Two Kolkata-based entrepreneurs and an IIM professor have come together to set up Eastern India’s first structured accelerator, Neoleap Business Ventures.

Raghav Kanoria, instrumental in setting up Calcutta Angels Network (an angel fund network focussed on investing in East India); Kumar Vardhan Patodia, Director at Kolkata-based real-estate company Unimark Group; and Chandradeep Mitra, Professor of Marketing, IIM-Calcutta, are the three behind the formation of Neoleap. Kanoria and Patodia have previously come together to co-found Calcutta Angels Network.

According to Kanoria, Neoleap will help, guide and mentor start-ups from Eastern parts of the country to realise their true potential.

Neoleap is currently mentoring four start-ups. The programme will run for four months — from August to September. The second batch is expected to start in January.

Revenue model The company charges a joining fee from the start-ups, a commission on the fund raised by them, and a sweat-equity in the start-up’s venture. “There was a need for a a structured framework to help start-ups from the East. We also plan to give these start-ups access to angel investors, angel networks and family offices where they can pitch their products,” Kanoria said.

In addition to mentoring, Neoleap will organise workshops on compliance, taxation, social media management, company law, financial modelling and IT architecture from leading players in the region.

Besides the founders, the accelerator has also constituted an advisory board comprising Joydeep Bose, National Head, CISCO India; Padmaja Ruparel, president, Indian Angel Network; and Dipankar Chatterjee, Senior Partner, LB Jha & Co.

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