SEAP - Driving Pune's Technology Ecosystem Towards Growth

Pune has witnessed a transformation, with major technological advantages and innovation taking place in all sectors including software and manufacturing. Yesterday’s pensioner’s paradise and educational hub has today, started becoming even more than an IT hub. Today’s Pune is working towards building an ecosystem which is great for all manner of high-tech product and service companies, too. As SEAP, our stated objective is to enable this growing technology Eco-system. We have a clear role in interfacing with government and the administrative powers to state our case and also to contribute in the growth of key initiatives like the Smart Cities movement. This post is not about that role though – this post is about what we are doing to “Enable Pune’s Technology Eco-system”. Our aim is to help startups to grow, and larger technology companies to flourish by means of various workshops, events, and facilitated training programs. Our endeavor is to ensure that the activities carried out by SEAP play a major role in the way industry and innovation are blooming in our Punya Nagari.

Here are some of the ways in which SEAP is trying to bring about measurable changes in the way the technological ecosystem functions:

1) Creating Networking Opportunities:

In spite of Pune being a smaller city than Mumbai or Bangalore, the opportunities for networking and growth here are innumerable. SEAP works towards creating a platform for players in the technology eco-system to meet prospects, customers, mentors, business partners, affiliates, investors and owners of other startups. A strong networking circle will help get the right contacts together, wherein they can share ideas, concepts, feedback or perhaps, even join hands to initiate new projects. Together everyone achieves more - this will prove to be advantageous for the system as a whole.

2) Educational Events:

Organizing events with educational value is another great way for startups and stakeholders in larger companies alike learn more about their business and then take the right steps while working towards their growth. SEAP organizes educational events regularly – you may have seen events on key areas like proposal writing and product market sizing that took place recently. Such events, apart from their instructional value, also, provide people with a platform for interaction, where they can discuss and share their ideas for validation and get their minds refreshed.

3) A focus on Products and Intellectual property:

A focus on products specifically and creation of intellectual property in general has the potential to drive innovation and SEAP is keen to help establish product leadership and to strengthening the ecosystem in Pune. The intent is to create tomorrow's product leaders by organizing flagship, volunteer-driven conferences for them. Such events focus on guiding the potential leaders of tomorrow to define, plan and accelerate their product paths for the future. Talent and ambition are already present in all the mindsets, what SEAP works towards is to channelize these thoughts and give action to their innovation.

4) Personal and Professional Development Workshops:

To bring about a change in the overall ecosystem of the city, implementing changes at the ground level is very important. SEAP works towards organizing workshops for specific target audiences and providing them with knowledge that is relevant to their industry. All growth is not professional or driven towards certification, some thought has to be given to the soul too. You may recall the recent workshop on appreciating classical music conducted by noted vocalist Mahesh Kale. Our aim is to provide the people within Pune’s technology eco-system the right information that will open their minds and provide all-round development. The growth and nature of the city's technology ecosystem will depend largely on the way every leader decides to execute his plan of action.

Working towards coming up with new means to encourage more and more people within the city to become a part of the technology space and become proud contributors to the overall technological scene of the city, SEAP is playing a major role in paving the way for the city's future and with a good response from the recipients, will continue to do so. We want to see Pune among the leading technology destinations in the world – hopefully we will all get there soon.