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Sept. 7: A social enterprise is offering help to budding entrepreneurs set up their own solar energy business.
Altogether 45 participants, who took part in the daylong workshop held at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) today in collaboration with SELCO, picked up various tips about setting up business in this sector.
The workshop inaugurated by institute director Sunil Kumar Saikia offered operational guidance and mentoring support to aspiring entrepreneurs.
The company has set up an incubation centre in Bangalore to support entrepreneurs in the region.
The enterprise is taking help of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship for promoting its centre here.
Saikia, after inaugurating the workshop, gave an outline of various training programmes it has been offering to hundreds of potential entrepreneurs of the region and referred to several successful entrepreneurs, who have made a name for themselves thanks to the institute’s valuable support.
Sriparna Baruah, a faculty member of IIE, said SELCO is on an identification mission and looking at budding entrepreneurs who are interested in the renewable energy sector.
“SELCO is a social enterprise which provides sustainable energy solutions and services to poor households and businesses. The company was set up in an effort to dispel myths associated with sustainable technology and the rural sector is an important target customer base,” said Ashis Kumar Sahu, chief executive officer of SELCO incubation centre.
Sahu also said the incubation centre would be leveraging on the above experience to help individuals and enterprises deliver energy services across the country.
The participants were also given a background to the training offered.
Sahu said the 12-month incubation process would cover 15 to 45 days of classroom sessions and hands-on training and assistance in setting up operations. Apart from it, the centre will offer assistance in end-user financing and training local financial institutions and remote and on-site help in designing, installing and servicing.
“We would provide assistance in developing a business plan and assistance in raising necessary investment. Besides these, there would be a platform for networking with the alliance partners and associates,” Sahu said.
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