Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The state-level innovation festival ‘Innovate Maharashtra – GENESIS Edition,’ jointly organized by the Marathwada Accelerator of Growth and Innovation Centre (MAGIC), InFED–IIM Nagpur, and AIC–ADT Baramati, concluded with great enthusiasm at the Anand Auditorium of MIT College on Saturday. Distinguished guests included Pravin Kulkarni, vice president, Infosys; Bisman Singh, head of the GENESIS EiR Programme; Suresh Todkar of MAGIC; Shivaji Dhawad of InFED–IIM Nagpur; and Avinash Pudale of AIC–ADT Baramati.
The keynote address was delivered virtually by Madangopal Paneerselvam, CEO of the MeitY Startup Hub, Ministry of Electronics and IT, who interacted with participating startups and students. He discussed changing national priorities, the expanding scope of digital transformation, and the potential of Indian innovators to set new global standards.
Bisman Singh, Lead of the MeitY EiR Programme, elaborated on the core objectives of the GENESIS initiative and explained how the Government of India is enabling Tier-2 and Tier-3 city startups through funding, technology support, and market access. He said the initiative supports early-stage startups through the Matching Investment Scheme, Pilot Scheme, EiR Cohort 2.0, and DeepTech support programs.
Kulkarni spoke about the transformation witnessed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar over the past decade, the job opportunities emerging through startups, and the role of entrepreneurship in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation. He highlighted rapid global technological shifts and urged youth to “dream big,” adding, “India has the potential to create 10,000 new unicorns in the coming years.”
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Prasad Kokil, managing director of MAGIC, with Rajeev Manjarekar, Bisman Singh, and Shivaji Dhawad as panelists. The session explored emerging global trends, the evolving needs of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the role of young innovators. Topics discussed included circular economy, energy tech, social impact, timing for entrepreneurship, ethics, and selecting investors.
Earlier, MAGIC director Ashish Garde highlighted the robust startup ecosystem developed by MAGIC over the last decade, the importance of industry–academia collaboration, and the growing pipeline of innovative ventures in Marathwada. He also noted that this is the first time three major incubation centers in Maharashtra have come together for an initiative of this scale.
The event was attended by Munish Sharma, Rajeev Manjarekar, Prashant Deshpande, Kedar Deshpande, and MAGIC team members, including Makarand Kulkarni and Devidas Rathod. Priti Kamthe hosted the program, while Suresh Todkar delivered the vote of thanks. Startups selected under the MeitY GENESIS initiative presented their innovations and shared insights into their technology solutions.
