Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Meets Founders Of 25 Startups, Discusses Need Of Student Entrepreneurs & Promises Full Support

AHMEDABAD – July 16, 2015 – Today, Dr. MN Patel, the Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University, met over twenty-five student entrepreneurs of different startups in an interaction session regarding student startups and entrepreneurs. The interaction lasted well over ninety minutes.
On July 13, 2015, the Vice-Chancellor had written a letter to all principals of Gujarat University, asking the institutes to send information regarding student entrepreneurs in their campuses. This after the University had formally established Gujarat University Startups & Entrepreneurs Council (GUSEC), a University body to support student startups and entrepreneurs.
“After we announced about our intentions to support student entrepreneurs and startups, my office itself got several calls from entrepreneurs inquiring about the same. Keeping that in mind, we decided to have a meeting with all such entrepreneurs in order to understand their needs and involve them in the decision-making process around GUSEC,” said Dr. MN Patel.
During the interaction, the Vice-Chancellor and his team shared their vision and key plans to support student startups and entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurs in turn discussed and voice the most important challenges they faced as they handled a startup while being a student.
“There should be regular system in place where the existing startups could come to campuses and interact with the students to create awareness,” said Arastu Zakia, an entrepreneur.
The student entrepreneurs also asked to share their views and expectations they would have from a co-working space. The University, through GUSEC, is planning to kick-start a co-working space for entrepreneurs. A location for the same has already been identified, and a budget of Rs. 20 lakh has been allotted for the same.
“GUSEC Network Of Entrepreneurs” – a network of student and alumni entrepreneurs of Gujarat University was also discussed during the meeting. The network will not only serve as a comprehensive list of GU entrepreneurs, but will also allow entrepreneurs to help each other and gain mentorship support from successful entrepreneurs. GUSEC also plans to regularly organise comprehensive meetups of the network.
The University’s plan to allow students to be the fundamental operators of GUSEC was also discussed and lauded by the entrepreneurs.
“This is a great initiative, we never knew we could reach the VC sir so easily, it is great to see him taking such concrete steps. This will certainly boost the number of startups from the University,” said Shruti Chaturvedi, a recent-graduate from St. Xavier’s College and an entrepreneur.
“We wish to make this system autonomous and run by students. Students understand the needs of this system better so they should be the operators. We are here to guide and support them,” added Dr. Patel.
The University has already called for interested entrepreneurs and students to join the GUSEC team through GUSEC’s website.
The interaction session was concluded by making a wish-list of student entrepreneurs. The Vice-Chancellor promised the entrepreneurs to bring in policies and reform in order to fulfil the wish-list.