Bhubaneswar: In a major push to bolster the startup ecosystem, Startup Odisha, under the aegis of the MSME Department, Government of Odisha, launched two significant initiatives — the ‘X-Change Programme’ and ‘Launchpad 2025: Incubator Induction and Capacity Building Programme’.

The event, held at the Odisha Startup Incubation Centre (O-Hub) in Bhubaneswar, aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and capacity building among incubators across the state.

The ‘X-Change Programme’ served as an exclusive knowledge-sharing and collaborative platform, bringing together incubators recognised by Startup Odisha. Designed to enhance ecosystem alignment and build institutional capacity, the programme encouraged incubators to co-create a more inclusive and future-ready startup environment.

Simultaneously, nine newly recognised incubators were formally inducted into the Startup Odisha network under the Launchpad 2025 initiative. These incubators are:

  • IIM Sambalpur I-Hub Foundation
  • Sambalpur University Startup Forum
  • OASME Council for Engineering and Technology
  • Dasari Vikash Rural Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation
  • Centurion Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Facilitation Centre
  • CVRCE Technology Incubator Foundation
  • Crucible Innovation Forum
  • NIST Incubation Foundation
  • GITA Incubation Foundation

During the event, Rajesh Kumar Adla, CEO of AIC T-Hub, and Kamaljit Das, OAS(S), Joint Secretary of the MSME Department, shared valuable insights on developing impactful incubation strategies and fostering cross-institutional collaboration.

Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary of the MSME Department and Chairman of Startup Odisha, has played a key role in accelerating the growth of Odisha’s startup ecosystem.

The participating incubators expressed their appreciation to Startup Odisha for organising such programmes, which empower them with practical knowledge and tools for capacity building and innovation-led development.