A Game-Changing Decision

It's quite amazing how the United States of America has maintained its status as the mecca of entrepreneurship over the centuries. From the Mellons to the Gates and Bezoses to Musks, the US has been home to many entrepreneurs admired worldwide. Even today, the US has been recognized as the world's most entrepreneurial country, according to the CEOWORLD magazine Entrepreneurship Index, 2021, while Germany and the United Kingdom placed second and third, respectively.

There is no doubt that India needs to drastically transform its entrepreneurial landscape to stay true to its futuristic ambitions. Lately, India has been making great strides in the department. India is currently home to 107 unicorns with a total valuation of $ 340.79 billion.

Something that the greatest entrepreneurs in history have proven time and again is that a college degree is never the most important aspect of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg have been the poster boys of this. But most of the students don't get over the societal pressure to leave their education aside and venture out with their business idea. Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, is setting a strong precedent by allowing its students and faculty members to take time off at least a year from college to begin their own startups. The decision has received a warm welcome from students and netizens. In fact, BITS, Pilani, has always been at the forefront of positively influencing entrepreneurship among its students. We dedicate this special issue to the alumni of the prestigious BITS, Pilani.