Indian Institute of Management Lucknow‘s Enterprise Incubation Centre (IIML-EIC) has announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Blockchain Technology (CoE-BT), an initiative supported by the Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) under its StartInUP Policy.

This significant development aims to create and nurture 100 startups in the blockchain domain over the next five years, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The CoE-BT represents a ground breaking effort to identify and support promising startups while promoting entrepreneurship in the rapidly evolving field of blockchain. This initiative aligns with the state government's objective to enhance e-governance by ensuring trust, transparency and reliability across various sectors as use cases.

The CoE-BT will serve as a technology enabler, offering stakeholders access to shared learning experiences, resources, and a dedicated blockchain platform. IIML EIC will lead the training and onboarding of startups, providing comprehensive support that includes mentorship from over 50 industry and academic experts, industry connections, VC funding, and specialised training programmes for students and aspiring entrepreneurs across various sectors with blockchain based applications such as healthcare, real estate, retail etc. 

As part of the CoE initiative, IIML EIC, in partnership with Microsoft India, will establish three outreach centres across Uttar Pradesh to promote and nurture blockchain-based innovation. The proposed regions for these centres are Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Greater Noida/Meerut.