on good practices from the best of the ecosystems across the world.

• The first day of the Summit has been dedicated to host BIMSTEC Startup Conclave. The Union Commerce Minister in his address encouraged Indian investors to look at the BIMSTEC region and work towards greater engagement through investment, mentorship and support. 

• The summit will also involve panel discussions with startups and other stakeholders on various themes stretched over the two days of the Summit.

• The BIMSTEC Startup Conclave will involve seven Panel Discussions on the themes of Knowledge Exchange Workshop, Sharing Best Practices, Promoting Social Innovation and Multilateral Incubator Programmes.

• Around 100 Startups from BIMSTEC countries are expected to participate in the Virtual Startup Showcase.

• The selected startups will then get the opportunity to interact with PM Narendra Modi at the Grand Plenary session tomorrow. 

Background

The BIMSTEC Startup Conclave was one of the announcements made by PM Narendra Modi at the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu in August 2018 to enhance connectivity among the entrepreneurs of the region.