St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata

INTRODUCTION

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre of St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, initially sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, was established in 2003 with a vision to revolutionize innovation and entrepreneurship. With immense enthusiasm, we work towards bringing forward the concealed potential of today's youth for the betterment of society. We operate towards our goal by bridging the network gap that exists in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. By creating an efficient channel comprising students, entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, venture capital firms, and industry experts, we aspire to break all barriers hindering growth in India's startup sector. In addition, we strive to create an avenue for students to sharpen their business acumen and skills through competitions and interactive speaker sessions.

VISION & MISSION

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre of St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, seeks to transform how entrepreneurship is perceived in society. We firmly believe that entrepreneurship is the key to fostering innovation in India, and that promoting the values surrounding entrepreneurship will result in the attainment of the full capacity of the youth's aptitude. We hope to create a future where the youth view entrepreneurs as figures of inspiration and entrepreneurship as a viable career option.

Policy Document on Startup Support

Patenting Support Policy

ST. XAVIER’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT FUND

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, envisions revolutionizing innovation and entrepreneurship in the country through its students and has thus started a new non-commercial initiative called the St. Xavier's Entrepreneurship Development Fund, which serves as a building block in the entrepreneurial journey of young Xaverians, both former and current, and connects them to a pool of mentors, investors, and industry experts, whilst giving them a chance to gain unconditional monetary support, helping these budding entrepreneurs with their startups. While start-ups are growing to be one of the business world's biggest buzzwords, we envision a time when youth will look up to the new generation of CEOs and entrepreneurs as their modern-day role models.

With this belief, we aim to help in the development of India's entrepreneurial ecosystem by enabling easy and efficient interaction between its major components, spanning students, working professionals, aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, mentors, angel investors, venture capital firms, and corporate officials, through initiatives like interactive sessions, competitions, conferences, and panel discussions.

The Institution's Innovation Council

The Startup and Innovation Unit aims to help students and alumni of St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, materialize their dream of turning their entrepreneurial ideas into reality. Our mission is to support the development of tomorrow's leaders by cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit among all Xaverians and bringing India's vision of self-sufficiency to fruition. We strive to support entrepreneurs, build a robust startup ecosystem, and transform India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers.

We have also established an Institution's Innovation Council on campus with the blessings of Rev. Dr. Dominic Savio SJ and as per the norms of the Innovation Cell, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, to create a vibrant local innovation ecosystem. Its primary objective is to nurture, develop, and stimulate young students by giving them the tools they need to experiment with new concepts and turn them into working prototypes during their formative years. We aim to promote the holistic development of all Xaverians and ensure the amalgamation of both science and commerce disciplines.

ENVISAGE : EDITION 1

“Knowledge becomes power only when we put it into use.”

The very spirit of entrepreneurship infuses an entrepreneur with the vigour required to change the world and make it a better place to live in. Armed with the knowledge they've gained throughout their life, they set out on this path, which is riddled with obstacles, and only the most stalwart of them can weather the storms of this journey.

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre of St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, is elated to bring to you the second edition of its newsletter, Envisage, which covers a wide array of topics, ranging from groundbreaking startup news to lessons that once-mighty startups have left behind for us, all neatly packaged and delivered to your smartphone screens.

Visit : envisage.sxccal.edu

BizWalk

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, is pleased to announce the launch of a new venture, BizWalk, wherein we conduct visits to offices and manufacturing units of various well-known companies and startups in Kolkata.

To start with, we went to the manufacturing unit of Diamond Beverages (P) Limited, Coca-Cola FOBO, on 4th November, 2023. The visit to the Coca-Cola Factory was a powerful reminder of what's achievable through curiosity and learning. We also visited the flour mill of Ganesh Grains Limited on 28th February, 2024. It was an immersive experience where we witnessed both the commitment to tradition and the embrace of modern milling techniques.

We also visited the ITC Plant on 22nd November, 2024, where we gained valuable insights into the operations and processes of one of India's well-known companies. On 20th February, 2026, we visited Magpet Polymers Pvt. Ltd., Samsara, West Bengal, where we got an opportunity to understand the manufacturing processes and operations of the company. We also visited the SastaSundar Factory on 27th March, 2026, gaining further exposure to the workings and operations of a prominent business.

Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp

“The hardest part of starting up is starting out.”

At Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp, you will be immersed in the ideal environment for startup magic to happen. Surrounded by smart, passionate people and with the best tools and approaches at your disposal, you will get the opportunity to take giant leaps towards creating a business and connecting with the right people.

With a vision to revolutionize innovation by inculcating a culture of spirit-driven entrepreneurship in the country, EAC is the flagship event of the Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre, which aims to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and the resources they yearn for through building connections with mentors and investors from an experienced, varied, and distinguished pool of professionals from all over the country.

With the help of Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp, we seek to empower young and budding entrepreneurs through a 3-day curriculum involving a series of workshops by industry experts, providing competency in the strategic decision-making processes of a start-up, panel discussions, and a platform to pitch their startups to eminent investors, followed by an opportunity for networking to mobilize their feedback and guidance. We aim at creating a synergy between creativity and implementation by providing invaluable guidance crucial for start-ups in their embryonic stage.

Entreprise

Entreprise is an extensive, exhilarating, and elaborate inter-college Entrepreneurial Simulation and Business Conclave, a battlefield of acumen and intelligence that will inspire you to prepare, persevere, and prosper. Amidst corporate war and cut-throat competition, it is an enthralling event which perfectly simulates the journey of an entrepreneur. From product development to a billion-dollar exit, Entreprise is an event unlike any other, which seeks to prepare you for the real world of entrepreneurship by giving you a glimpse into the incredible journey of entrepreneurs.

Entreprise is an event that will help you take the first step to break free of the four walls of your comfort zone. This first-of-a-kind inter-college simulation event will take you through a process entailing enthralling experiences and lessons, which will bring out the risk-taking entrepreneur within you. Entreprise consists of a series of rigorous rounds and tasks testing the business acumen, vision, and critical thinking of young budding entrepreneurs. The event specializes in helping the participants learn more and more about how to handle daily business operations and crises, making them much more familiar with the real corporate world.

Initium

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Incubation Centre, in collaboration with the Placement Cell, brings enormous opportunities to students of St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, with Initium: The Internship Exposition. It gives aspiring students an opportunity to work as interns in rising startups and established companies across the country. It opens up doors for first-hand learning, professional training, and getting a taste of the startup culture before stepping into it.

Initium is the ultimate embodiment of learning by doing! It helps young minds learn how to interact with professionals in a work environment, gain technical knowledge, and develop essential soft skills.

Prism

Prism is a one-of-a-kind corporate simulation event organized especially for the first years of our college to showcase their competency while contending against those who are driven to reach the pinnacle. It aims to test the business acumen of the participants, challenge their management skills, and help them imbibe corporate insights that pave their future with greater victories to conquer. Serving as a platform to exhibit their potential and challenge the conventional, Prism tests their stride in the various realms of management. Being one of the largest intra-college events at St. Xavier's College, it makes the participants exhaust their skills in order to prove victorious in highly competitive tasks and introduces them to the harsh and gruelling corporate world. Moreover, we host highly enriching speaker sessions at Prism, which not only serve as an eye-opener to the ever-adapting youth but are also filled with invaluable life lessons and enlightening insights that succour in the development of the business leaders of tomorrow.

360 Degree Workshop

"The ability to ask for something extraordinary will get you far."

Extraordinary has a very broad perception, and to us, it means the knowledge of people who have left their marks in the sands of time. 360° is the first event of its kind where young budding entrepreneurs get an opportunity to be a part of enlightening and engaging virtual sessions with company experts from various sectors of the corporate world. The society has started a new non-commercial initiative fund called the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, which finances and promotes investable startups of entrepreneurs from the Xavierian family.

This virtual interactive workshop is the highlight of the non-commercial initiative fund started by the cell and is exclusive for a small group of selective students, the most eager and inquisitive minds set out on a marathon to learn from the very best in the country. The workshops serve as an eye-opener for the college-bound youth and provide a one-of-a-kind experience filled with crucial life lessons, invaluable insights, and an abundance of learning. With a spirit of grooming young minds and accelerating their entrance into the competitive world, it helps imbibe corporate insights.

Elevator

Elevator: The Idea Expo is a unique opportunity to present your raw business plans, polish them, meet distinguished mentors, investors, angel investors, venture capitalists, incubation centres, and established entrepreneurs, and even receive funding from them.

Elevator is an attempt to bridge the gap between novice start-ups, budding entrepreneurs, and undergraduate students by conducting various programs and providing them with a platform to interact and learn from such accomplished personalities. It gives them a glimpse into the right attitude needed for successful leadership and entrepreneurship, the spirit of taking initiative, and the importance of solving the problems and needs of society.

Ghoramara Island Report

OUR TEAM

REV. DR. DOMINIC SAVIO, SJ

PRESIDENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CELL AND INCUBATION CENTRE
PRINCIPAL, ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), KOLKATA

DR. ARUP KUMAR MITRA

DEPUTY PRESIDENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CELL AND INCUBATION CENTRE

DR. SOUVIK ROY

VICE-DEPUTY PRESIDENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CELL AND INCUBATION CENTRE

REV. DR. JOSEPH KULANDAI, SJ