Updated on: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Established in 2003, NEN purposes to inspire and support Indias next high-potential entrepreneurs, with the ultimate goal of driving innovation and job-creation.
It was co-founded by the Wadhwani Foundation, IIT-Bombay, IIM-Ahmedabad, BITS Pilani, SP Jain and IBAB, NEN partners with top academic institutes to help them build comprehensive and effective entrepreneurship programs that inspire, develop and support new and future high-potential entrepreneurs.
Over the past two years, a rapidly increasing number of NEN graduates are starting ventures, many addressing Indias core challenges in health care, sanitation, education, and power. NEN supports these young entrepreneurs, including NEN E Club and a National Mentor Platform.
NENs model for advancing entrepreneurship rests firmly on its partnership approach, making it both scalable and effective. Rather than deliver support directly, NEN partners with academic institutes to help them build an effective and a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem on campus to develop and support entrepreneurs.
In addition, NEN uses a group-purchasing model to aggregate support for institutes, members and entrepreneurs. Support includes a bank of volunteers for speaking and mentoring opportunities; corporations eager to support innovation; fast-track access to funding and incubation; learning tools and materials.
NEN provides critical support to start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs through high-impact entrepreneurship education; access to mentors and experts; fast-track access to incubation and funding; and learning tools and materials. It partners with over 470 top-tier academic institutes in India to help them develop vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems on campus, which develop and support new and future entrepreneurs.
Today, NEN has over 540 top academic institutional members, more than 400 student and alumni entrepreneurship clubs, and over 80,000 inpidual members across India.