JSS Welcomes Youngpreneurs Galore!

On 22 April 2011, JSS DVH-IMSR held its National Level Business Plan Competition: Youngpreneurs Galore 2011. The event was held in the D.C.S.E. auditorium and the Deshpande Foundation sponsored the Rs. 50,000 in prize money. The day began with an Inauguration Ceremony that featured Chief Guest Sri. Madhusudan Kocha, Managing Director of Capital Control Pvt. Ltd., Dr. N. Vajrakumar, Honourable Secretary of JSS Dharwad, and Dr. M.S. Subhas, Dean and Director of the Kousali Institute of Management Studies.

The organizers at JSS developed a unique concept that made this competition stand out: business plans were judged in stages that mimicked the “real-world” (no Powerpoint allowed!). The judges for the competition were: Dr. Basavraj Girennavar, Managing Director of RICO Winery and Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Sri. Kamalakar Deshpande, Assistant General Manager of KSFC, Belgaum, and EA’s Genny King.

Participants had no idea what to expect from the competition. They were given the details about each round only 30 minutes before they began! Just like an aspiring entrepreneur might have only the attention of an investor for a minute or two, the first stage of the competition was an elevator pitch. Two members from each team had ninety seconds to pitch their business to the judges.

Having gotten the attention of the “investors”, teams then had five minutes in the second round to make a longer pitch and answer questions. For this round, teams were given a sheet of paper, sketch pens, and thirty minutes to draw anything they wanted to use in their presentation. Finally, teams had exactly two minutes in the third round to perform a skit that would advertise their business venture. Remember that they had no idea that this challenge awaited them!

After a long day, the judges decided on the three winning teams. In third place and winning Rs. 10,000 was the team from SDM CET Dharwad with their plan for a series of food street stalls that distinguishes itself with its impeccable hygiene. JSS DVH-IMSR came in second place and won Rs. 15,000 for presenting their plan for a device that could be used at public places to detect mobile activity and alert people to turn off their phones. The JSS team included E-Cell members Shashank D.J., Akshata Brahmavar , and Sunita Nikkam! The first place winner received Rs. 25,000 and came from KLE Engineering Belgaum. They presented a plan for a children’s swing-set that would pump water up from a well when in use!



At the end of the day, attendees and participants were loosened up by being treated to an amazing and energetic dance performance by students from JSS. The Valedictory Ceremony followed and featured judges Dr. Girennavar, Sri. Kamalakar Deshpande, and Naveen Jha, Director of DCSE.

EA thanks the hardworking faculty and students of JSS for putting on such an innovative event! We especially appreciate the efforts of E-Cell members, Event Coordinator Dr. Purushottam Bung, and JSS DVH-IMSR President Dr. C.S. Rajagopal.

JSS Youngpreneurs 2011

"Antaraprerana 2011" IMER holds Seminar & B-Plan Competition

On March 26, KLS’s Institute of Management Education & Research (IMER), Belgaum, held its National Level Seminar on Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The seminar was a great success and gave students and guests an opportunity to hear from a range of successful professionals and entrepreneurs.

Inaugurating the event was keynote speaker Dr. Anil Rao, Regional VP of AIMS (Association of Indian Management Schools). The seminar was segmented into three sessions. The first session, on “Design Thinking”, featured Manu Kulkarni, distinguished member of the Prime Minister’s National Commission on Population. The second session had Mr. Suresh Katti, VP Aditya Birla Management, speaking on “Creativity & Innovation.” The final session was with Mr. Suresh Hundre, CEO & MD of Polyhydron Private Limited, who spoke about his company’s innovative approach to “Distribution of Wealth.”

On the previous day, March 25th, the “Antaraprerana 2011” Business Plan Competition was held. Thirteen teams from MBA, BBA, and engineering schools were given 10 minutes to present their business plan proposals. The competition’s theme made it unique: each B-plan had to address a triple bottom line of People, Profit, and Planet. The judges for the competition were EA’s Malcolm Charles and established Belgaum entrepreneurs Swapneel Patnekar and Arvind Kapadia.

In third place and winning Rs. 10,000 was a team from the Jain School of Business, MATS, Belgaum with a business plan for a maize processing unit. Second place and Rs. 15,000 went to a team from IMER (including E-Cell member Prakash Kulkarni!) which presented a plan on energy generation through bagasses. EA Partner JSS Dharwad fielded the first place team with a plan for producing temperature control boxes for those without electricity. JSS’ team included E-Cell members Sharanu H., Pavankumar Deshpande, Nikhil Kandkur, and Prateek Malgi! They took home the grand prize of Rs. 25,000!

The winners of the B-plan competition were announced on Saturday during the seminar’s valedictory function and the prize money was sponsored by the Deshpande Foundation. Chief Guest Naveen Jha, Director of the Deshpande Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, was on hand to speak to the audience about adopting an entrepreneurially mindset and having a passion for taking on new ideas and experiences.

Congratulations to Seminar Convener Dr. Poornima Charantimath and the rest of the faculty and students at IMER for putting on a great event!

"Rattling Minds" at BIMS a Success!

On Monday, February 21^st, BIMS E-Cell students held an inter-collegial quiz and business plan competition. The event, called ‘Rattling Minds’, was a great success! The idea for ‘Rattling Minds’ was sparked, in part, by the 2k CHALLENGE, a competition conducted by Entrepreneurship Academy. In this challenge teams of 3-4 students are given Rs. 2000 to invest and turn a profit on in a short period of time.

D.C.S.E. Director Naveen Jha was the chief guest and addressed the attendees about the importance of thinking entrepreneurially. Genny King and Malcolm Charles of Entrepreneurship Academy were the judges for the business plan competition. The competition’s theme was “Art out of Waste” and contained 3 rounds: the first was a brief presentation on each team’s product, the second was an ‘elevator pitch’ delivered to the judges, and the third was a five minute formal presentation. It was great seeing E-Cell members from IMER and GBS do so well at the event.

Ideas ranged from the hydroponic farming of strawberries to a cheap water filtration system. The winning team, from Gogti Institute of Technology, Udyambag, presented a plan to take old, discarded saris and use them to create blankets.

The day concluded with awards for the winners of the quiz and business plan competitions. Mr. Deepak Dhadoti, a Belgaum-based entrepreneur, delivered the valedictory speech.

EA would like to congratulate the Envision E-Cell for a wonderful event. In particular, credit should be given to Kiran Wali and Shabaz T. for managing the business plan competition, Shoaib Syed and Aishwarya D. for managing the quiz, and Moses Carvalho and Sayed Inamdar for acting as event coordinators. Students also had the support of BIMS Director Dr. Anilkumar Garag, Prof. Shreedevi Shintri, and Prof. Prasanna