Institute of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Skills (IIES)
India is a rapidly growing developing economy, and one of the potential superpowers of the world. Industrialisation over the past few decades has rapidly contributed to the growth of the nation’s economy. Today, India is home to one of the largest populations of young people in the world, with 65% of its population less than the age of 35. To further accelerate the country’s growth, supporting the development and creation of economic drivers and opportunities is essential. India has already displayed a prominent show of entrepreneurship through innovation, and the country is already home to one of the largest and fastest growing startup ecosystems in the world.
Gujarat is renowned for its spirit of entrepreneurship and business. In the inaugural and succeeding States Startup Rankings issued by the Government of India, Gujarat emerged as the #1 state for startups in the country due to a robust policy infrastructure supporting startups from all sectors, at all stages and undertaking numerous ecosystem pipeline-oriented initiatives to build and strengthen the ecosystem of the state.
Gujarat University has been leading the startup movement in Gujarat. The efforts undertaken by Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC) have been noted to be highly impactful to the rapid and accelerated growth of Gujarat’s startup ecosystem. To further contribute to the development of the startup and innovation ecosystem of the state, Gujarat University is establishing the Indian Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The Institute is envisioned to be a centre of excellence for academics and research in the field of entrepreneurship, innovation and startup ecosystem of India, while offering practical and accessible learning and training opportunities to individuals from all walks of life. The Institute shall be a constituent Institute of Gujarat University, and affiliated to the University.
Established in 1949 under the Gujarat University Act, the Gujarat University is the largest and oldest university of the Gujarat state. The idea of setting up the university conceived in the 1940s and the seed of inceptions was laid down by Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel under the chairmanship of Mr G. B. Mavlankar in consultation with Mr Kasaturbhai Lalbhai and Acharya Anand Shankar Dhruv.
Gujarat University is affiliating university, having more than 350 affiliated colleges, 35 post-graduate departments and more than 50 affiliated post-graduate centres with diversified courses in faculties of 1. Arts, 2. Commerce 3. Science 4. Education 5. Law 6. Medical and 7. Dental. Starting with the only university in the region during the erstwhile Bombay Province, at present, almost over a dozen universities of the state have evolved from Gujarat University.
The glory of the university is reflected in some of the eminent alumni like Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Shri Narendra Modi (Prime Minister, India), Dr. K. Kasturirangan (Former Chairman, ISRO), Dr. Ila Bhatt (SEVA), Justice Ahmedi (Former Chief Justice of India), Mr. Pankaj Patel (CEO, Zydus Cadila), Mr. Kharekwala (Wockhardt), Dr. Ravindra Dave (Former Chairman, UNESCO) and many others.
As the paradigm shift in social political and economic policies took place from the early nineties, the university has maintained pace with the changes by introducing and a number of programmes in emerging inter-intradisciplinary areas with promising employment opportunities which geared the evolving needs of the society at large.
GUSEC is an early stage, zero-day, zero-cost, startup support system with a mission to convert 1% of 1.5 million higher education students in the Gujarat region into entrepreneurs, building economic and growth value from within a university ecosystem.
GUSEC’s vision is to give an accelerated platform to idea-level entrepreneurs and support them with the necessary resources and mentorship to build real value from their current ideas.
Incorporated as a section 8(a) not-for-profit company, governed by an independent Board of Directors comprising University faculty, industry representatives, and the Vice-Chancellor as the Chair. Day-to-day operations are led by a CEO and a dedicated team.
Initially funded by the University, GUSEC is backed by a NIDHI-TBI grant, alongside other state government and non-government grants.
GUSEC works with a zero-day zero-cost startup support model, which puts an imperative emphasis on offering no-cost startup support, especially to the idea/early-stage startups during their pre-incubation, incubation and acceleration periods to help them experiment and grow with their ideas. This model helps them to accelerate their ideas with a build fast, break fast ideology.
This is also one of the few reasons why GUSEC hosts one of the largest numbers of product startups in our current ecosystem.