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By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 14, 2018: Odisha is working on an ambitious plan to register 1,000 startups under Startup Odisha Initiative by 2020.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of Startup India-Odisha Yatra here on Friday, chief minister, Naveen Patnaik said that 200 startups have been registered with Startup Odisha Initiative so far, out of which 23 are getting financial assistance from Startup Odisha. The state will be able to achieve the target of 1,000 startups by 2020, he claimed.

The Startup India-Odisha Yatra, which was launched on January 30, 2018, has reached 10,000 youths of 50 educational institutions. During the period, 3,600 ideas were received, of which 125 ideas were shortlisted for the Accelerator Programme.

The experts have selected 75 innovators including IIT Bhubaneswar, STPI, KIIT University and Centurion University for free incubation offers, he added.

Patnaik also unveiled the booklet of Startup India-Odisha Yatra during the grand finale of the event yesterday.

The state government has provided Rs 2.5 crore to IIT Bhubaneswar for setting up the centre on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. The state has been providing the facility and assistance to the startup and budding entrepreneurs, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said adding that Odisha tops the country in Startup initiative.