NEW DELHI: Saudi startups are preparing to participate in an 8,000-km train journey across India at the end of October to brainstorm with other innovators from G20 countries, the trip’s organizers said on Saturday.
The journey, Jagriti Startup20 G20 Yatra 2023, will comprise 70 delegates from G20 countries who took part in the Startup20 engagement group, which was established under this year’s Indian presidency of the world’s biggest economies.
Twenty of the participants will come from Saudi Arabia on a trip that will start in Mumbai and take them through Bengaluru to Madurai, Sri City, Vizag, Odisha, Varanasi, Deoria, Delhi and Ahmedabad, encircling the whole country.
The Saudi co-organizer, startup incubator HealthGena, hopes that the 14-day journey will offer “a cultural exchange experience and opportunity for international friendship and collaboration,” its CEO Dr. Huda Alfardus told Arab News.
“The program falls under the umbrella of Startup20 Engagement Group, operating under India’s G20 presidency,” she said.
“My expectation from this collaboration and participation in the Jagriti Startup20 G20 Yatra 2023 is to gain valuable insights and experiences that will enhance the entrepreneurial skills and mindset of our Saudi startup leaders.”
For Alfardus, participation in the event was prompted by “the desire to expand our entrepreneurial horizons, establish connections with international counterparts, and gain exposure to India’s thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem.”
As the Saudi delegation’s coordinator and strategic partner for the journey, she and her team were looking forward to the opportunities that will unfold.
“The prospect of exploring various Indian cities, attending inspiring lectures, participating in global events, and networking with fellow participants fills us with enthusiasm. We are eager to share ideas, exchange experiences, and learn from the wisdom of expert mentors and local communities,” Alfardus said.
“This journey promises to provide transformative experiences and insights that will contribute to our personal and professional growth as entrepreneurs.”
Jagriti Yatra, a non-profit organizing the journey from the Indian side, signed a cooperation agreement with HealthGena during the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit in New Delhi in July.
Chinmay Vadnere, COO of Jagriti Yatra, said that the aim of the journey was to establish connections, and engage in discussions that would help young entrepreneurs to collaborate.
“We’re trying to facilitate these conversations. We’re trying to understand what the cultural nuances,” he told Arab News, adding that it could also help the entrepreneurial ecosystems of both countries to enrich each other.
“We can see to it how can India, which already has a good, established ecosystem, how can we collaborate with Saudis and do a cross-border collaboration in a much more meaningful way,” Vadnere said.
“I am sure we will learn a lot from Saudis and Saudis will also get a lot of insight from this experience.”
