The Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) at SiliconTech, the engineering institute of Silicon University, organized a two-day Mentor-Mentee program from 10-12 May 2024.
The Mentor-Mentee Program, an initiative of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, aims to enhance participants’ entrepreneurial capabilities by providing essential skills, knowledge, and motivation. This included mastering the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, refining key entrepreneurial competencies, and gaining insights into the processes needed to turn innovative ideas into reality.
The program began with the welcome address delivered by Dr. Jaideep Talukdar, our Vice-Chancellor. Dr. Mahendra Prasad Agasty, President of the IIC at Silicon, outlined the program’s objectives. These objectives centered on nurturing entrepreneurial skills, offering mentorship, and providing exposure to Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E).
The event featured several engaging talks and interactive sessions. Mr. C.R. Patnaik’s presentation on ‘Why Entrepreneurship?’ covered entrepreneurial competencies and the appeal of becoming an entrepreneur. Mr. Visal JC’s session on ‘Design Thinking’ explored funding opportunities for pre-incubation and incubation facilities. In the afternoon, Mr. Patnaik led a session on ‘Achievement Motivation Training (AMT)’. The day ended with a guided tour of pre-incubation centers, including the ED Cell and Incubation Centre. Dr. Sudhansu Mohan Biswal, Associate Professor of Electronics Engineering at Silicon coordinated the visits.
The second day began with another AMT session by Mr. Patnaik reinforcing strategies for fostering achievement motivation. Mr. Deepak Chaudhury then delved into the identification of viable business opportunities, stressing their necessity, importance, processes, and sources of ideas. Subsequently, the focus turned to the ‘Business Model Canvas’, where participants engaged in in-depth discussions and activities. Dr. Amresh Panda provided valuable insights into the commercialization of technology and intellectual property (IP).
The Mentor-Mentee program was attended by two members from each of the mentee institutions including DRIEMS Polytechnic, Cuttack, Model Mahila College, Jharkhand, Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Institute of Information Technology & Management Science (DAMITS), Rourkela, Dispur College, Assam and Gandhi Institute for Education and Technology, Bhubaneswar.
The event proved highly successful, as participants benefitted greatly from insights shared by experienced resource persons. Through interactive sessions, hands-on activities, and exposure visits, attendees gained a comprehensive learning experience. Participant feedback highlighted a notable increase in confidence and motivation to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.
