TREC-STEP (Tiruchi Regional Engineering College-Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park) has received the National Entrepreneurship Award 2016 given away by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
TREC-STEP was chosen under the category of organisations providing incubation, mentorship and handholding support in recognition of its technology business incubation excellence, spanning over three decades.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh presented the award in the presence of Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, at a function held in New Delhi on Monday. The award includes a trophy, a certificate and a cash prize of ₹ 10 lakh. R. M. P. Jawahar, Executive Director and Gita Chengappa, Manager, TREC-STEP received the award.
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TREC-STEP was one of the first business incubators, promoted in the country, in 1986, by the Department of Science and Technology, the State government and the erstwhile Regional Engineering College (now National Institute of Technology - Tiruchi). It has promoted 214 ventures and the incubatees have created nearly 4,000 jobs. The organisation has won the award amidst stiff competition from over 50 incubators across India, in a three-stage evaluation, by the lead implementing agency, IIT – Delhi and an expert selection committee comprising experts from industry and academia. The top three entries were recommended to a national jury of eminent persons for selection of the winner, a TREC-STEP press release said.
TREC-STEP was in first position in the Top 17 incubators shortlisted by NITI Aayog, in December 2016 for scale up support to existing incubation centres, under its Atal Innovation Mission, the release added.