The 2nd Edition of Tech-E Summit, 1st and 2nd August 2024, Welcome hotel by ITC Hotels, Bengaluru
The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I) presented the 2nd edition of its Tech-E Summit 2024, in association with Infinity Group, on 1st and 2nd August 2024, at Welcome hotel by ITC Hotels, Bengaluru.
This year’s theme was “Tech led growth – Interplay of dynamics by Start Ups, Entrepreneurs, Investors, Intrapreneurs”.
Enthused by the success of the 1st edition, BCC&I has embarked on the initiative of annualizing this programme and look forward to making it a signature programme for the Technology Entrepreneurs and Start Ups Community.
Our endeavour was to curate a platform of bringing investors, incubators, Startups including unicorns, soonicorns, senior IT Professionals together to highlight the prospects of Startup Ecosystem in India.
The objectives of the programme were multifold:
- Promoting Bengal as preferred IT destination and attracting investors
- Connecting Startups, primarily from Bengal (some from Bengaluru too) with investors
- Showcasing successful entrepreneurship ventures from Bengal
Shri Babul Supriyo, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Information Technology and Electronics, Government of West Bengal joined us in the programme. Roundtable discussions for him with the potential IT, ITeS and GCC investors for Bengal were organised on the sidelines of the programme. The entities included Grant Thornton, Oracle India, Amazon, Wipro, RSM Global, Cognizant, Capgemini, IBM, Northern Trust, Cargill Foods, Kimberly Clark, Frauscher India.
In the Opening Ceremony on 2nd August, The Hon’ble Minister highlighted the advantages and potentials of Bengal. With him, the dais was shared by Mr. Gautam Ray, President, BCC&I and President - Corporate, RPSG Group, Mr. Arnab Basu, President Designate and Chairperson, IT Committee, BCC&I and Advisory Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd, Mr. Ravindra Chamaria, Group Chairman, Infinity Infotech Parks Limited, Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharya, Chairperson, IT Entrepreneurs and eCommerce Committee, BCC&I; Co-Chairperson, IT Committee, BCC&I and Chief Executive Officer & Director, Wizertech Informatics Pvt. Ltd. Dr. Gopichand Katragadda, Founder & CEO, Myelin Foundry a senior industry leader from Bengaluru also joined.
The highlight of the programme started on 1st August 2024 featuring Twenty-Three (23) startups from prominent incubators like STPI Bengaluru, Webel-BCC&I Tech Incubation Centre, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and IDEAS- TIH (ISI Kolkata). These startups had the opportunity to showcase their ventures to a panel of nine (9) investors and mentors from across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
The startups were divided into two categories based on their development stage. The ones before or at the pre-proof-of-concept stage participated in a speed dating format, allowing for brief interactions with investors and mentors. More mature startups presented their pitches in an open house setting to the group of investors.
Prior to the main event, on July 24th and 26th, the startups underwent a grooming session designed to prepare them for the investor presentations. This session involved coaching and categorization, resulting in fifteen startups being selected for speed dating and eight for open house pitches. The guidance and insights were provided by industry experts Mr. Gaurav Kapoor, Chief Business Officer, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park along with Mr. Deepak Daftari, Mentor, WEBEL- BCC&I Tech Incubation Centre and Director & CEO, DD Web Vision Pvt. Ltd; Mr. NK Ghosal, Director, NKG & Associates, Mr. C N Raghupathi, Founder Director, Manipal Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship School.
As an immediate outcome of the program held on 1st August 2024, four investors expressed interest in seven startups and have indicated a desire to pursue further discussions, few of which are in mature stages.
We also included one of our accelerated Startup, Mr. Soumya Tapan Misra, Co-Founder and Director, SISIR Radar Pvt Ltd. to coach the Startups. The Investor Connect session of 1st August was followed by networking dinner where participating Startups and entrepreneurs could connect with the investors and other important dignitaries. We had the pleasure of having our Former Presidents, Mr. S. Radhakrishnan and Mr. Abraham George Stephanos joining us on 1st August
The main conference day on2nd August 2024, featured the session on Investors’ Perspective after the formal Inaugural session.
- The session was joined by:
- Mr. Deepak Daftari, Director & CEO, DD Web Vision Pvt Ltd
- Mr. Anirudh A Damani, Managing Partner, Artha Venture Fund
- Mr. Gaurav Kapoor, Chief Business Officer, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
- Mr. Anush Prem, Chief Technology Officer, Inflexor Ventures
- Mr. C N Raghupathi, Founder Director, Manipal Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship School
- Mr. Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Co- Founder & Managing Partner, SEAFUND
- Mr. Nitish Kumar, Investment Analyst, Special Invest
- Ms. Bina Trivedi, Partner, The Investment Trust of India
- Mr. Anil Joshi, Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures
Other Sessions, featured in the Summit were:
- Success Stories of Startups: “Deep Tech Innovations for the Future” – joined by Mr. Soumya Tapan Misra, Co-Founder and Director, SISIR Radar Pvt Ltd and Mr. Gaurav Kapoor, Chief Business Officer, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park.
- Fireside Chat Session: "Journey of an Entrepreneur turned Investor - Perception on Success and Failure”- joined by Mr. Saleem Asaria, Partner, Lightrock India and Mr. C N Raghupathi, Founder Director, Manipal Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship School.
- Session: Mr. Srinath Ravichandran, Co- Founder and CEO and Mr. Moin SPM, Co-Founder and COO, Agnikul Cosmos in conversation with Mr. Anirudh A Damani, Managing Partner, Artha Venture Fund
- Panel Discussion on “Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs – Prospects of future growth”, which was joined by:
- Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharya, Chairperson, IT Entrepreneurs and eCommerce Committee, BCC&I; Co-Chairperson, IT Committee, BCC&I and Chief Executive Officer & Director, Wizertech Informatics Pvt. Ltd
- Mr. Aninda Chatterjee, Co-Chairperson, IT Entrepreneurs and eCommerce National Committee, BCC&I and VP (Finance) & CFO, mjunction services limited, (TATA & SAIL joint Venture Company)
- Mr. Mukul Gupta¸ CEO, Capital Numbers
- Mr. Indrajit Deb Roy, Co-Founder, DevAid Services; Chartered accountant (India), Chartered Global Management accountant (UK) and Chairman of Regional Engagement Group of Middle East and Asia of AICPA (USA)
- Ms. Minal Bhagat, Director, Ensonic Computech Pvt Ltd.
- Mr. Himadri Ganguly, Partner-Data & Analytics | GCC/GIC Market Segment, PwC India, Bengaluru
- Mr. Rudra Shankar Roy, Industry Thought Leader, Strategist, Global SME for Process Consulting & Supply Chain, Academic Ambassador and Social Entrepreneur and Honorary Mentor for Webel-BCC&I Tech Incubation Centre
- Mr. Jayanta Kr. Saha, Founder and CEO, Softthink Intelligent Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Opening Session
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Mr. Gautam Ray, President, BCC&I and President - Corporate, RPSG Group expressed happiness over the positive response received, emphasizing that it would strengthen the connection between Kolkata and Bengaluru. He highlighted West Bengal's potential in the IT sector, mentioning significant investments and projects like the Bengal Silicon Valley. He discussed the Chamber's initiatives, including a technology incubation centre, collaborations with major companies and efforts in sustainability, particularly in environmental and skill development projects. Our Chamber's focus on expanding beyond Kolkata and fostering international ties was also pointed out. |
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Mr. Arnab Basu, President Designate and Chairperson, IT Committee, BCC&I and Advisory Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd., expressed pleasure in attending the Summit, emphasizing the city's unique energy and vibrant Startup ecosystem. He explained that Bengaluru was chosen for the event due to its strong Startup community and the ease of bringing together key stakeholders, including founders, investors and venture capitalists. He highlighted the importance of not just mentoring Startups but also connecting them with the broader ecosystem, including investors. He also mentioned the significance of collaboration within the Startup ecosystem and the role of industry and academia in fostering innovation. He noted the rise of intrapreneurship within large organizations, where employees are encouraged to innovate and develop new business ideas. The speech concluded with a warm welcome to the event's attendees, encouraging them to participate in discussions and bilateral conversations throughout the day, particularly with the IT Minister from West Bengal, who was present at the summit. |
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Mr. Ravindra Chamaria, Chairman and Managing Director of Infinity Group, expressed his pleasure at returning to The Bengal Chamber's 2nd Tech- E Summit in Bengaluru, acknowledging the city's transformation into India's Startup capital and its strong ties with Bengal, especially in the IT sector. He shared the journey of Infinity Group, headquartered in Sector 5, Kolkata, which evolved from a little-known area into a thriving IT hub. He also highlighted the group's sustainable developments, which have attracted over 350 corporate houses and Startups, making Sector 5 a key economic driver for Greater Kolkata. He gave credit to Kolkata's rich talent pool, supported by strong educational institutions and Government initiatives for helping the city and West Bengal to emerge as significant Startup hubs. He invited collaboration to further enhance Bengal's ecosystem, welcoming participants to experience and contribute to its growth. |
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Dr. Katragadda, a seasoned Technologist and Entrepreneur, shared his experiences and insights. He emphasized the need for more deep tech Startups in India, advocating for patient capital and cautioning against the prevalent practice of unpaid proofs of concept (POCs), which he perceives as exploitative. He urged Startups to resist unpaid POCs and called on large corporations to invest fairly in R&D. He also highlighted the importance of having global aspirations and hands-on experience for entrepreneurs and teams, encouraging them to engage closely with data, customers and the global market. He concluded by appreciating the efforts of the Chamber in hosting the event and highlighted the need for patient capital, leadership and a global mindset in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. |
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Shri Babul Supriyo, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Information Technology and Electronics, Government of West Bengal began by expressing gratitude to BCC&I for hosting the 2nd Edition of this Summit in Bengaluru, which he acknowledged as the IT capital of India. He emphasized on ambition and strides taken by Kolkata to become a major IT hub. He highlighted the congestion issues faced by existing IT hubs like Bengaluru and suggested that Kolkata offers a promising alternative. During his speech, he detailed the recent policy changes in Kolkata, such as extending the workweek cap from 48 to 54 hours to accommodate international business needs. He also mentioned the city's IT infrastructure, including the development of Bengal Silicon Valley, which offers discounted land and has attracted major companies like Reliance and TCS. He also discussed various incentives for IT investments in the State, such as property tax exemptions and electricity duty waivers. Emphasis was placed on Kolkata's efforts to streamline business processes and enhance its attractiveness as a tech hub. He concluded with the commitment to improve Kolkata's IT landscape. He invited the audience to explore the opportunities in Kolkata and assured them of the State's dedication to supporting their ventures. |
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Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharya, Chairperson, IT Entrepreneurs and eCommerce Committee, BCC&I; Co-Chairperson, IT Committee, BCC&I and Chief Executive Officer & Director, Wizertech Informatics Pvt. Ltd., concluded the Opening Session by extending his heartfelt gratitude to all the Dignitaries, presented in the programme; the Partners for their support to mount the forum in a befitting manner and the participants. |
Panel Discussion on Investors’ Perspectives
This was a special session featuring the Investors’ perspectives. The session was moderated by Mr. Deepak Daftari. The esteemed panellists were :- Mr. Anirudh A Damani; Mr. Anil Joshi; Mr. Manoj Kumar Agarwal; Mr. Sunil Cavale S; Mr. Amitesh Sinha and Ms. Bina Trivedi.
Session on Success Stories of Startups: “Deep Tech Innovations for the Future”
This session featured Mr. Soumya Tapan Misra with Mr Gaurav Kapoor. SISIR Radar Pvt. Ltd., a space-tech startup which was incubated at Webel-BCC&I Tech Incubation Centre and now accelerated, was showcased as deep-tech innovation from Bengal moderated by Mr. Kapoor.
Fireside Chat on "Journey of an Entrepreneur turned Investor - Perception on Success and Failure”
The session featured Mr. Saleem Asaria in conversation with Mr. C N Raghupathi. Mr. Asaria, who has an interesting profile of being a medical practitioner to a health entrepreneur to an investor, shared about perspectives of success and failure in entrepreneurship journey.
Mr. Srinath Ravichandran, Co- Founder and CEO and Mr. Moin SPM, Co-Founder and COO, Agnikul Cosmos in conversation with Mr. Anirudh A Damani, Managing Partner, Artha Venture Fund
Agnikul Cosmos is a Space Tech Soonicorn recently in May 2024, successfully test-launched its single-piece 3D printed semi-cryogenic rocket. In doing all this, Agnikul aims to grab a small slice of the gigantic global space technology market.
In this summit, Agnikul demonstrated their Deep Tech Innovation and shared their journey so far.
Panel Discussion on “Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs – Prospects of future growth”
Successful Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs from Bengal joined the Panel Discussion which enabled us to talk about entrepreneurship venture ecosysyem in technology space in Bengal. They were also joined by relevant Speakers from Bengaluru.
The Session was moderated by:
Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharya. and Mr. Aninda Chatterjee.
Other Panellists were:
Mr. Mukul Gupta; Mr. Indrajit Deb Roy; Ms. Minal Bhagat, Mr Himadri Ganguly; Mr. Rudra Shankar Roy; Mr. Jayanta Kr. Saha.
We had very enthusiastic participants (over 200 footfall) at the venue joining from Kolkata, Bengaluru and other cities.
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