Paperman Media । Bhubaneswar, November 10
Odisha and Japan have taken a significant step towards strengthening international business cooperation with the visit of a high-level delegation from Tottori Prefecture to Startup Odisha at O-Hub, Bhubaneswar, on Monday.
The delegation comprised Toru Sasaki, Director General, Department of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Tottori Prefectural Government; Yoshioka, Director, San-in Godo Bank Co. Ltd.; and Kazuhiko Ikeda, President, Tottori Prefectural Industrial Promotion Organization, along with representatives of Japanese companies.
On the occasion, an MoU was signed between Odisha-based startup Sustainability Leaders Odisha Pvt. Ltd. and Tottori-based ONESTRUCTION Inc., marking a concrete step towards business collaboration. The agreement follows initial discussions during the Japanese delegation's visit to Odisha on July 30, 2026, and subsequent engagements.
Addressing the gathering, Gokulananda Mallik, Minister for MSME and Fisheries & Animal Resources Development, Odisha, stressed the importance of international cooperation in promoting entrepreneurship and expanding business opportunities.
Rashmita Panda, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MSME Department and Chairperson, Startup Odisha, highlighted the State Government's commitment to fostering innovation, strengthening the startup ecosystem and facilitating global partnerships.
The programme began with a welcome address by Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, IAS, CEO, Startup Odisha. The delegation visited startup showcase stalls and witnessed presentations highlighting Odisha's entrepreneurial potential.
Subsequently, B2B interactions were organised between Odisha startups and Japanese companies, exploring partnerships and market opportunities across agriculture, construction, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, sustainability and healthcare.
The visit is expected to strengthen institutional linkages, facilitate cross-border investments and provide global market access to emerging startups from Odisha.
