Startup Village Chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar, who played a key role in setting up India’s first technology business incubator on the PPP model in Kerala, has been appointed Advisor to the Rajasthan government’s Startup Council, to create a startup ecosystem in the state.
The Startup Council, headed by the Rajasthan Chief Minister, comprises a Member Secretary, nine members and 11 experts from the industry.
The 32-year-old Vijayakumar has been appointed in his capacity as an eminent expert of the Startup Council, whose mandate is to play “an advisory role and act as a think tank for strengthening the startup ecosystem” in the state.
The decision of the Rajasthan government to create a startup ecosystem is a growing affirmation of the expanding footprint of the startup culture in the country. It is also a validation of the pioneering role of Startup Village, which is fast shaping up as a national player with a strong focus on student entrepreneurship and culture of innovation, Vijayakumar, who is Startup Advisor to the Kerala and Andhra Pradesh governments, said.
According to him, Startup India plans to scale startup ecosystems across the country rather than restricting it to metro cities. With over 225 million youth in the 19-25 age group, there is a need to create a million jobs a month for the next 20 years.