Women entrepreneurs are at the forefront of driving innovation, building sustainable businesses, and creating inclusive growth opportunities. Odisha is witnessing a growing wave of women-led startups that are transforming industries and addressing critical challenges. This fireside chat will explore the unique journeys of women innovators in Odisha, the opportunities and challenges they face, and their contributions to the state’s startup ecosystem. The session aims to inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs and highlight strategies to foster a more gender-inclusive entrepreneurial landscape.

Odisha’s vast rural landscape is a treasure trove of untapped potential and ingenuity. Entrepreneurs in rural Odisha are solving local challenges through innovative solutions, with limited resources and contributing significantly to the state's socio-economic development. This session will focus on identifying, nurturing, and scaling grassroots innovations, turning them into globally recognized ventures. The panel will explore the challenges of scaling rural startups, the role of technology, and the ecosystem support required to propel innovations from the grassroots to global markets.

The Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector in Odisha is emerging as a crucial driver of the state's technological advancement and economic growth. The Government of Odisha has recognized the potential of ESDM to transform the region into a significant hub for electronic manufacturing and design, aligning with national initiatives to boost domestic production in this high-demand industry. Odisha's commitment to developing its ESDM sector represents a significant opportunity to catalyze technological innovation and economic prosperity in the region.

The session on "Sustainable Growth of Renewable Energy & Equipment Manufacturing" will explore the strategies and opportunities for advancing the renewable energy (RE) sector and its associated equipment and infrastructure manufacturing in Odisha. Seeing its geological position and having port connectivity, the state can be a major hub for infrastructural investment to support the generation, transmission, and distribution of RE, smart grid technologies and energy storage solutions to enhance the reliability and efficiency of RE systems, establishment of manufacturing units for RE equipment such as solar panels, wind turbines, and biomass converters, etc. This session will bring together industrialists, policymakers, government officials, and experts to discuss the pathways to sustainable industrial development through renewable energy. This session will be a crucial platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, share best practices, and commit to a sustainable future for Odisha through the growth of renewable energy and its manufacturing sector.

Odisha is at the forefront of India's chemical and petrochemical growth, leveraging its strategic advantages:

Odisha hosts one of India's five PCPIRs in Paradip, anchored by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL). This ensures a steady supply of petrochemical feedstock, fostering downstream industries in plastics, textiles, and chemicals.

This park, developed in partnership with IOCL, has attracted significant investment from national and international plastics manufacturers, creating a robust ecosystem for plastic processing and packaging industries.

This facility offers an integrated textile value chain, from raw materials to finished goods, catering to both domestic and international markets.

With a 480 km coastline and deep-water ports at Paradip, Dhamra, and Gopalpur, Odisha offers seamless connectivity for imports and exports, reducing logistics costs and enhancing competitiveness.

The session explores the growing significance of Odisha in the fields of sericulture, especially Karuna Silk. Additionally, the session will highlight the emerging role of technical textiles in Odisha, which are used in various industries like healthcare, agriculture and automotive etc. The session aims to showcase Odisha's evolving role as a hub for sustainable, ethical and industrial textile solutions. This session also includes unveiling of the Coffee Table book on “Karuna Silk: The Journey”.

Dignitaries from leading industries, senior government officials, researchers and expert panellists will discuss on Odisha's pivotal role in redefining handloom, textiles, apparel, technical textiles and sericulture sectors. The sessions seek to attract national and international investments, positioning Odisha as a front runner in development of Textiles, Sericulture, Apparels and Technical Textiles Industries.