RT team
Recently, Cisco and the Nasscom Foundation celebrated the achievements of ten student startups from the sixth cohort of the thingQbator program. This initiative highlights their commitment to boosting student-led entrepreneurship and enhancing technological skills across India, aiming to solve societal challenges and strengthen the country’s startup landscape, according to a joint statement released last Friday.
ThingQbator is a unique program designed to inspire and support young innovators by offering a virtual space for college students nationwide to develop their ideas into prototypes and potential business ventures. Through partnerships with several universities, this initiative provides practical experience with digital technologies, enabling students to create prototypes and develop solutions for local community issues.
So far, the program has engaged over 8,900 students in its Entrepreneurship track, guiding a significant number toward the startup ecosystem to ensure their innovations meet the social and economic needs of India. Launched in 2018, the collaboration between Cisco and the Nasscom Foundation with 42 universities has been instrumental in promoting digital skills and entrepreneurship among students.
The event featured an inspirational talk by Malika Datt Sadani, founder of TheMomsCo, who encouraged women entrepreneurs to relentlessly pursue their innovative ideas. Prominent attendees included Nidhi Bhasin, CEO of Nasscom Foundation, Harish Krishnan, Managing Director and Chief Policy Officer at Cisco, and Vish Iyer, Vice President of Sales, Cisco APJC.
Harish Krishnan expressed, “Our goal is to cultivate a generation of entrepreneurs, not just job-seekers. We’re in a pivotal phase of India’s development, with unprecedented opportunities for growth, reaching beyond the major cities.” Nidhi Bhasin added, “India is becoming a leader in innovation, with a surge of young entrepreneurs who are not only focused on technological advancements but also on creating social value.”
