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The Schulich School of Business recently concluded its Together Mission 4.0, the fourth edition of its annual entrepreneurship bootcamp and venture competition supported by an ongoing partnership with the Government of India's Startup India initiative.
The global online event, which bridges the innovation ecosystems of Canada and India, pairs Schulich master of business administration (MBA) students and alumni with inspired teams of student entrepreneurs hand-picked by Startup India from over 17,000 Indian colleges and 700 Indian universities. The Schulich mentors assist with pitch design, business planning and competitive analysis throughout the course of a three-week intensive mentorship program, and then each team presents their idea. After the top six teams are determined, they are invited to take part in a grand finale event, with live pitches streamed to an estimated audience of 10,000.
“The Together Mission is an incredible opportunity for our students to reach out across the globe and leverage their entrepreneurial training and mindset as a force for good and friendship," said Chris Carder, executive director of Schulich's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, who created the program. “We love seeing these companies grow and thrive in India, thanks to our many students and alumni mentors, and we’re already excited for next year.”
This year's winning team, Climec Labs, led by Indian student entrepreneurs Inderan Kannan and Atul John, received a $10,000 cash prize for their innovative idea to use microalgae to improve indoor air quality. Supporting the project were Schulich MBA students Aditya Singh, Aditya Chandel and Adhiraj Singh.
"We are deeply grateful for Schulich and York University in helping us achieve the impactful goals we set forth in our pitch,” said Kannan. “We never imagined the incredible impact these Canadian students made on our startup in only one week."
Receiving a $5,000 cash prize as the runner-up was team InnrGize, led by Shalmali Kanu and Siddharth Warrier, with a device that uses neurostimulation to reduce stress and improve sleep.
In addition to the cash prizes, winners of the competition are rewarded with access to powerful startup tools and global networks to help them realize their dream.
Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to empower startups to grow through innovation and design.
For more information about the Together Mission, visit schulich.yorku.ca/together/together-about.
A full video of the event is available to watch on LinkedIn.