Kick-starting this chain of activities is Ascent’07 – a two-day event on July 21 and 22, 2007. In line with the Entrepreneurship Cell’s objective of fostering entrepreneurship on campus, Ascent ’07 would be an A-Z of Entrepreneurship workshop covering all the aspects of Entrepreneurship. The event is a precursor to i2I. The event is being held in association with The National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs). NEN is a not-for-profit initiative of the Wadhwani Foundation, working to inspire, educate and support the next generation of high-growth entrepreneurs in India. The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) – a network of entrepreneurs & professionals dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship is associated with the entrepreneurial activities in IIM Calcutta.

The workshop begins with famous venture capitalist, Mr. Mahesh Murthy’s session on ‘Entrepreneurship, Business Plans and Funding’. Murthy has funded 10 start-ups in India and three overseas all of which are successful companies today. His previous work experience includes being the creative consultant for MTV Hong Kong, Country Head of Channel V India and VP Marketing for iCat Seattle. His session will be followed by the much talked about session with Mr. Prahlad Kakkar. He is one of the most creative ad-filmmakers in our country who claims that everything he does is an extension of a hobby or a passion. His entrepreneurial ventures include restaurants, cigar factory and scuba diving schools. He would be sharing his experiences as an Entrepreneur, his philosophy of work and opportunities in the media sector.

And in case you thought that Entrepreneurship as a serious career option is a long shot, then think again! July 22 will feature a session on ‘The Leap of Faith –Entrepreneurship as a Career Option’ by Mr. Bikram Das Gupta, Chairman of Globsyn group of Companies. An IIT Kharagpur alumnus, Mr. DasGupta is one of the pioneers of IT revolution in India. This session would be followed by a session on ‘Managing a Start-Up, Managing Growth: The Tale from an Entrepreneur’ by Mr. Saumen Chakraborty, founder of Intelsys group. The next session is on ‘Marketing for your Start-Up, how to create a Buzz about your Company’ by Mr. Deap Ubhi & Mr. Arjun Jindal. The session would highlight Bootstrapped marketing and PR efforts to market your start-up. Mr. Deap Ubhi founder of Burrp.com and Mr. Arjun Jindal, founder of ‘Ready to go?’ magazine will draw upon their own experiences. The workshop will culminate with a panel discussion on ‘Potholes and Pitfalls for Entrepreneurs’ with Mr. Deap Ubhi, Mr. Arjun Jindal, and Mr. Saumen Chakraborty. The floor will then be open for a question and answer session with the entrepreneurs.

All in all, Ascent ’07 promises ample opportunities for learning and interacting with the people who have been there and done it all in the world of entrepreneurship.