• BPUT has set a goal for all 140 affiliated engineering colleges to incubate at least one startup within two years, supported by funding, mentorship, and industry linkages.
• Plans include organizing hackathons, creating a drone technology centre of excellence, and strengthening innovation cells for students and alumni.
• The university leadership studied Gujarat’s innovation ecosystem and is working with the Odisha government to build a robust regional startup environment.

Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) has ventured into a courageous venture to spark entrepreneurial passion among its network of about 140 member engineering colleges. The vice-chancellor of the university, Amiya Kumar Rath, has specified a clear target: in two years, every college needs to incubate at least one startup. This bold vision will be supported by an incubation support, finance, industry linkage, and mentoring framework through BPUT's current incubation center and soon a dedicated startup-support company.

The university intends to access innovative energies by organizing hackathons platforms where innovative concepts can be detected and developed into viable startup businesses. A highlight of the plan is the creation of a centre of excellence for drone technology, to be created in collaboration with industry partners.

In working toward a campus-wide environment that fosters ideation and entrepreneurship, large engineering universities will first lead the change, acting as blueprints for others to follow. BPUT will also extend its training and mentorship facilities to existing students and alumni, fueling the development of innovation cells already established in certain institutions.

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To support its strategy with grounded realities, BPUT's management, along with OUTR Bhubaneswar and VSSUT Burla counterparts, made a study-visit to Gujarat's innovation centers and incubation centers. The findings have been communicated to the Odisha government to guide more comprehensive efforts toward strengthening the region's startup ecosystem.

The mission of the university is straightforward: to leverage the energy and creativity of its students toward entrepreneurship, preparing them not just with the academic intellect but also the foundation to establish tangible business ventures to life. By shared endeavors in mentorship, experiential education, and industry cooperation, BPUT aims to develop an active and sustainable culture of innovation within its educational system.