Proceedings of the ‘Bootcamp for Aspiring Entrepreneurs’ Organized by University Innovation Cluster, Dept. of Plant Biotechnology, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, TNAU Jointly with Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute Government of Tamil Nadu Venue: Placement Hall, Students Welfare Date: 4 th - 6 th July, 2018 The scheme ‘University Innovation Cluster at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’ operating in the Department of Plant Biotechnology, CPMB&B, TNAU and Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute (EDII), Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Chennai jointly organized three day Bootcamp for Aspiring Entrepreneurs from 4 th - 6 th July, 2018. Twenty one students from five different curriculums (Agriculture, Biotechnology, Agri-Business management, Floriculture and Food Process Engineering) participated in the Bootcamp event. Dr. L. Arul, Professor & UIC Chief Coordinator welcomed the gathering. Dr. R. Gnanam, Director (CPMB&B), delivered the special address emphasizing that the agritech start-ups are the need of the hour. Dr. R. Mahendran, Director, (DABD) delivered the inaugural address. He shared the different opportunities available for young students and graduates to start enterprises and also listed the different activities of Technology Business Incubator at DABD,
Transcript
Proceedings of the ‘Bootcamp for Aspiring Entrepreneurs’
Organized by University Innovation Cluster, Dept. of Plant Biotechnology,
Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, TNAU Jointly with
Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute Government of Tamil Nadu
Venue: Placement Hall, Students Welfare
Date: 4th - 6th July, 2018
The scheme ‘University Innovation Cluster at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’
operating in the Department of Plant Biotechnology, CPMB&B, TNAU and Entrepreneurship
Development and Innovation Institute (EDII), Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Chennai jointly organized
three day Bootcamp for Aspiring Entrepreneurs from 4th - 6th July, 2018. Twenty one students
from five different curriculums (Agriculture, Biotechnology, Agri-Business management,
Floriculture and Food Process Engineering) participated in the Bootcamp event.
Dr. L. Arul, Professor & UIC Chief Coordinator welcomed the gathering. Dr. R. Gnanam,
Director (CPMB&B), delivered the special address emphasizing that the agritech start-ups are
the need of the hour. Dr. R. Mahendran, Director, (DABD) delivered the inaugural address. He
shared the different opportunities available for young students and graduates to start
enterprises and also listed the different activities of Technology Business Incubator at DABD,
TNAU. Mr. S. Dinesh Kumar, UIC Coordinator proposed the Vote of Thanks. Ms. S. Sudha,
Research fellow, EDII, Tamil Nadu represented EDII for all three days of the session.
After the inaugural session, the participants self-introduced with their business idea to
the gathering. Following that, Mr. N. R. R. Vijayakumar, M/s. FounderPassion, Coimbatore who
is the approved mentor for EDII, Tamil Nadu in conducting Bootcamp sessions, took the
participants right away to ‘Business model Canvas’ (BMC). The participants were made to work
on their ideas on different concepts like ‘Idea validation’, ‘Problem identification’, ‘problem-
solution match’ and ‘Customer Perceptions’ He was assisted by his colleague Mr. V.
Soundarajan, M/s. FounderPassion. Mr. S. K. Arun Vishwanathan, Founder, M/s. Ganache for da
Chocoholics, shared his journey towards entrepreneurship and narrated the challenges he
faced in the last four years and how he converted these challenges to opportunities.
“Start small with available resources and grow fat by revenue” - Arun Vishwanathan
The participants interacted with Mr. Arun and learned the various steps to become a tech
person through specialization programs, internships and so on before venturing into business.
Day one concluded at 07.30 PM after completing the initial BMC preparations.
Day two started afresh with Ms. M. Preethi, CEO, M/s. Tropical Biosciences Pvt. Ltd.,
gave a glimpse of her session ‘Market Needs vs Innovative Solutions’. Her discussion on tapping
opportunities and reinvesting on R&D to strengthen the enterprise made the participants to
rethink on continuous innovation. To utilize the resources and keep them engaged by providing
“Continue your process innovation and strengthen your R&D team for sustainable business”
- Preethi
apt goals will help to move the venture forward. Following Ms. Preethi, Dr. S. D. Sivakumar,
Prof. and Head, Dept. of Social Sciences, ADAC, Trichy helped the participants with case studies
on ‘Entrepreneurial vs Managerial Approach’ and ‘Market driven approach for Sustainability’.
Dr. S. D. Sivakumar used examples and case studies to make the participants understand the
difference between performance oriented and goal oriented approach. Dr. Arun Kumar, M/s.
Ivykuthi introduced the participants on tangible and intangible assets and how to identify a
work to be patentable or not. The session also discussed on monetization strategy through
Intellectual Property generation. Post lunch session deliberated on ‘Minimum Viable Product’
by Dr. Ramjee Pallela, Chief Operating Officer, Atal Incubation Centre, CCMB, Hyderabad. Dr.
Ramjee helped the participants by mentoring them individually on their ideas and guided them
with a template for their mock pitch. He also showcased different funding opportunities by the
Central Government for idea validation and for attaining proof of concept. This one on one
mentoring helped the participants in fine tuning their idea. The evening sessions again focused
on BMC ‘Validation Criteria formation and removing assumptions’ by Mr. N. R. R. Vijayakumar.
Participants worked on their ideas until 10.30 PM on the day to prepare for their mock pitch.
Dr. Kalaivani Ganesan, Joint Director, EDII, Tamil Nadu arrived on the evening and joined the
event.
Day three started with ‘Identifying minimum viable frame work’ and ‘Validating the idea
with the consumers/clients’ by Mr. N. R. R. Vijayakumar followed by an elevator pitch by the
participants. The participants were retuned and made to pitch twice to sharpen their pitching
skills and eliminating the common mistakes during an investor pitch. Post lunch, the
participants were discussed on ‘Milestones and their importance’ by Dr. R. Gowthaman,
Founder, M/s. Kultivate India Software Pvt. Ltd., and ‘Team Building’ by Mr. Arun Prakash, Co-
Founder & COO, M/s. SnackExperts. Participants were given different activities to build a
product and make a mock sale presentation. The participants were evaluated on the product
completeness, friction management among the teams, allotting right people for the right role,
and presentation of the finished product. The sessions helped the participants in self-awareness
in building the team and how diversity in the team really helps. Finally Dr. Kalaivani Ganesan,
Joint Director, EDII, Tamil Nadu gave a short presentation on Grant writing and Concept note
preparation. A whatsapp group was created by the mentor Mr. N. R. R. Vijayakumar for further
follow up with the participants in taking their ideas to commercialization.
To conclude the three day Bootcamp event, valediction session was held. Dr. A.
Vijayakumar, Deani/c, Students Welfare presided the session. Dr. S. Mohan Kumar, Prof. &
Head, Dept. of Plant Biotechnology, CPMB&B welcomed the gathering. Dr. R. Gnanam,
Directori/c, CPMB&B and Dr. Kalaivani Ganesan felicitated the participants and faculty. The Chief
Guest of the session Dr. A. Vijayakumar, delivered the valedictory remarks. He shared his
content regarding the conduct of the event at Students Welfare and emphasized that the
students should generate employment rather to seek employment. Certificates were
distributed to the participants and feedback from participants was recorded for further events.
Dr. L. Arul, Prof. & UIC Chief Coordinator, proposed the Vote of Thanks and concluded the three
day Bootcamp event.
Feedbacks from participants:
“Marketing Strategy Canvas and Business Model Canvas helped to shape the idea and gave
more clarity on where we stand. To see the alumni of TNAU was a motivating factor”
- Ms. A. Nathira Fathima, II M. Sc. (Ag. in Biotech.)
“A good interaction with M. Sc., Ph. D graduates and on field business mentor. The activities
were very interesting…………..”
- Mr. A. R. Sethupathi IV B. Sc. (Agri.), ADAC & RI, Trichy
“I have come to know the risk in the life of entrepreneur. It is very important to narrow down
the ideas in the business”
- Mr. N. Harish IV B. Tech., (Biotech.), AC& RI, Coimbatore
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PARTICIPANTS LIST
Sl. No. Name Email id: Mobile
Number: Your Institution name , your location and your course details
1 A.Nathira Fathima [email protected] 9443623735 M.Sc (Ag) Biotechnology, AC & RI , TNAU, CBE.
8 Harish N [email protected] 9751736939 Msc( Agri )Biotechnology AC & RI TNAU COIMBATORE
9 M Hariharan [email protected] 9500414265 TAMILNADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE III B.Tech Biotechnology
10 PRABHAKARAN V [email protected] 9965086403 B.S ABM, TNAU, COIMBATORE
11 PRAGHADEESH M [email protected] 9500449483 TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
12 R.MANGAIYARKARASI [email protected] 9445278925 I Ph.D. Floriculture and Landscape Architechture, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003
13 RAGUPATHI K P [email protected] 9786709132 Ph.D Scholar, Department Of Seed Science And Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore
