The South Asia Connect (SAC) programme, which aims to host innovative and technological ideas in South Asia, will choose 40 entrepreneurs from five countries to get online and in-person training, mentoring and networking. 

An entrepreneurship roundtable was conducted at the American Centre at Teku as part of  the SAC programme in collaboration between the American Centre of the US State Department and IC2 (Innovation, Creativity and Capital) Institute of the University of Texas at Austin in the US.

It aims to support implementable start-up concepts in five countries of South Asia: Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The 40 entrepreneurs, eight from each country, will receive a week’s training at Nexus Startup Hub at the American Centre in New Delhi to be held in April. 

Delivering the opening remarks at the roundtable, Andie De Arment, director of the American Center and spokesperson for the American Embassy in Nepal, said, “Increasing regional connectivity in South Asia requires building on e-commerce, investment and entrepreneurship through programmes like South Asia Connect. This programme will aid to increase entrepreneurship outreach and culture of innovation.”

Entrepreneurs completing the training can also opt to attend a one-week session at the American Centre in New Delhi with travel funding support. The first group of 20 entrepreneurs will receive training from May through July, while the second group of the remaining 20 entrepreneurs will receive training from September through November.

Ten out of the 40 entrepreneurs, two from each country, will be chosen as entrepreneurial leaders for an eight-week immersive training and intensive mentorship. These 10 leaders will receive three one-week visits with travel funding at the Nexus Startup Hub at the American Centre in New Delhi for networking and resources planning.

The roundtable attendees described ideas along with their details on benefits, value proposition and relevant market scenario. Cliff Zintgraff, co-principal investigator and programme manager of the IC2 Institute, said, “We help entrepreneurs and leaders focus on selection of market segments and product features and let them understand what the market really wants.”

The programme has a timeline of choosing leaders and entrepreneurs from January through April. In April, it will hold the first leader network meeting in New Delhi. Upon completion, entrepreneurial leaders will receive certificates from the IC2 Institute, along with funding to implement their start-up concepts.