Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, Minister of State for School Education and Home, said that, Government is committed to making Maharashtra a leading startup hub, while addressing the valedictory session of the ‘Viksit Bharat Start-up Conclave’ held at Gurunanak Bhavan on Ambazari Road on April 11. The conclave was jointly organised by Vidarbha Economic Development (VED) Council, LEMON Ideas and Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) Incubein Foundation. Among those present were Dr Manali Kshirsagar, Vice-Chancellor; Dr Shrikant Patil; Dr Rina Sinha, President, VED; Deepak Menaria, Founder, Lemon Ideas; and Shriyansh Ugemuge, Entrepreneur. Dr Manali Kshirsagar, assured mentorship, research opportunities, and financial support for the top 10 startups through the university’s incubation centre.

 

Dr Shrikant Patil, CEO, Maharashtra State Innovation Society, emphasised transforming conventional laboratories into innovation and skill development centres aligned with industry needs. Govind Daga, Founder of the VED Council was also present. In the awards segment, Utkarsh Pandey, Nagpur, secured the top category prize of Rs 1 lakh for Tekas Footwear Pvt Ltd. Other winners included Teja Rani and Chetan Bohra, along with several awardees across junior, innovation, and popular choice categories. The conclave concluded with a collective salute to VED’s 30-year legacy, marking a new chapter where Nagpur stands firmly as a primary growth engine for India’s startup future.