SPORT IT 2020 Will Enhance Innovation In Sports

SPORT IT 2020 Will Enhance Innovation In Sports

Recently India’s first sports and innovation festival ‘SPORT IT 2020’ concluded at the Kalinga Stadium in the sports capital of India, Bhubaneswar. It was organised by XAVIER EMLYON Business School (XEBS) and Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha. At the event, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged startups and entrepreneurs to invest in the sports sector of the State.

“I appreciate this unique venture of the Xavier Emlyon Business School, Bhubaneswar and the Sports & Youth Services Department in hosting SPORT IT 2020, India’s first-ever sports and innovation festival here in Bhubaneswar,” said the Chief Minister. “With this festival, we want to create an inclusive platform that would celebrate sports innovation and entrepreneurship, involve sportspersons, sports startups, high-performance centres and students. It will encourage participants from the sports fraternity to meet, exchange knowledge, and learn from one another.”

The CM welcomed sports entrepreneurs, investors and students from across India and the world. He said it was a matter of happiness that Odisha has been conferred the Sports-Star Ace Award for the consecutive second year as the Best State for Sports Promotion in the country. This speaks volumes about the Odisha Government’s commitment towards the development of sports in the state. “I am sure the festival will enhance the outcome of our efforts to bring innovation to sports and promote a sporting culture among the youth,” the Chief Minister said.

The Odisha Government has invited the startup entrepreneurs who participated in the event for interaction for future association. 

The Chief Minister awarded the Best Startup Award and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh (as announced by Emlyon Business School, France) to Funngage. It is a curated and integrated sports platform from Delhi. He also felicitated the team that won the Hackathon contest which included tennis player Chinmay Pradhan, para-athlete Dileshwar Rao, Program Manager, Naval Tata Hockey Academy Debashis Nayak, basketball coach Rajesh Singh and Professor of Sports Sovan Patnaik. They would be flying to Lyon in September to attend the biggest sports innovation festival in Europe, Sports Unlimitech.

MSME and Industries Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra and Sports and Youth Services Minister Tushar Kanti Behera felicitated all 12 startup entrepreneurs who participated in the sports and innovation festival.

While the Industries Minister appreciated the unique concept of sports, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Sports Minister said the government’s endeavours will take sports development to new heights in Odisha. 

The valedictory function was also attended by Secretary, Sports and Youth Services Department, Vishal Kumar Dev, Director, Sports, R Vineel Krishna, Vice-Chancellor of Xavier University, Fr. Tony Uvari, SJ, Founder of SAI International School Bijay Sahoo and MD of Gupta Power Mahendra Gupta.

Chairman of XEBS Ashley Fernandes, offered the vote of thanks and announced that they were planning an Indo-French Sports Tech Incubator soon. “It’s the beginning of a transformation. At XEBS, we share common values with the Government of Odisha. Together we want to build an efficient and inclusive SportTech. SPORT IT 2020 is the foundation of this Indo-French sports hub. Cross-fertilization between education, entrepreneurship, innovation and inclusion is now a reality…only in Odisha!,” he said.

Over the two days, more than 1600 students including differently-abled and intellectually-challenged children took part in the festival and enjoyed the sports zones while also interacting with the entrepreneurs making SPORT IT 2020 a unique inclusive platform.