Calling all students, aspiring entrepreneurs in Aurangabad, Marathwada – let your dreams soar with the GIZ-CMIA Startup Weekend

For the youth of India, entrepreneurship is emerging as a rewarding path to such freedom. While startups may be clustered around a handful of metropolitan hubs, there are more than a handful of cities where the startup ecosystem is taking root and is all set to flourish. One such is Aurangabad, one of Asia’s fastest growing cities and a manufacturing hub now for decades.

The city has two emerging incubators, which German federal enterprise GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) helped put together with the Chamber of Marathwada Industries Association (CMIA), and the Indo-German Tool Room, which is meant to help students and aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their innovative ideas into successful, scalable businesses.

GIZ and CMIA are now hosting Startup Weekend, a mega workshop that aims to catalyse the startup ecosystem in the region.

Startup Weekend is open to aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea, as well as college students with an idea that needs to be brought to life with the right impetus. The vision is grand! It’s an endeavour to provide potential entrepreneurs with ideas on new emerging technologies such as digitisation, automation, artificial intelligence, etc. to get the support, mentorship and technical assistance they need to create and run viable businesses.

The programme runs for nearly three days, starting on Friday, December 1 and ending on Sunday, December 3. [Register here to book your spot today!]

Participation fee of INR 1000 will be charged from the selected participants which will be used to serve food and provide logistics.

While the workshop is open to students and aspiring entrepreneurs with ideas in any sector, Startup Weekend will best benefit those with ideas in the following areas:

• Automation
• IOT (Internet of Things)
• Digitalization (Industry 4.0)
• Sheet Metal processes
• Forging and Die casting
• Process engineering
• New product development
• Agriculture Innovation
• Smart manufacturing
• 3 D printing and prototyping
• Consultancy services
• Tool and Die manufacturing
• Precision manufacturing
• Design Services

A global provider of international co-operation services for sustainable development and education, GIZ strives to bring political, economic, and social change in over 130 countries and envisions a balanced and sustainable future. CMIA is the apex body of industries in the region. YourStory is proud to partner with these institutions to facilitate nearly three days of learning, innovation and ideation, which we hope will inspire participants to boldly go forth and realise their dreams.

DAY 1 – Stories of blood, sweat and tears

Participants will have an opportunity to network among themselves and with the mentors and facilitators who will be conducting various modules of the workshop on the following days. Also in store are introductory sessions such as an overview of the Indian job market, hearing the stories of 5 entrepreneurs who made it big (and another 5 who didn’t!), how part-time entrepreneurs can succeed and what really goes into becoming an entrepreneur in the long run.

The day ends with all participants getting to present their elevator pitch and then forming teams to get going for the impactful and interactive learning in store over the weekend.

DAY 2 – Learning from those who’ve been there, done that

On Saturday, participants will get an opportunity to use the Business Model Canvas to identify the strengths and gaps in their business ideas and from there on, with the help of mentors and facilitators, work towards building a solid business case, and pitching to potential investors. The modules also cover areas such as how to manage the funds you’ve raised, how to hire for your startup, how to network and find mentors/advisors/coaches, and of course, how to market your startup.

Every session is a hands-on group activity that provides participants with the tools they can use long after they leave the workshop.

DAY 3 – Putting learning into action

No learning is complete or sustainable unless you’ve had a chance to try it out in a live situation. Mentors and facilitators will evaluate the ideas that participants have submitted and help them refine these to create a better business case. There will also be opportunities to hone networking skills, explore funding options as well as identifying the resources they need to make progress.

Register for the Startup Weekend in Aurangabad today. Limited seats available.