IIM Calcutta launches incubation unit

NEW DELHI: IIM Calcutta has forayed into business incubation by launching an incubation centre with a focus on social entrepreneurship, the institute said in a statement.

The Incubation unit of IIM Calcutta will be a part of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) of the Institute.

"The incubation unit at IIM Calcutta will focus on social enterprises. The incubation facilities at IIM Calcutta will include mentorship support of faculty and alumni," professor Ashok Banerjee, mentor of the incubation unit and the dean of new initiatives and external relations said in a statement.

The institute has signed agreements with four social enterprises-Doctors for You, an NGO in the healthcare sector, energy solutions start-up SwitchOn-onergy, Tuition firm Edwell Solutions, and eco-friendly rickshaw maker Utopia.

These social enterprises have been chosen from the ventures which had qualified for the final rounds of the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge, a joint initiative of the Tata Group and IIM Calcutta, which was held jointly earlier this year.