Media Release
Mangaluru, May 18: After successfully conducting two youth entrepreneurship programs in Bangalore and Goa over the past nine months, Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) hosted another impactful session in Mangaluru on Sunday, May 17, at the MCC Bank administrative building.
The programme was organized in collaboration with Rachana (Catholic Chamber of Commerce & Industry), MCC Bank, and Daijiworld media.
The objective of the initiative was to encourage Christian youth to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career path, especially in the context of relatively low participation from the Christian community in India’s growing startup ecosystem.
The programme commenced with a prayer led by Fr Rocky D’Cunha of St Ann’s Friary, Mangalore, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp.
The chief guest and keynote speaker, Michael D’Souza, NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist, spoke on the fundamentals of business and guided participants through the concept of the ‘Business Triangle’. Where cash/capital, knowledge and value for money drive the organisation, he said the foundation has to be strong with hardwork, integrity, perseverance, commitment, reputation, total responsibility and financial accountability.
Walter Nandalike, founder, editor-in-chief, and managing director of Daijiworld media, shared his entrepreneurial journey and the challenges faced during the early stages of entrepreneurship. He encouraged participants to continuously ‘update’ themselves with the latest developments, ‘upgrade’ to the evolving business environment, and ultimately ‘uplift’ the community.
Roy Castelino, president of Rachana Mangalore, highlighted the strong local support ecosystem now available for aspiring entrepreneurs. He shared why knowledge of the domain, marketing and customer service was very important for the business.
MCC Bank chairman Anil Lobo gave participants valuable insights into how bank financing works and shared that MCC Bank is exploring plans to introduce a dedicated scheme to support budding entrepreneurs. His urge to the budding entrepreneurs was to be disciplined and ethical in managing finance.
Pramod D’Souza, co-founder of Eagle10 Ventures and president of KE Bangalore, shared valuable insights on startup funding, business valuation, and what investors typically look for in startups.
Leena Lobo, financial services consultant and director at KE Bangalore, along with Rohit Fernandes, CEO of Brands of Bharat, and Jyoti Menezes, founder of Thrive with Jyoti and lead members at KE Bangalore, conducted an interactive workshop titled ‘Idea to Action’. Participants worked in groups to conceptualize business ideas and present the ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what’ of their concepts. The exercise provided practical exposure not only in pitching ideas but also in evaluating business opportunities from an investor’s perspective. The team practiced an elevator pitch with their ideas and how to ask sharp questions to gain more insights while networking with other participants.
Among 12 groups, ‘Summit Group’ won the hearts of all, bagging the best funding for their idea, solution and presentation. ‘Crop Cycle’ pitched the best while ‘We Care’ emerged third, presenting their idea with a strong Why.
The session was wonderfully compered by Leslie Rego, vice president of Rachana Mangalore, along with Jyoti Menezes of KE Bangalore.
Zaveena Lobo, associate director – KE Bangalore, proposed the vote of thanks. MCC Bank hosted the programme at its administrative block on Lighthouse Hill Road. The event concluded with a sumptuous lunch sponsored by MCC Bank.