Speakers’ Den: A Series of Empowering Workshops for Entrepreneurs



The Shahjehan S Karim Incubation Center (SSK-IC) hosted the "Speakers’ Den." These workshops aimed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate various aspects of their startup journeys. Each session was led by an expert speaker who shared their experiences and insights, providing valuable guidance to the participants.

Workshop 1: Getting Started: Securing Grants for Startups

Date: Monday, April 22nd, 2024
Speaker: Khushal Piracha

Khushal Piracha, Co-Founder and Funding & Partnerships Lead at Chiragh Education Technologies, focused on securing grants for startups. Drawing from his own journey and success story, Khushal guided participants in identifying their core problems and developing solutions. He shared practical tips on how startups can effectively position themselves to secure grant funding, emphasizing the importance of clearly defining and addressing the problem they aim to solve.

Workshop 2: How to Draft a Winning Pitch Deck for Grants

Date: Monday, April 29th, 2024
Speaker: Maira Siddiqui

The second workshop was led by Maira Siddiqui, the Founder of Chiragh Education Technologies and a startup grant winner. Maira shared her startup journey and provided detailed insights on crafting a winning pitch deck. She outlined the key elements that make a pitch deck compelling and successful in securing funding. Through presenting her own winning business idea, Maira demonstrated practical techniques and strategies that participants could apply to their own pitches, helping them enhance their chances of securing grants.

Workshop 3:  Leadership and its Importance in Entrepreneurship 

Date: Thursday, May 2nd, 2024
Speaker: McManis S. Lee

The final workshop in the series was conducted by McManis S. Lee, Section Chief, Public Affairs at the US Consulate.

The workshops hosted by the Shahjehan S Karim Incubation Center focused on entrepreneurial education, leadership, and financial empowerment, the event supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) through skill development, and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by fostering entrepreneurship and economic opportunities. Furthermore, the emphasis on inclusive business practices and gender equity in leadership contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), while promoting access to resources through grants and pitch strategies highlights efforts toward reducing inequalities, aligning with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).