Brainstorming session for aspiring entrepreneurs

The Innovation Council of Apeejay Institute of Management & Engineering Campus (AIMECT) in collaboration with Entrepreneurship Development Cell conducted a webinar on ‘How startups and SME’s can enter and grow in the global export market’. The resource person for the webinar was an entrepreneur Dr Jagat Shah, Founder & Mentor of various organisations like Cluster Plus, Global Network, Global Network Institute and many more. 

Welcoming the resource person Dr. Jagat Shah and Guest of Honour Mr. Ahsan Ul Haq, President, Jalandhar Management Association, Dr. Rajesh Bagga, Director at AIMETC initiated the webinar session. As many as 300 students from BBA, B Com Honours, BCA, B Tech, MBA and MCA programmes attended the webinar.

Dr Bagga emphasised, “Students, you must seek inspiration from enterprising personalities like Mr. Haq and Dr Shah. They are great resource persons,- highlight personalities and always keen on mentoring and supporting budding entrepreneurs.”  

This was followed by an address by Mr Haq who motivated the students to turn their dreams into reality by putting their ideas into action. He also mentioned, “Ideas become valuable only once they are executed.”

Subsequently, Dr Shah started his address stating that exports is the benchmark of competitiveness. He highlighted, “The fact is India is still lagging far behind the advanced countries like the USA in terms of exports.” 

“However, ecommerce has enabled and made exports and global business convenient. The number of internet users in the country has grown exponentially since 1990. In fact, India is at no. 3 when it comes to using technology. The same technology can be leveraged to expand one’s business at global level,” he emphasised. Dr Shah also demonstrated how a layman can find the international market for any product using government portals.

Dr Shah has vast experience of working on international market and investment strategies with Indian, Canadian, American, European as well as Chinese companies and governments.  Thus, he explained to the participants how one can start exporting their products with a meagre amount of Rs 1 lakh, described  the entire process for exports to foreign countries and the governmental guidelines and help available. 

He also mentioned the help rendered by Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India. Further, Dr Shah elucidated the 7 forms of capital required for running a successful business. Following which,  he also spoke about the funding options available for new startups as well as SMEs. 

Dr Shah concluded his address by sharing a thought, “It’s okay to fail. But fail early, fail small. The youth should not be afraid of taking risks and dreaming big.”

Finally, Dr. Rajesh Bagga extended the vote of thanks and he mentioned, “In the present times, it is imperative that one has entrepreneurial acumen to become a job provider than be a seeker.”