IITK Entrepreneur Advisor Program
IIT Kanpur is a fostering ground for aspiring minds cultivating entrepreneurship skills. The entrepreneurship advisory program comprises adept faculty members specializing in administrative planning to guide students into commencing their business venture efficiently.
This initiative is being led by Anand Jagannathan, a Foundation Board Member and a serial entrepreneur.
Goal: To create the IITK Entrepreneurial Advisory Network that fosters entrepreneurship with both IITK alumni and current students. A sub goal is to create an entrepreneurship culture at the curriculum level with courses, programs and competitions.
Objective: A trusted destination (website, alumni list, meeting etc.) where a prospective entrepreneur can go to seek advice, expertise and funding.
Membership: Alumni and current faculty members who have successfully accomplished one or more of the following:
- Launched companies
- Functioned as a senior industry executive
- Financed companies
- Created products from academic research
Beneficiaries: Alumni and current students who have a business idea and have made some progress in executing the idea. A special focus should be to foster entrepreneurship at the campus level and offer opportunities to current students.
Elements: Some of the elements that have been identified are as follows:
- IITK Foundation provides an umbrella authority and guidance.
- A mechanism to spread a word about the program. This might be initially through the IITK newsletter, meetings at local chapters or a campus meeting
- A website that provides the details of the program and has a mechanism for members and beneficiaries to apply.
- A faculty contact to lead the designing of the course curriculum.
- A business plan competition and the selection of N companies to get seed funding.
Initially, the funds for the program can be raised through individual donations. Gradually, it can be converted into a self sustaining seed fund with some financial rewards for the IITK Foundation.
You are invited to contact
Professor Prabhat Munshi, DORA to discuss your plan for a donation to IIT Kanpur.
All contributions, large or small, will be deeply appreciated.