Hyderabad: Always think big: Skyroot CEO exhorted the budding entrepreneurs at GITAM
‘Always think big. Start something very big. Think of something very big. Solve the big impact problems. Always hit the big things which you think you should create pack on directly get their pack on and the whole world support you’ Pawan Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO, Skyroot Aerospace. He graced as the chief guest for the grand finale of ‘GITAM SmartIDEAthon-2023’ (3rd edition) held at GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad campus on 25th August 2023.
While delivering his keynote address, he said that ‘previously people did not accept the startups. After some success stories, failures in startups are very much accepted. Because without failure they cannot succeed. Take your turn agility or a success in startup that kind of journey comes with a lot of failures.’
Fundamentals are the key and Dhirubhai Ambani has very strong, clear fundamentals, whether it is tech, business, etc., he said. I think the best career option is entrepreneurship and exploring in you is not explored, he suggested.
While forecasting the future he said that just two years back the space sector is opened up and great future is there in the next ten years. He strongly suggested to exploring space as a career future factor went up and innumerable resources which can sustain trillions of people and the future in space. He added that in the next 15 years connecting the 50 percent of the world with satellite broadband, directly getting internet like we got TV from satellite. Spacex, OneWeb, Maruti Airtel building thousands of satellites to create broadband for 50 percent of Indian population, he added
While briefing about the journey of Skyroot, Pawan said that they are targeting their next rocket, which is seven storied building tall, which launch multiple satellites in orbit. He promised to take talent across the irrespective of their background, knowledge, experience, gender. Pawan concluded that ‘Sky is not limit for using the country, sky is not limit for all you and all the very best and congratulated the winners of SmartIDEAthon-2023.’
M.Sri Bharat, Hon’ble President, GITAM presided over the grand finale and said that Skyroot has raised 70 million dollars (close to Rs.500 crores) in the last six years, one of the largest fundraising, any startup has done in the last few years, and congratulated them. He advised the budding engineers to go through an introductory course to an entrepreneur at the Venture Development Centre, which is an experiential course, and advised them to start thinking critically and encouraged start asking questions.
Dr. Surabhi Gupta, Senior Manager, Startup India briefed about Startup India, and Krish Nangegadda, Chief Innovation Officer, GITAM spoke about the event theme. Earlier, Sreedevi Devireddy, Director, VDC delivered the welcome address.
Prof. Greg Collier and Prof. Ravi Ramamurthi, Northeastern University, Boston, USA announced the results and felicitated the winner.
Newnup Tech Solutions, Founded by Anup Paikaray, from Odisha University of Technology & Research, won the SmartIEDAthon and won a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh and a fully sponsored trip to Boston. Polyfueler, founded by Vineet Kumar, and Manish Bibhu, from Sershah Engineering College, Kharari, Bihar remains as runner-up and won a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh and a partially sponsored trip to Boston.
Whereas, three more special prizes— Best Social Impact Business Idea, won by Agrodroid, founded by V.Mahesh, K.Jeshwanth Reddy, G.Naveen, Md.Adhnan Mahboob and won a cash reward of Rs.50K and a fully sponsored trip to Boston for one member.
Best Women-led Entrepreneurship Idea bagged by team Coact, won a cash prize of Rs.50K and a fully sponsored trip to Boston for one woman, and Leben Johnson People’s Choice Award won by MediCandy, founded by Yoga VI, Ramanan, from Kumaraguru College of Technology & Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, and got Rs.50K cash prize.\
