The program intends to instill in students creative thinking, problem solving and expertise, enabling them with concrete steps to reimagine their entrepreneurial journeys
January 16th, 2024, India - Plaksha University, a new-age university that is reimagining technology education and research in India with cutting-edge technology programs, today unveiled the Plaksha Launch Accelerator Program (PLAP), an initiative of the Info Edge Center for Entrepreneurship. This cutting-edge program aims to foster innovation, support aspiring entrepreneurs, and solve stirring problems in the larger world. The program was launched at the university campus through an event, Alchemy'24, aimed to catalyze innovation and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in young minds.
On the occasion of National Start-up Day, PLAP signifies a commitment to nurturing talent, driving innovation, and reshaping the technology education landscape in India. The 6-month pre-seed initiative is exclusively designed for students and alumni. This program aims to provide a platform for individuals with innovative ideas, fostering the next generation of tech entrepreneurs. As an integral part of the Info Edge Center for Entrepreneurship, PLAP supports startups to become portfolio companies, offering financial assistance for setup costs, agreements, and free physical incubation for six months. The program structure, crafted to industry benchmarks, emphasizes monthly activities such as pitch practice and mentor meetings.
PLAP offers students a structured journey, providing essential workshops and personalized 1-1 sessions covering areas such as customer development, product development, financial planning, fundraising, and pitch practice, fostering comprehensive entrepreneurial skills and readiness for the startup ecosystem. With a focus on vision, mission, and practical aspects like legal IP and branding, PLAP ensures a holistic approach to student startup preparation and success.
Speaking about the program, Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice-Chancellor, Plaksha University, said, "Through PLAP, we will prepare the youth of tomorrow to address grand challenges innovatively by providing them a robust platform. This initiative is a testament to our steadfast commitment to nurturing young innovators who will shape the future by providing them a conducive space wherein they learn to take up real-world challenges and address them creatively ."
Sharing his thoughts, Dr. Ritesh Malik, Founder, Inno8 Coworking, said “PLAP represents a pivotal step towards reimagining a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating future leaders. Plaksha University's commitment to providing a launchpad for aspiring innovators is commendable. This will be an incredible platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to unlock their true potential and turn their ideas into business success stories. I am excited to contribute and witness their transformative journey."
The launch of PLAP during Alchemy'24 was marked by an illustrious speaker lineup, Dr. Rudra Pratap, Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University, Smt. Jaspreet Talwar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Notable segments included insights into the Plaksha Launch Accelerator Program, an MoU signing with ADIF (Alliance of Digital India Foundation), and a panel discussion on "Investing 101 for Early Stage Entrepreneurs'' with industry leaders like Dhianu Das, Co-Founder, Agility Ventures, like Dhianu Das, Nischaiy Pradhan, Nischaiy Pradhan, Founding Partner, Favcy, Anisha Patnaik, Founder, LexStart Partners, Nitika Khurana, Chandigarh Angels Network
The day also covered discussions on fintech, early-stage investing, and the creator economy, showcasing the university's commitment to re-energizing entrepreneurship in Punjab. with Manish Pandey, Co-Founder, Josh Talks, Viraj Sheth, Co-Founder, Monk Entertainment, Anurag Mazumdar, Co-Founder, The Logical Indian leading the discussions. There were also discussions on scaling operations, Tier 2 city opportunities, and the creator economy. This launch provided a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect and thrive with the support of the InfoEdge Center for Entrepreneurship.
The accelerator program will offer students fresh viewpoints and crucial skill sets with the intent of creating an innovative and entrepreneurial future. The startups involved in PLAP include Pinewheel Labs, Theranotes, RoboLLB, Purifico, AIRIS, RhoSigma Technologies, and WanderLog.
About Plaksha University:
Founded by a global community of more than 100+ technology and business leaders, Plaksha envisions to reimagine technology education and research for India and the world. With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, UC San Diego, IIT Kanpur, and IISc Bangalore, Plaksha aims to nurture and empower a generation of catalytic leaders and create an ecosystem of research and innovation. The university collapses the traditional boundaries of engineering and promotes interdisciplinary learning by combining technology, design and entrepreneurship.
Plaksha is guided by an eminent academic board including Dr. Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; Venkatesh Narayanamurthi, former Dean of Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director, Microsoft Research India; Julia Ross, Dean of Engineering, Virginia Tech; Krishna Palepu, Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; Sanjay Sarma, Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT; and business leaders such as Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman – Asia Pacific, BCG; Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter & CEO, Info Edge (Naukri.com); Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Fractal Analytics; Manas Fuloria, Co- Founder, Nagarro; Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises; Navin Chaddha, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund; Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder, Udaan.com; Dalip Pathak, Special Limited Partner, Warburg Pincus LLC; CP Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra; Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Clix Capital among others. Corporate donors include companies like Bharti Foundation, Havells, HT Parekh Foundation, Mphasis, Axis Bank and Motilal Oswal. The global community of business leaders who founded Plaksha can be seen here.