Ahmedabad June 27, 2024:
Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) Ahmedabad organised a panel discussion on ‘Digital Transformation and Innovation’ as part of the International Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day celebration. The event was held on June 27, 2024, at EDII Campus in Ahmedabad and was attended by MSMEs, startups, entrepreneurs and participants who attended the event at the campus and across the country through online mode. The event included panel discussion by esteemed panellists, Shri Shailesh Patwari, Advisor SME Board, New Delhi; Shri Pradeep Ojha, Joint Director, MSME Development Facilitation Office (DFO); Dr Jaimin Vasa, Chairman & MD Vasa Pharmachem Pvt Ltd & President Gujarat Chemical Association & Gujarat Pharmaceutical Association; Shri Yaman Saluja, Co-founder, Naapbooks Ltd.; Renowned E-commerce portal representative and Dr. Sunil Shukla – Director General, EDII.
The event began with the welcoming address by Dr. Rajeev Sharma, Faculty & Coordinator- Dept. of Business Development Services & National Outreach who gave a brief introduction on the relevance of the MSME Day by portraying the significance of MSMEs, which contributes 50% of the GDP globally, in the development of a country and the world.
The panel discussion on ‘Digital Transformation and Innovation: Unlocking the Opportunities for MSMEs,’ was in sync with the theme of MSME Day ‘Building a Stronger Future Together’ and to leverage from the technologies so that sustainable MSME businesses can be set up and the ecosystem that promotes innovation. The panelists included policy makers, industry experts and thought leaders from various fields who shared their insights and experiences on how digital transformation can help MSMEs drive their growth and how innovation can harness the potential of digital technologies.
Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII, in his opening remarks said, “EDII has been closely working with MSMEs since its inception towards uplifting the sector and bolstering its growth. The Institute has undertaken several initiatives of MSMEs in the field of technology, digital transformation and innovation with the support of Government and private stakeholders. Despite several government initiatives to facilitate the access to credit, the MSMEs struggle to get timely and low cost credit. It is required to simplify the procedure which should be adaptable to the MSMEs.”
Shri Shailesh Patwari, Advisor SME Board, New Delhi talking on the growth and evolvement of MSMEs and said, “Digital transformation has become imperative for MSMEs to stay competitive and thrive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. Most of the MSMEs still have to come at par in taking the advantage of the digital opportunities. Through imbibing the Digital transformation, MSMEs can achieve quality products which in turn will help them getting a larger consumer base.”
Shri Pradeep Ojha, Joint Director, MSME Development Facilitation Office (DFO) remarked on the driving factor of Digital transformation and opined, “There is a huge opportunity in digital platform and one such platform is (GeM) Government e Marketplace. Through this platform, MSME can take the advantage and start their business directly. MSME should make their website, e- commerce presence and update time to time. It is necessary for MSMEs to make their presence built in all the social media platforms.”
Dr Jaimin Vasa, Chairman & MD Vasa Pharmachem Pvt Ltd & President Gujarat Chemical Association & Gujarat Pharmaceutical Association talking about the adoption of new technology remarked, “Digital transformation is not only about adopting new technology but it is more about leveraging the technology. And, for this, mindset needs to set and cultivated for adopting these technologies. In today’s rapidly growing business landscape, the concept of digitalization and transformation has become synonymous with survival and growth especially for MSMEs. In India, MSMEs contribute 30% of GDP and if India has to reach 5 trillion economy, then MSMEs has to grow and reach up to 50% of GDP.”
Shri Yaman Saluja, co-founder of Naapbooks Ltd., highlighted the importance of upskilling in enabling MSMEs to capitalise on emerging Digital Business Solutions. He expressed, “Training the workforce on new technologies is an essential part of the empowerment of MSMEs. The rapid pace of digital evolution demands that MSMEs continuously upskill their resources to stay competitive. Digitalization programmes by the Indian government need to be more inclusive and accessible to support the $5 trillion GDP target, which is only possible if MSMEs lead innovation and efficiency within the organisation.”
Renowned E-commerce portal representative discussed the role of technology in access to credit for MSMEs and facilitating MSME products to export internationally through online platforms.
EDII is renowned for its expertise in entrepreneurship education, research, and capacity building, and is committed to fostering the growth and development of MSMEs through innovation and digital transformation.
