IFMR GSB (Graduate School of Business), Krea University in partnership with TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Chennai and The Chennai Angels on Saturday hosted Confluence 2024 on the theme Catalyzing Entrepreneurship.
In his inaugural address, Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Capital Funds Limited, said there are 700 start-up incubators in India today. He also said a lot of entrepreneurship happens outside start-up with 70 million micro and small enterprises and produce 40% of the nation’s GDP.
Another opportunity is impact entrepreneurship. India has 2 million social enterprises. The 150-million-people, who are below the poverty line, need a lot of social impact work. India is emerging as the strongest home of social entrepreneurship, Mr. Srinivasan said.
Srini Raju, Chairman, Sri City Foundation, pointed out the need to localise manufacturing. Most of the goods consumed in India are imported. “We should work towards helping small and micro enterprises becoming the part of supply chains for bigger companies,” he said.
Lakshmi Narayanan, Chancellor, Krea University, said the university wants focus on entrepreneurship and has set up the centre for entrepreneurship. “Confluence 2024 has not just been an event but a manifestation of our commitment to nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit. The convergence of such diverse and dynamic individuals underlines the potential for innovation and collaboration in shaping the future of our global community,” Lakshmi Kumar, Professor and Dean, IFMR GSB, Krea University, said.
In his special address, Ashvin Chadha, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Anicut Capital, emphasised the pivotal role of finance in transforming innovative ideas into tangible success. Thillai Rajan from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, delivered keynote address on ‘What Characterises Tech Start-Ups,’ shedding light on the distinctive attributes that set tech entrepreneurs apart.
