Flipkart and the Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur, have come together to help support and promote small and medium-size businesses, artisans and weavers by leveraging technology, market insights and the e-commerce platform itself. A memorandum of understanding will be entered into soon to this effect.
This collaboration will allow the e-commerce giant and the management institute to leverage their deep expertise and knowledge to develop an operational framework that will help under-served communities build capacity and enhance market reach.
The executives from Flipkart will also contribute actively to the initiative by sharing operational knowledge and experience, along with market and consumer insights. The Company will look at ways to enable pan-India market access for products created by these entrepreneurs, MSMEs and artisans through its marketplace.
Mahadeo Prasad Jaiswal, director, IIM Sambalpur, is confident that the “partnership with Flipkart and the e-commerce industry will help strengthen the spirit of entrepreneurship by creating opportunities to leverage technology and accelerate growth for small businesses and artisans.”
The collaboration will be an effective blend of “institutional learning and practical industry experience”, which will “provide entrepreneurs best practices and deeper insight on how to leverage e-commerce for their growth.” It will give the weavers, artisans and farmers a chance to showcase their skills and high-quality traditional heritage products to a national consumer base and achieve success.
Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart Group, reiterates that Flipkart aspires “to leverage locally-developed world-class technology to create a positive impact in the lives of countless entrepreneurs and underserved communities from across India, leading to inclusive economic growth.”
Under the Flipkart Samarth initiative, the Company has partnered with many Indian states, including Odisha. As a result of its partnership with Odisha’s State Institute for Development of Arts & Crafts (SIDAC) it has been able to onboard many renowned Odia brands on its e-commerce marketplace.
