The Institute
First-of-its-kind Initiatives
Over the past four decades, EDII has evolved in several spheres, with many ‘firsts’ to its credit. The Institute has gained rich experience of imparting education and training in entrepreneurship and in the process, has been able to develop an experienced pool of faculty and trainers, backed by decades of teaching and research experience.
The First-of-its kind projects/programmes designed by the Institute:
Entrepreneurship Development Models and New Enterprise Creation
- Developed the first ever result-oriented training model for promoting enterprises; popularly known as EDII-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDII-EDP) Model.
- Designed a training model for rural poor to resolve the twin problems of poverty and unemployment which emerged from a 3-state action-research project. This training model popularly came to be known as Rural Entrepreneurship Development Programme (REDP).
- Played a key role in floating the concept of Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETIs) to yield tangible results across the country. RSETIs have a significant national presence.
- Developed and implemented a Crises Management cum Rehabilitation Model for Economic Regeneration, after the Gujarat earthquake, under support of European Union.
- Developed a training model to create a cadre of Entrepreneur Trainer-Motivators/Resource Persons to motivate, train, counsel and monitor first generation entrepreneurs.
- Evolved a livelihood generation training-cum-counselling model to promote self-employment among Divyangjan (differently abled). The Government of Gujarat has established the Centre for Empowerment of Differently Abled (Divyangjan) at EDII.
- Designed customised Skill Enhancement Programmes for youths, women and disadvantaged groups with the idea of bringing them into the mainstream through New Enterprise Creation. The Institute has worked/ is working on CSR Projects of renowned corporates including Accenture, HSBC, HCL, Facebook, HP, ITC, TATA communications Ltd, Walmart, Yes Bank, Amazon, Vedanta, Tata Steel, IDBI Bank Ltd. Some of the government Ministries/Departments with which EDII is working/has worked on development projects include; Ministry of External Affairs, Rural Development, Food Processing, Textiles, MSME, Science and Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
- Since the country is endowed with vast agricultural resources, the institute with the support of ‘MANAGE’ framed a tailor-made programme for creating ‘Agri-preneurs’ by developing knowledge on latest technologies as also that on management techniques, among agriculture graduates.
- Ensured replication of sectoral/sub-sectoral entrepreneurship development (ED) efforts to broad base this development model for sunrise sectors e.g., Food Processing, Tourism, Cottage Industries, Textiles, Bio-technopreneur among several others.
- Appointed as the Nodal Institute for Start-ups by the Government of Gujarat. Also functioning as Knowledge Partner for various departments/ministries of the Central and State Governments
- Hosted a Technology Business Incubator – the Centre for Advancing and Launching Enterprises (CrAdLE), promoted by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, to incubate start-ups in the potential areas of manufacturing, food/agri business, renewable energy and healthcare to promote technology-innovation based new enterprises.
- Designed an integrated nationally replicable programme for start-ups (Village Entrepreneurship). The Start–up Village Entrepreneurship Programme adopts creation of MCBs as one of its instruments. The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme envisages creation of sustainable self-employment opportunities for a large number of rural youth, thus enabling them to engage with the market and generate wealth locally.
Education, Research & Policy Advocacy
- Developed a pioneering AICTE-approved research programme to promote systematic research and analysis in entrepreneurship theories and practice – the Fellow Programme in Management
- Launched the first-of-its-kind structured educational programme, Post Graduate Diploma in Management–Entrepreneurship, to train students in New Enterprise Creation, Family Business Management and Social Entrepreneurship
- Launched Post Graduate Diploma in Management- Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development to enhance innovations in business amidst the Start-Up India Movement.
- Evolved as a ‘Resource Hub’ for curriculum design, delivery, development of teaching material and capacity building of human resource.
University Grants Commission (UGC) assigned EDII to develop ‘Entrepreneurship Course Curriculum’ for under graduate level students.
- Developed text books on Entrepreneurship for Gujarat State Text Books Board and Central Board of Secondary Education for 11th and 12th standards pursuing entrepreneurship in their vocational streams.
- Pioneered the first ever Distance Learning Program, titled Open Learning Programme in Entrepreneurship in 1995.
- Designed, developed and implemented the concept of ‘Summer Camps for Children and Youths’- the first-of-its-kind in the domain of entrepreneurship.
- Working closely with regulatory bodies like AICTE & CBSE in the areas of curriculum development & upgradation, and creation of a cadre of faculty members for undertaking entrepreneurship teaching.
- Designed and implemented the innovative Faculty Development Programme in Entrepreneurship, targeting the entire nation.
- Launched an exclusive Centre named ‘Centre for Research in Entrepreneurship Education Development’ (CREED), on its campus, to promote research activities leading to new training models.
- Undertaking Policy Advocacy in close cooperation with Ministries/Departments and academic bodies.
- Launched the Journal of Entrepreneurship, a reputed academic publication and established its credibility among scholars in India and abroad as a unique forum to disseminate their research findings, both theoretical and empirical.
- Launched the Biennial Conference in Entrepreneurship, as a unique platform for sharing knowledge on entrepreneurship and research findings.
- Leads the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Survey, India Chapter, the largest annual study of entrepreneurial dynamics in the world. The study probes the nature and level of entrepreneurship among different strata of the economy, in India.
- Undertook research on ‘Entry Barriers to Entrepreneurship: As Perceived by Youth’ which facilitated the Ministry of SSI & ARI (now MSME), Govt. of India in framing policy to establish Entrepreneurship and Business Development Cells in select Universities.
- Formulated and prepared “AICTE Start-up Policy.” The policy has been launched by Honourable President of India.
- Government of India, MSME Ministry appointed a One-Man Committee to develop the MSME Policy. Shri Prabhat Kumar, Former Union Cabinet Minister and First Governor of Jharkhand was appointed to draft the Policy. EDII actively contributed in developing the same.
- Launched the Policy Brief Series – an initiative in the direction of creating awareness among policy makers, institutions, entrepreneurs and others about major policy interventions.
Existing Entrepreneurs and In-company Executive Development Programmes
- The Institute through its Performance Improvement Programmes (PIPs) helped existing entrepreneurs redefine their business processes by analysing current performance and developing core competencies.
- Developed Growth-cum-Business Counselling Programme, in collaboration with Durham University Business School (DUBS), to facilitate planned growth among established entrepreneurs through focus on project management techniques and business counselling.
- Piloted the replicable model of creating cadre of Micro Business Counsellors (MCBs) under Kudumbashree-the Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission, to ensure survival and growth of existing enterprises. The model has been widely replicated.
- Conceived an imaginative programme on comprehensive management training for young men and women with limited level of formal education, known as the Small Industry Management Assistant Programme (SIMAP).
- Developed a training model on Succession Planning for Entrepreneurial Continuity (SPEC) to equip wards of businessmen with entrepreneurial competencies and prepare them for smooth transition in business.
- Developed Patents for transferring technologies to industries for enhancing their technical performance and deliver ‘world class’ products.
- Developed first-of-its kind model to inculcate entrepreneurial traits in the employees of an organization. The programme known as Intrapreneurship Development helped many a company executive enhance their competencies and make meaningful contribution some such corporates include Zydus Cadila group of companies, ParleG, Adani Group of Industries, BASF and Zee Essel.
MSME Development
- Cluster Development Module was evolved to revitalise dormant industrial and artisanal clusters by addressing them on various aspects of business such as; marketing, technology, networking, human resource development, capacity building, etc
- Designed and implemented Cluster Development Agents (CDAs) Programmes to create cadres of Cluster Development Executives.
- Evolved a model to develop a cadre of micro enterprise consultants who could provide Business Development Services(BDS) to micro entrepreneurs. The first ever 8-week training programme was formulated, known as ‘Rural Business Development Service Providers/Consultants to Rural/ Micro Enterprise Development.
- With Self Help Groups (SHGs) gaining ground in the micro enterprise arena, the Institute realized its responsibility in organizing training programmes on Informal Micro Credit Delivery System
- Devised and implemented several programmes and awareness sessions for support system officials, including bankers, policy makers, management association officials and other executives
At the International Level
- The Inter Regional Centre (IRC) for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training was set up at the Institute with the support of UNIDO and Govt. of India, with an aim to develop and strengthen indigenous capacities of selected countries in Asia, Africa and Arab regions for investment promotion and ED leading to accelerated industrial development and globalization of economies.
- Organised a host of entrepreneurship and capacity building programmes under the aegis of Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, for officials and entrepreneurs from close to 135 developing countries.
- Evolved ‘Concept-to-Completion’ approach for setting up Entrepreneurship Development Centres across the developing world. Established EDII-like institutions in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Rwanda. Centres in some African countries and Bhutan are underway.
- Implemented Entrepreneurship Training and Information Exchange for Small Businesses in India and Europe (ENTRIXIE) Project wherein The European Union-India Economic Cross Cultural Programme encouraged cooperation between entrepreneurs from Europe and India in areas such as; Information and Culture, Research and Studies and Human Resource Development operating in three areas viz. University, Media and Entrepreneurial Networking. The alliances crystallized in the form of technological, technical, financial, management and marketing tie-ups.
