25/09/2026
๐ UP-SEEDS 2026 Begins at AITM | Empowering Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Ashoka Institute of Technology & Management (AITM), Varanasi, hosted the inaugural session of UP-SEEDS 2026 โ Uttar Pradesh Eastern Region Startup Ecosystem & Entrepreneurship Development Summit, a two-day summit aimed at strengthening the startup, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The keynote address was delivered virtually by Prof. J.P. Pandey, Vice-Chancellor, AKTU, Lucknow, who emphasized that innovation and startups can play a vital role in India's journey towards becoming a global leader. He highlighted the growing contribution of young entrepreneurs and startups to the global economy.
Dr. Tarun Agrawal, Director & Board Member, RBI, Mumbai, spoke about the emerging opportunities in startups focused on weather and climate change, emphasizing the importance of identifying future challenges and developing innovative solutions.
Mr. Keshav Jalan, Chairman, Jalan Group, encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on creative thinking, innovation and new ideas, highlighting that entrepreneurship is driven by ideas and determination.
The summit brought together distinguished academicians, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and startup ecosystem experts, including:
๐น Prof. (Dr.) Rajiv Kumar Varshney โ Director, IICT
๐น Ms. Jayatri Dasgupta โ CMO, PayNearby & Project Director, Digital Nari, Mumbai
๐น Prof. (Dr.) P. V. Rajeev โ Director In-charge, AIC-BHU
๐น Mr. Rajesh Bhatia โ Chairman, IIA
๐น Mr. Rajesh Kumar Chaudhary โ Assistant Director, MSME-DFO
๐น Mr. Dhawal Prakash โ Founder-Chairman, CII-Yi
๐น Mr. Harsh Kumar Jain โ Chairman, CII-Yi
๐น Mr. Apoorva Mittal โ Founder, VN
๐น Dr. Swati A. Mittal โ Co-Founder, VN
The event served as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, networking, innovation and entrepreneurship, bringing together academia, industry and the startup ecosystem to create new opportunities for the region.
๐ฑ Think. Innovate. Build. Transform.