The first COHORT of the Bengal Business Accelerator Program—a flagship initiative by the Government of West Bengal in collaboration with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) under the World Bank-aided RAMP Scheme—was launched with an inaugural bootcamp in Kolkata from April 24-26, 2025. The 3-day bootcamp marked the official beginning of a transformative acceleration journey for 25 high-potential startups or MSMEs, selected from an overwhelming 266 applications received across sectors.

Designed to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools and mindset required to scale, the bootcamp brought together a power-packed lineup of mentors, industry leaders and startup experts.

Day 1: The opening day set the tone with a welcome session by Mr. P Choudhury, Jt Director, Department of MSME&T, Government of West Bengal, and Mr. Srinivas Gadhavilli, Head, Ecosystem Development at IIMCIP. They introduced the RAMP Scheme, the structure of the accelerator program and its vision to make Bengal a startup powerhouse. Following this, Mr. Gaurav Kapoor, CBO at IIMCIP, led an engaging ice-breaking session, helping founders to bond and set collaborative energy for the days ahead. The day progressed with Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO of IIMCIP, decoding the traits of fundable startups—insights to help participants align their business models with investor expectations. The afternoon sessions saw Dr. Ringo Rajagopal, CEO of uMobi Solutions, guide startups in building robust business roadmaps, followed by Mr. Kaustav Majumdar, Professor of Practice, who offered a deep dive into developing a compelling Customer Value Proposition. From customer research to refining product features, it was all about building lovable solutions that truly address user needs.

Day 2: Day two began with a masterclass by Mr. T. P. Pratap, Founder of Qwikcilver, on achieving product-market fit, validating offerings, segmenting customers and preparing for scale. A key highlight of the day was the entrepreneurial story shared by Mr. Madan M. Mohanka, Chairman of Tega Industries. His presence, along with Smt. Jayashree Mohanka, Member of the IIMCIP Board, brought immense value and gravitas to the programme, serving as a testament to Bengal’s legacy of innovation and leadership. This was followed by a session on lean manufacturing practices by Sri Manish Chandra Vinay, Dy Director of the National Productivity Council, giving startups a taste of operational efficiency. Mr. Sanjoy Sen, IIMCIP Mentor, led the next session on Customer Experience Journey Mapping, helping founders understand how to identify customer pain points and design for delight. The day concluded with a dynamic Diagnostics Panel, where a team of experts engaged directly with startups to evaluate their readiness and offer tailored advice. Panellists included Jayashree Mohanka TP Pratap, Sanjoy Sen, Suman Mukhopadhyay, Debapratim Das, Namami Ghosh, Srinivas Gadhavilli, Anil Bajaj, Sandip Bhatia and Supratik Bhowmik.

Day 3: The final day zoomed in on branding, marketing and pricing strategy. Prof. C. D. Mitra, Founder & CEO of Pipalmajik and Visiting Professor at IIM Calcutta, led a thought-provoking session on Branding and Promotion, covering everything from defining brand identity to executing promotional campaigns with consistency. This was followed by a highly relevant session on Pricing Strategy by Dr. Ritu Mehta, Professor at IIM Calcutta. The bootcamp wrapped up with a networking session, fostering peer-to-peer learning and open dialogue with mentors. The day ended with an interactive & networking session with MBA-Ex students in the Start Up Garage hackathon hosted by IIM Calcutta.

The bootcamp brought clarity, inspiration and momentum to the Cohort, laying the groundwork for what promises to be a powerful acceleration journey. As the accelerator programme moves into deeper mentorship and investor connects in the coming months, these 25 startups now stand better equipped with more sharpened acumen and clarity in ambitions.

From April 25–27, 2025, the IIM Calcutta campus buzzed with startup energy as the Startup Garage Hackathon took centre stage. Organised by IIM Calcutta, in collaboration with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) and supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the hackathon welcomed the incoming MBA-Ex Batch 19 with an unforgettable plunge into the world of entrepreneurship.

This dynamic 3-day event was designed around the theme “Job Seekers to Job Creators: Re-imagining Contemporary India”, encouraging students to think beyond traditional career paths and build the businesses of tomorrow.

The hackathon kicked off with over 90 students submitting startup ideas. From these, the top 30 were shortlisted, who entered an intense investment simulation round where they pitched to secure virtual “funding.” By the end of Day 1, the top 12 ideas were selected to form teams and start building real prototypes overnight.

On the second day, the Startup Garage transformed into a full-fledged accelerator. The teams underwent intensive mentorship by IIM Calcutta alumni, real-world pitching simulations led by the IIMCIP CEO, Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, business plan validation and mock fundraising sessions, pushing their ideas towards market feasibility. Each team received focused feedback—all in a high-pressure, time-sensitive format that pushed them to think fast and iterate even faster.

The finale brought in a jury of distinguished entrepreneurs and investors who judged each pitch on the basis of innovation, scalability and problem-solving depth. Post the pitching, three teams emerged winners, viz., InteliMend (Winner), Neuro Edge (Runner Up) and Green X (Second Runner Up).

The Startup Garage wasn’t just a competition — it was a live experience of what building a startup feels like: sleepless nights, sharp pivots, mentorship breakthroughs and the thrill of creating something from scratch!

The second bootcamp for startups under the ReGen Innovation Accelerator 2025 took off to a flying start at the IIM Calcutta campus on April 28, 2025.

DAY 1

The first day of the 2-day bootcamp kickstarted with a series of insightful sessions aimed at equipping early-stage startups with practical business knowledge and strategic tools.

The day began with an engaging workshop on Stakeholder Mapping, led by Mr. Rajeev Nair and Mr. Shyam Sukhramani, Partners at 7th Gen Ventures.

Post-lunch, Mr. Pankaj Baruah from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park led a deep dive session on Business Plan Development, where participants gained crucial insights into structuring a business plan. This was followed by an important session on Marketing Strategy for Businesses in the Circular Economy, led by Mr. Subir Chakraborty, former MD & CEO of Exide Industries, highlighting the role of sustainability and innovation in modern market approaches. The financial foundation of entrepreneurship was addressed in a dedicated session by Mr. Rakesh Singh, who offered clarity on key financial concepts critical for startup founders.

The day wrapped up with an engaging fireside chat on “What investors look for in early-stage startups?”, where experts — Mr. Rajeev Nair and Mr. Shyam Sukhramani (Partners, 7th Gen Ventures), Mr. Srinivas Gadhavilli (IIMCIP) and Mr. Love Sharin (ALSiSAR Impact) — shared valuable insights on fundraising with the attending startup founders.

ReGen Innovation Accelerator 2025 is a programme exclusively tailored for circularity and waste and water management startups, driven by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, in collaboration with 7th Gen Ventures and ALSiSAR Impact, and supported by Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) at the Aspen Institute and IKEA Foundation under the Investment Innovation Fund designed to improve access to finance for waste and circularity enterprises in India.

DAY 2

The second and final day of the bootcamp under the ReGen Innovation Accelerator 2025 concluded yesterday at the IIM Calcutta campus, continuing its mission to equip circular economy startups with critical business acumen and investor readiness.

The day began with a comprehensive session on the financial foundations of entrepreneurship, delivered by Mr. Rakesh Singh, Partner, S Sanghi & Co. The session offered participants clear insights into essential financial concepts. Another important session focussed on Basic Accounting and Unit Economics, conducted by Prof. Manju Jaiswal from IIM Calcutta.

One of the highlights of the day was the Mock Pitching segment, where groups of startups presented their business ideas to a panel comprising mentors from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, 7th Gen Ventures and ALSiSAR Impact. Participating founders received invaluable feedback on pitch delivery, value proposition and investor expectations—the key steps in preparing for real-world fundraising.

With another successful bootcamp concluded, the ReGen Innovation Accelerator 2025 continues to empower startups working in the fields of circularity and waste and water management.

ReGen Innovation Accelerator 2025 is driven by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, in collaboration with 7th Gen Ventures, ALSiSAR IMPACT and supported by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) at the Aspen Institute and IKEA Foundation under the Investment Innovation Fund designed to improve access to finance for waste and circularity enterprises in India.

Operation Dronagiri was officially launched for Kamrup and Kamrup (M) yesterday in Guwahati, in the presence of Shri Sumit Sattawan, IAS, District Commissioner of Kamrup; Mr. Srikant Sastri, Chairman, GDPSC; Dr. Mohan Kumar Stalin, Additional Surveyor, East India; P.L.N. Raju, Director, Assam State Space Application Centre (ASSAC); and Mr. Pranjal Konwar, COO, IIMCIP. The event also saw participation from government officials, corporate representatives from Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Allianz, GalaxEye, ESRI, ESAF Bank and Delhivery, startups and entrepreneurs.

The launch event introduced the Geospatial Data Sharing Interface (GDI), a newly developed system aimed at enhancing the use of geospatial technology. The GDI is designed to create new opportunities in three key sectors, viz., Agriculture, Transportation and Livelihoods & Skilling. The discussions emphasised the role of geospatial technology in urban and rural development, efficient resource management and strategic planning.

During the event, stakeholders engaged in interactive discussions, leading to collaborations between startups, businesses and government bodies for the effective execution of Operation Dronagiri. Key suggestions were made to ensure smooth implementation and scalability, positioning geospatial technology as a crucial tool for economic progress.

The following startups have been selected for Operation Dronagiri and will be working for Kamrup Metro and Kamrup Rural – Addble Solutions, ekarigari.in System, Kisan Rover and SparkyAI! These startups will play key roles in enhancing accessibility, unlocking socio-economic growth opportunities and facilitating a larger impact through geospatial adoption.

With Operation Dronagiri now in motion, the initiative is set to drive innovation, promote geospatial adoption and contribute to the nation’s sustainable development goal.