Building a Truly Great Incubator; A New Doctrine for Academic Institutions By Mukesh Gupta

Chapter 6: Intergenerational Entrepreneurship

Here is the real breakthrough. Let’s not just connect students with industry problems. Let’s create cross-generational startup teams. Imagine this:

• A retired hotel general manager teams up with three college girls. Together, they launch Jaipur’s first eco-wedding startup.

• A 60-year-old Ayurveda expert partners with a student coder to build an AI wellness concierge.

• A farm cooperative leader collaborates with young students to run a farm-to-table kitchen.

This is called intergenerational entrepreneurship.

Mature founders bring networks, wisdom, capital. Students bring energy, digital skills, and fresh perspectives. Together, they create startups that are both bold and resilient.

How unique is this idea? Very few incubators in India—or the world—are doing it.

How useful is it? Incredibly useful for academic institutions, it differentiates them sharply; for industry, it’s a way to onboard Gen G into their businesses; for students, it’s real-world exposure plus equity.