Bhubaneswar, April 16: Startup Odisha, in collaboration with the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (TSEC) — a joint initiative of the Tata Group and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) — successfully hosted the Spark Social Seminar 2025 at O-Hub, Bhubaneswar.
The seminar brought together aspiring social entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors, and ecosystem enablers for a day-long event of inspiration, learning, and meaningful dialogue. It served as a high-impact platform for participants to explore how purpose-driven ventures can be transformed into scalable, impactful enterprises that address India’s most pressing social challenges. Many startups and social entrepreneurs who attended today's event expressed their happiness and showed their gratitude towards Startup Odisha for organising such an insightful and enlightening event.
On this occasion, Kamaljit Das, Joint Secretary, MSME Department, Govt. of Odisha, and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Startup Odisha, stated, "The Spark Social Seminar 2025 reflects our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs who are solving real-world challenges with innovation and purpose. Through platforms like Tata Social Enterprise Challenge and strong institutional support, we aim to build a vibrant social enterprise ecosystem in Odisha that drives inclusive growth and long-term impact."
The seminar opened with a warm welcome and an introduction to the vision behind Startup Odisha and the Spark initiative. Participants were introduced to the concept of social entrepreneurship and the role of Startup Odisha and Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (TSEC) through insightful sessions and engaging audiovisual presentations that highlighted the Tata Group’s legacy in responsible innovation.
One of the key moments of the event was an inspiring talk by Roopali D Mohapatra, Founder of Konkuwan Herbs, who shared her entrepreneurial journey, emphasising the importance of balancing impact with sustainability, navigating funding challenges, and leveraging technology to build resilient social enterprises.
This was followed by an engaging knowledge session with Arun Malhotra, Former Managing Director of Nissan Motors India and currently a Board Member at IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP), who offered valuable insights on leadership, ecosystem evolution, and the role of innovation in addressing deep-rooted societal issues. A Q&A session allowed participants to directly engage with the speakers, and a brief felicitation ceremony recognised key contributors to the event. In the afternoon, shortlisted startups took part in a closed-door pitching session, presenting their ventures to a panel of experts and potential funders, opening doors to real support and scale.
Driven by the vision to position Odisha as a premier startup destination, Startup Odisha remains committed to launching initiatives that foster innovation, stimulate economic growth, and nurture a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Spark Social Seminar was conducted in the presence of Sushree Salonee Mahapatra, Mission Associate (Incubation & Partnership) of Startup Odisha, along with Shivkanit Dash, and Debadatta Dhir Bisoi.
The Spark Social Seminar 2025 reinforced Startup Odisha’s commitment to enabling social innovation and impact-driven entrepreneurship in the state. Through strategic collaborations with nationally acclaimed platforms like TSEC and IIMCIP, the initiative aims to elevate Odisha’s position as a hub for socially conscious ventures. With access to cash rewards of up to ₹10 lakhs, seed funding support up to ₹2 crore, incubation opportunities, mentorship, and market access, this seminar exemplifies how the convergence of purpose and innovation can spark real change.
