Startup Frontier 1.0 brought together policymakers, startups, investors, academicians, and industry leaders in Mumbai to discuss innovation-led economic growth. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma urged universities to evolve into centres of research, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, and startup incubation, stressing their role in achieving Viksit Bharat. Organised by Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University and iSpark Foundation, the conference also highlighted Maharashtra’s startup ecosystem, skill development initiatives, industry collaborations, and the government’s vision for expanding entrepreneurship across urban, rural, and tribal regions.
Startup Frontier 1.0: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma Calls for Universities to Transform Knowledge into Industry for Viksit Bharat
Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma said universities must evolve into centres of innovation, intellectual property and entrepreneurship while inaugurating the Startup Frontier 1.0 conference in Mumbai, highlighting startups as a key driver of India’s long-term economic growth.
The Startup Frontier 1.0 conference placed innovation, entrepreneurship and skill development at the centre of Maharashtra’s vision for a developed India, with Governor Jishnu Dev Varma urging universities to convert knowledge into industries that generate employment and social transformation. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, startups, academicians and students to discuss innovation-led growth.
Organised by Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University and iSpark Foundation under the state’s Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, the one-day conference and exhibition was inaugurated at Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan in Mumbai. The programme showcased initiatives aimed at strengthening Maharashtra’s startup ecosystem while encouraging stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma highlights innovation-led economic growth
Addressing the gathering, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma said knowledge becomes economically meaningful only when it is transformed into innovative solutions, successful enterprises and opportunities for society. He emphasised that universities should no longer function merely as degree-awarding institutions but as centres for innovation, intellectual property creation, startups and sustainable social development.
The Governor observed that countries including Singapore, Israel and Switzerland have demonstrated how innovation, technology and skilled human resources can drive global competitiveness despite limited natural resources. He said the future reputation of universities would increasingly depend on their research, intellectual property, startup incubation and measurable social impact.
Referring to the vision of Viksit Bharat, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma said development must extend beyond economic indicators to ensure inclusive progress for every citizen. Quoting the Sanskrit principle “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah,” he stressed the importance of building a just society that offers equal opportunities through skill development, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
He also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” describing it as a comprehensive development framework rather than a political slogan. According to the Governor, the benefits of innovation and entrepreneurship should reach the last individual in society.
The Governor also inaugurated a Medical Laboratory and an HP Creators Garage Lab during the event. Dr. Apurva Palkar, Vice Chancellor of Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, read out a message from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
* Maharashtra government outlines startup and skill development roadmap
Among those present were Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Verma, HP India Senior Vice President and Managing Director Ipsita Dasgupta, Skill Development Commissioner Dr. Amit Saini, Governor’s Secretary Dr. Prashant Narnaware, Deputy Secretary S. Ramamurthy, Maharashtra State Innovation Society Chief Executive Officer Dr. Shrikant Patil, Director of Vocational Education and Training Satish Suryawanshi, University Registrar Dr. Vaibhav Narawade, along with investors, entrepreneurs, mentors, faculty members and students.
In his message, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University had positively influenced more than 61,000 students within three years by promoting industry-oriented education, employability, entrepreneurship and innovation. He highlighted initiatives, including the university’s incubation programmes and collaborations that support emerging entrepreneurs.
The Chief Minister also noted the university’s partnership with IIT Madras Pravartak, under which students will receive specialised training in data centre infrastructure and operations. He said the inauguration of HP Gaming Garage and advanced Medical Laboratory Technology facilities would equip students with skills aligned to rapidly evolving industries while supporting Maharashtra’s long-term development goals.
Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the startup movement should extend beyond major cities and reach every village, including rural and tribal regions. He stated that under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra has initiated efforts to build a startup culture across all districts through collaboration between government, industry, educational institutions and investors.
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University partnerships expand startup ecosystem and industry collaboration
Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Verma said the Maharashtra State Innovation Society continues to promote entrepreneurship through initiatives such as Startup Week, Startup Yatra, hackathons and innovation challenges. She added that the state is providing financial support for patents, strengthening incubators, establishing regional innovation centres and encouraging innovation across universities.
She further stated that Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University has established pre-incubation centres in 60 colleges, enabling students to connect with industry leaders, investors and mentors. The collaboration with IIT Madras will also provide certified training in data centre infrastructure through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Apurva Palkar said laboratories and startup-focused ecosystems are essential for transforming student ideas into commercially viable prototypes and enterprises. She highlighted Maharashtra’s initiatives in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the Maha AI School initiative and HP Creators Garage Labs, which aim to prepare future innovators and entrepreneurs.
Ipsita Dasgupta said HP India, through initiatives including HP Dreams Unlocked, has already reached more than 4.5 crore students. She said the new HP Creators Garage Labs, launched with support from the Maharashtra Government, will provide practical training, hackathons and project-based learning in game design, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and coding.
The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University and IIT Madras to strengthen industry-linked skill development. Supported by Vertiv’s CSR funding, the programme aims to train 1,500 Maharashtra students graduating in 2026 and 2027 in areas including data centre operations, infrastructure management, power systems, cooling technologies, physical security and maintenance. According to organisers, the conference also featured startup exhibitions across agriculture, education, fintech, deeptech, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other emerging sectors, reinforcing Maharashtra’s ambition to become a leading innovation hub. Sprouts News will continue tracking developments related to the state’s startup ecosystem and skill development initiatives.
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