India and the United States have taken a significant step towards strengthening economic ties and fostering entrepreneurship with the launch of a bilateral knowledge-sharing platform. This initiative is spearheaded by the India-US CEO Forum’s Working Group 7 (WG7), in collaboration with the United Services Institute (USI) and CyberPeace Foundation.
This platform is designed to facilitate inclusive growth, enhance trade opportunities, and support start-ups and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in thriving within the digital economy. The launch event featured the introduction of ‘Prakshepan,’ an innovation hackathon, and the commencement of Cybersecurity & AI Capacity Building and Skilling Workshops tailored for MSMEs and start-ups.
Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, Chief Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Officer and Global Senior Vice President (SVP) at InMobi, as well as Sherpa WG7, emphasised the platform’s potential to boost trade between the two nations. She highlighted the collaborative efforts in cybersecurity and capacity-building aimed at creating a secure business environment that contributes to socio-economic development.
The ‘Prakshepan’ hackathon focuses on identifying, mentoring, and accelerating start-ups, with a strong emphasis on women-led businesses. The goal is to achieve 50 percent female representation among participants, thereby enhancing the India-US relationship.
Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary of the New Emerging and Strategic Technologies Division at the Ministry of External Affairs, who attended as the Chief Guest, emphasised the government’s commitment to improving bilateral trade and boosting innovation and technology adoption.
Major Vineet Kumar, Global President and Founder of CyberPeace Foundation, underscored the objective of the cybersecurity capacity building workshops to create a safe and equitable internet environment. He expressed the Foundation’s dedication to collaborating with stakeholders to empower start-ups and MSMEs with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate cyber threats and build resilience.
This initiative marks a pivotal moment in enhancing trade and entrepreneurship between India and the U.S., focusing on the critical areas of digital innovation and cybersecurity to drive economic growth and resilience.
