Stella students learn the ropes of launching a start-up

Around 50 students from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Maris Stella College learned the ropes of launching a start-up at a ‘Student Entrepreneurship Bootcamp’ conducted by the institution from March 1 to June 30, 2025.

Representatives of SK Associates & Group (SK A&G), a tier-I start-up consultancy, mentored the students. The students were equipped with the knowledge of tools needed to launch registered MSMEs, build sustainable business models and access government and institutional funding.

At the end of the bootcamp, the participants were given certificates, and their ventures were formally registered under Micro, Small or Medium Enterprise (MSME) norms.

The budding entrepreneurs are now preparing to utilise national funding schemes such as Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).

The initiative was launched under the guidance of college Principal Sr. Jasintha Quadras and founder and CEO of SK A&G P. Shravan Kumar and supervised by the Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Lakshmana Swamy and Professor of Agriculture Economics Jasmipriya K.

The college is now preparing to enrol 500 more undergraduate students from various departments into the next cohort of the bootcamp, beginning from September 1, 2025. “This initiative aligns perfectly with our institution’s goal of empowering women through entrepreneurship and innovation,” said college Principal Dr. Quadras.

Mr. Shravan Kumar said the idea was to help every student entrepreneur raise meaningful capital, build scalable enterprises and create jobs for others.