AIC-SOA Foundation: Odisha’s newest hub for innovation and entrepreneurship

In a remarkable achievement for Odisha’s innovation and start-up ecosystem, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, a deemed-to-be-university here, has received the prestigious Grant-in-Aid sanction from the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Government of India, to establish the Atal Incubation Centre – SOA Foundation (AIC-SOA Foundation).

This marks a historic moment as SOA becomes home to the third Atal Incubation Centre in Odisha, symbolising a significant stride towards realising the highly acclaimed ‘Vikshit Bharat 2047 vision’ through innovation-led entrepreneurship.

Advertisement

To celebrate the moment, a gathering was held on Wednesday at the AIC Board Room, where the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, shared the university’s journey — from the application for a grant to the successful sanction — while applauding the tireless efforts of the faculty members and leadership who played a pivotal role in the process.

Prof. Nanda highlighted the visionary guidance of the SOA Founder President, Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, whose commitment to research, innovation, and entrepreneurship continued to steer the university towards becoming a national leader in innovation-driven education.

The session was graced by Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, AIC-SOA Foundation, who emphasised that the newly approved incubation centre would work to foster entrepreneurship across Odisha and eastern India by supporting startups in HealthTech, AgriTech, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, CleanTech, and Social Innovation sectors.

Prof. Renu Sharma welcomed all dignitaries and faculty members, setting a positive tone for the celebration, while Rajeev Kumar, Deputy General Manager (Innovation & Entrepreneurship), outlined the broader vision of the Atal Innovation Mission and its alignment with India’s roadmap for an innovation-driven economy.

The journey of the AIC-SOA Foundation began in 2022, with dedicated contributions from Prof. Goutam Rath, Dr. Manisha Acharya, Prof. Naresh Sahoo, Prof. Renu Sharma, Ashok Nayak, Deputy General Manager (Skill Development and Corporate Relations), and the University leadership. Their consistent efforts culminated in gaining AIM’s trust and recognition, leading to the official Grant-in-Aid sanction of Rs 10 crore with the first tranche of the sanctioned amount.

The AIM team’s continuous guidance and support throughout the process were acknowledged with gratitude, marking this milestone as a collective success for the entire university fraternity.

With the establishment of AIC-SOA Foundation, SOA University now stands poised to nurture innovation from every corner of Odisha and India — empowering startups, creating jobs, and contributing to the nation’s march toward a self-reliant ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.