SPPU’s centre for innovation gets leader status by MSIS

In the Maharashtra State Innovation Society’s (MSIS) recent evaluation of incubators that are funded by them at various public universities, Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) newly established Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Linkages and SPPU Research Park Foundation was chosen as the ‘leader’ in February 2021

In the Maharashtra State Innovation Society’s (MSIS) recent evaluation of incubators that are funded by them at various public universities, Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) newly established Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Linkages and SPPU Research Park Foundation was chosen as the ‘leader’ in February 2021.

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MSiNS have categorised incubators in three categories based on the work and progress so far namely beginners, emerging and leaders. In a very short time, the centre has created a mark for itself, which will now open opportunities for start-ups to get funds as ‘seed capital funding’ through MSIS funding.

Set up in 2018, the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Linkages (CIIL) has been working very closely with start-ups in and around Pune and has quickly scaled up with many innovative start-ups, a sizable number of mentors and a very modern incubation centre.\

The assessment was based on the large number of activities done by the centre to spot the right kind of start-ups, engagement with various colleges from the affiliating system with more than 275 colleges attached to the university through this, support through funding of patents, large scale ongoing events and meaningful partnerships with the likes of Entrepreneurship Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, PCSIC (Pimpri-Chinchwad Start-up Innovation Cell), TiE Pune to name a few.

Few of the start-ups here have also received funding from external sources and have received many laurels byways of prizes from IIM-C, IIM Udaipur, and IIT-B.

Dr Apoorva Palkar, director, CIIL-SPPU said, “This recognition is really helpful for new incubators like us who are working hard to make a mark by spotting grass root innovators and providing them a platform through incubation centre, providing advisory, mentorship and handholding at the most crucial juncture of their venture,”

“The centre today has more than 40 start-up companies engaged with us that are nurtured through SPPU- research park foundation and the next cohort training of 60 start-up companies is underway through the virtual mode,” she added.

SPPU vice-chancellor Nitin Karmalkar said, “SPPU has focused on innovation, start-ups through systematic work that has resulted in our progression in the direction of job givers than job seekers. This recognition is a baby step, and we shall strive towards innovation excellence.”