Digital CoE in Purvanchal to incubate 3,500 SMEs

Lucknow: To promote entrepreneurship among people of Purvanchal, especially in rural areas, a digital centre of excellence (CoE) is coming up in Deoria.
The CoE aims to incubate 3,500 local small and medium enterprises, and provide technology support to 20,000 other companies.
Jagriti, a non-profit working to promote entrepreneurship in small towns and rural areas, has partnered with Zoho Corp, a global technology company for the move.
The CoE is among the six such centres being set up on the new 6-acre campus of Jagriti Enterprise Centre-Purvanchal (JECP) in Deoria. The CoEs will cater to SMEs in Deoria and 15 surrounding districts, and focus on areas such as agro-processing, healthcare, women and handicraft.
CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corp Sridhar Vembu said, “We are invested in creating knowledge hubs, and promoting R&D and entrepreneurship, particularly in small towns and rural areas. The idea is to decentralize development and tap into the local talent pool. After initiatives in southern India, this partnership means expanding to the north.”
Founder of JECP Shashank Mani said, “Both Zoho and Jagriti seek to impact small towns and districts with a long-term approach. The centre will accelerate inclusive growth in Purvanchal and generate employment.”
VP marketing and customer experience at Zoho Corp Praval Singh said: “With Covid-19, digital penetration in villages is on the rise. The digital CoE will enable local enterprises to capitalize on this.”
He also emphasised on privacy and data protection on the part of his company.