Concepto.exe 2011, IMT-Ghaziabad’s five-day entrepreneurship event, creates markets for ventures on campus

Seven teams, thousands of ideas and unending waves of energy define what Concepto.exe, the annual five-day entrepreneurial event, was all about. Organized by IMT-Ghaziabad’s Entrepreneurship Cell, Concepto.exe served as a platform for seven dynamic teams from the first year batch competed against one another with their respective business models.Their business models were evaluated on a number of parameters from the inception of the idea to the marketing, operations and logistics of the finished product or service. All the teams had a five-day window to sell their products and/or services within the premises of IMT-Ghaziabad. The key emphasis was on innovative ideas which could provide end-products or services that would aid the students of the campus in leading a more comfortable life during their stay at IMT.

Concepto.exe turned out to be a major team building exercise and was an immense learning process for the participants. And like every year, the enthusiasm in students this time was palpable. From disinfecting hostel rooms to delivering fresh flowers to a friend, the business ideas covered an entire gamut from the most mundane to the highly sophisticated, all of them employing the most innovative marketing tricks to attract customers.

Recognizing the compelling need to bring in a scent of freshness to books, the students of IMT-Ghaziabad arranged for books which were rented out to students at a nominal fee. These books ranged from fiction to non-fiction, from spiritual to the realms of adventure, covering a whole lot to read. Around 70 books were given out on lease.

Communication has been a source of income since time immemorial and this opportunity was capitalized on by a team who ran a courier brokerage service. The idea worked on the premise that students sending mail to their homes, receiving bills and mail need not make the effort of going all the way to the courier shop or distribution centre. Mails were delivered in hostel rooms for a fee.A purely talent-oriented venture charged their customers to read their handwriting and subsequently, told them their personality traits. The art of graphology was exhibited and popularized by this venture.

Inspired from the famous Prince Pan Chain of outlets in Delhi, the attraction towards the fragrance and flavour of betel leaves was recognized by a team who started a rather successful business model of selling paan. Ranging from the traditional gulkand filled regular paan to ice-chocolate and other such modern flavours, the items on sale were welcomed by all.

Riding high on the power of endorphins released by chocolates, the winning team attracted hordes to buy personalized hand-made chocolates in different flavours - crackle, rum, almond and so on. An extremely delectable taste and a packaging style most pleasing to the eye, it was a venture sure to give branded chocolates a run for their money.

All in all, the event was a great success, and it brought out a spirit of entrepreneurship in those who participated. The next year’s edition is awaited with the utmost anticipation.