ASSOCHAM’s O-LEADS 2026 calls for stronger industry-academia-startup collaboration
By Payal Banerjee
Bhubaneswar: ASSOCHAM’s O-LEADS 2026 – Odisha: The Global Growth Hub, brought together government representatives, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and academic institutions here on Friday to strengthen the state’s startup ecosystem and accelerate industrial growth.
Addressing the inaugural session, Industries and Skill Development & Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain called for deeper collaboration among industry, academia, startups and the government to translate investments into jobs, innovation and economic growth.
“Don’t look at startups only as vendors. Look at them as innovation partners,” Swain said, urging companies to identify business challenges and work with startups to develop practical solutions.
He emphasised the need to help startups move beyond incubation towards commercialisation through pilot projects, mentorship, testing facilities and market access. He also called for greater industry participation in curriculum design, internships, apprenticeships and workforce planning to prepare young people for emerging sectors, including semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, electronics, automation and green energy.
Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, chairman of ASSOCHAM’s Odisha State Development Council and CMD of MGM Group, said Odisha must move beyond being startup-friendly to building an ecosystem where startups can scale, industries innovate and homegrown businesses compete globally.
Rashmita Panda, commissioner-cum-secretary of the state’s MSME Department, highlighted the importance of aligning policy, academia and industry to help startups expand into global markets. She pointed to the proposed new Startup Policy, equity funding and industry partnerships as key enablers of entrepreneurship.
Abanis Nayak, chairman of ASSOCHAM’s Odisha State Startup Council, said collective efforts by the government, industry and academia would support the vision of a “Samruddha Odisha” before 2036.
Prabodh Mohanty, co-chair of ASSOCHAM’s Odisha State Development Council and managing director of SNM Group, stressed the need to connect innovation with commercial outcomes, from product development and customer acquisition to scaling and global expansion. He linked this approach to Odisha’s ambition of becoming a $500 billion economy by 2036.
Alexander Das, chairman of ASSOCHAM’s Odisha State Education Council, and Debankur Ghosh, partner at PwC, also underlined the role of academic talent, investment and industry collaboration in translating research into impactful innovation.
The two-day conclave, being held on October 9-10, focuses on scaling startups and industries, commercialising research and strengthening industry-academia partnerships.
