By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 18,2021: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated O-hub, a flagship initiative of the state Government, to support Start-up formation and subsequent scale-up.

The state supported incubation hub is located in the Special Economic Zone, Patia Bhubaneswar and offers 1,50,000 square feet area with state-of-the art facility, plug-n-play infrastructure to support startup activities within the state.

This initiative would provide a platform for Innovators and Entrepreneurs to develop products or services, establish formal businesses and interact with stakeholders of the ecosystem, official sources said

Inaugurating this world class incubation centre, the Chief Minister said O-Hub will be the first point to identify the best in the industry for co-creation and development of business with their new ideas and it will be a conglomerate for Business Houses and Innovation.

Patnaik said that now the innovators, mentors, corporate partners, ecosystem enablers & facilitators– all of them will work under one roof.
Start-ups being the agents of economic freedom, ideas and innovation, O-hub will facilitate 200 start-ups every year in diverse sectors like Healthcare, Renewable Energy, ICT, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Hand loom and handicrafts, Agri-tech and many more, Patnaik said.

Expressing happiness over creation of more than 1200 start-ups so far under Odisha Start-up Policy 2016 that have generated 10,000 employments in the state, the Chief Minister voiced confidence that the State will achieve the goal of 5000 start-ups by 2025. O-hub will be a propellant to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship by providing end-to-end assistance to a start-up during their start up journey, he added.

Chief minister said that Start-Up Movement in Odisha is growing every day and Start-up Odisha has been a Catalyst to this movement, driving them by Energy, Enterprise and Innovation.

The State has proposed in the new draft policy 2021 to reach out to the young minds in school by adding entrepreneurship as a part of the school curriculum, he said.

Patnaik said the narrative of Odisha is changing and progressing towards a new world of ideas, innovations & a budding entrepreneurial community. We are on a path of resurgent Odisha scripting new stories of success in all fields.

The state incubation hub aims to mobilize Start-up Investments to the tune of Rs. 100 Cr per year through Venture Capitalists, Angel Networks, HNIs, State and Central Government Departments or Agencies or PSUs.

Odisha Skill Development Authority Chairman Subrato Bagchi said that O-hub is a great platform to celebrate start-ups and provide an investor ecosystem in the state.

Asit Tripathy, Principal Advisor to CM said how O-Hub would bring the start-up community together by providing a platform for entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and academia to interact and collaborate.

Satybrata Sahu, Principal Secretary MSME delivered the welcome address.

Suresh Mohapatra, Chief Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena, Development Commissioner also attended

The Chief Minister also released a coffee table book on Start-up Odisha.

With Startup Odisha Office stationed in O-hub, it will be a central place for Incubators, Accelerators & other major stakeholders. With a complete infrastructure support for High End Fabrication Labs, R&D Facilities, Amphitheatre among other facilities.