|
Contact person:
Mr. K. Thyagrajan
CEO
Introduction
NirmaLabs is part of the Nirma Group - a flagship Indian
company in the FMCG sector founded by Dr. Karsanbhai
Patel, recognized globally as a first generation successful
Indian entrepreneur with path breaking achievements.
NirmaLabs has been recently launched as “an incubator
with a difference”; to spawn High Technology Knowledge
based Wealth Generation ventures.
NirmaLabs has been set up as a not-for-profit, Section
25 Company by the Nirma Education and Research Foundation-NERF
on the Nirma University campus at Ahmedabad. It aims
to create and enhance an ecosystem to maximally leverage
efforts of entrepreneurially inclined individuals with
background and interests in high technology (in their
pursuits to create, high tech knowledge based wealth
generation global ventures).
The basic idea is to identify individuals with technical
knowledge and experience with entrepreneurial traits,
bring them to NirmaLabs campus, and groom them to evolve
project plans for high tech wealth generation ventures.
Such projects and teams will then be seed funded and
incubated to bring the concept to venture fundable level.
NERF is putting in the initial seed fund.
NirmaLabs approach to incubation of high tech wealth
generating ventures, weighs heavily on its ability to
systematically “groom” potential individuals
to think differently, to aim big, with global understanding
of technology / markets and with sensitivity to challenges
of high growth businesses.
The Silicon Valley Ecosystem
NirmaLabs is recreating the Silicon Valley ecosystem,
here in India. The unique “groom-incubate-grow”
program is designed to transform outstanding individuals
into Global Techno Entrepreneurs. NirmaLabs will initially
focus on the ICT sector, but will expand to other emerging
areas like biotechnology and life sciences.
The program begins with identifying the right minds
– individuals with technical knowledge, experience
and entrepreneurial aptitude. In addition to “Direct
Candidates”, “Corporate sponsored Candidates”
are also encouraged to apply. Selected candidates go
through a specially devised three-phase program.
1. Groom Individuals
During this first phase, individuals will be groomed
to identify and germinate an enterprising idea. This
phase involves an intensive deliberation process spread
over a period of about eight months and conducted through
structured modules. These encompass sensitizing participants
in the various attributes of entrepreneurship specifically
high technology entrepreneurship, and its various challenges,
followed by modules on designing breakthrough products,
high-tech marketing, high growth strategies, managing
with a global mindset and emerging technology trends.
These are ‘rounded-off’ by exposure to areas
like organization building, entrepreneurial finance,
legal aspects of global business, and business ethics.
Each of these modules (averaging about 25 sessions)
is anchored and facilitated by industry practitioners
and the texts, references and case studies are hand-picked
and tailor-designed to bring a fine blend of business
concepts and sharing of practical experiences.
Culmination of the grooming phase is in a “business
plan for high tech venture” which competes for
incubation.
2. Incubate Projects
The second phase involves incubation of ideas, wherein
the incubatees will get the opportunity to evolve and
develop their value proposition and transform it into
a fundable enterprise. This will be enabled under the
caring eyes of a mentor, with the help from large network
of advisors / role models / torch bearers. NirmaLabs
will provide sustenance and soft loan for the project.
3. Start-up Company and Grow
The next phase is a “spin-off” of projects
as start-up companies with venture funding. NirmaLabs
will hold equity and be involved in further growth of
these companies by continually providing them with opportunities
for strategic networking, reality checks, and exploring
new horizons.
The Team
The concept of NirmaLabs was conceived by Dr. Madhu
Mehta, of Anjaleem Enterprises (the company credited
with bringing attended STD PCO to India). His passion,
vision and commitment lead to getting unstinted support
of the Nirma Group, NERF and the Nirma University, through
its Vice Chancellor-Dr. N V Vasani, and from an impressive
team that came together for the cause of creating next
generation Global Techno Entrepreneurs.
Dr. Madhu Mehta is the Chief Architect - NirmaLabs.
Mr. K. Thyagrajan who came to NirmaLabs from Dalal Mott
MacDonald with close to 25 years of varied work experience,
is the Chief Executive. Prof. B.H. Jajoo, IIM Ahmedabad
is helping as the Chairman of the Grooming program.
All of them along with Mr. Vishnu Varshney, CMD, Gujarat
Venture Finance Limited are anchoring various modules
of the grooming exercises.
This team is intimately involved in NirmaLabs and is
committed to ensure its success. It has in place number
of torch bearers and role models drawn from across the
industry both from within India and abroad to inspire
and guide potential entrepreneurs.
Current Status
NirmaLabs commenced its operations with the first batch
of 9 individuals on June 17, 2004 who are currently
undergoing 34-week grooming. We expect minimum 2, possibly
3 projects to get incubated by February 2005.
More information and details could be had on our website
www.nirmalabs.org
|
