UPES, a multidisciplinary university situated in Dehradun, has developed ‘Runway,’ its largest incubation programme, to engage with start-ups both inside and outside the institution on their ideas and assist them in transitioning into strong, scalable, and profitable enterprises. ‘Runway’ is a programme that attempts to assist exceptional innovators in getting through the early phases of starting a business and getting to the point where they have created a product or service that is remarkable enough to collect funds. This will be accomplished through a combination of mentorship, grants and investments, legal and incorporation assistance, and workspace allocation.
‘Runway’ is a project of the UPES Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UCIE), which has been recognised by the Uttarakhand government as a business incubator and the state nodal body for encouraging entrepreneurship and incubating start-ups.
Speaking at the formal launch of ‘Runway’ at the university campus, Dr Sunil Rai, Vice-Chancellor, UPES, said, “At UPES, we are serious about encouraging innovation and developing the entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow. Runway is our most ambitious initiative in this direction. We are fully committed to the ideas, passion and dreams of our students, faculty members and individuals outside of UPES who are gearing up for their entrepreneurial journeys. Start-ups are one of the significant growth engines of the Indian economy. ‘Runway’ is our endeavour to fuel this engine and be an ally in the nation’s progress.”
Sharad Mehra, Chairman, Hydrocarbon Education Research Society (HERS, UPES); Shilpa Sharma, Co-founder, Jaypore; Sri Prakash, President, TiE Dehradun; Saurav Kumar Sinha, Founder & CEO, Homeversity; and Priyanshu Jain, Founder, Agri Joy were among those who attended the launch.
Sharad Mehra urged UPES students and staff members, as well as others outside of UPES, to use ‘Runway’ to help them succeed as entrepreneurs. Shilpa Sharma recommended that persons interested in starting their own businesses work closely with someone who has already done it in order to gain more knowledge and expertise.
Start-ups will improve their ideas and business models, create prototypes, and discover important consumers and investors on the ‘Runway.’ ‘Runway’ will also offer financial assistance in the form of grants and funding.
