January 4th, 2023, Udaipur: IIM Udaipur in collaboration with the University of Georgia, organised a workshop to disseminate the findings on “Unlocking insights on technology, collectives, and microentrepreneurship” on 3rd January. This workshop resulted from the funding for research under the Scheme for Promoting Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) of the Ministry of Education. The workshop saw participation from professors at leading institutions across India and the world, non-profit organisations, microentrepreneurs and students. The workshop was designed to disseminate the results and to encourage discussions and conversations around the facilitating role of technology in microenterprises.
The workshop included two-panel discussions embodying incubators, funding organisations, leading practitioners, and academics working in entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, and marketing. The panel discussions were moderated by Prof.SundarBharadwaj, The Coca-Cola Company Chair Professor of Marketing at the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia.
The first-panel discussion focusing on critical challenges and opportunities micro-enterprises face using technology to create value for their businesses. Dr.AravindChinchure, CEO of Deshpande Startups, first shared his insights on microentrepreneurs’ fear of inexperience, failure, and rejection to kick off the discussion. This was followed by Prof. Krishna Kumar Balaraman, Associate Professor, School of Management and Entrepreneurship, IIT Jodhpur, sharing his insights on the hand-holding requirements of microentrepreneurs, challenges in scaling up and the technology roadmap for microentrepreneurs. Mr. MahavirPratap Sharma, Chair, TiE India Angels and RAIN (Rajasthan Angels), shares his thoughts on challenges in packaging, marketing and designing that microentrepreneurs in textile, pottery and jewellery face.
The second focused on the role of Collectives in providing networking opportunities, business training and mentorship, and facilitating access to funding for women-owned businesses. Ms. SmritiKedia, CEO, Sadhna - A women's handicraft enterprise, shared how Sadhna was helping women entrepreneurs in south-eastern Rajasthan gain independence while also highlighting the challenges they face to bring the women entrepreneurs onboard. Prof. Rakesh Pati, Senior Lecturer in Management and Deputy Director of Women’s Entrepreneurship Research Alliance (WERA), Deakin University, then shared his learnings from working closely with the government, non-profit organisations, and collectives and highlighted the challenges faced in upskilling the rural women. Mr. MayurKamble, District Development Manager, NABARD, shared how NABARD is helping those at the bottom of the pyramid and how the NITI Aayog’s schemes for microenterprises are being implemented at organisations he is closely involved with.
IIM Udaipur is a second-generation IIM with a focus on high-quality research and student transformation. It is among the top five institutions in India for research based on the UT Dallas research ranking methodology. It is also the youngest B-School in the world to be provided an AACSB or EQUIS accreditation. IIM Udaipur is only the second IIM to be featured in the FT MIM rankings for four consecutive years. It has also been featured for three consecutive years in the QS MIM rankings.
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