Dr. Rajkumar Phatate

Professor & Head
Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
rajkumar.phatate@mahindrauniversity.edu.in

Prof. Rajkumar Phatate can be described as a passionate entrepreneurship trainer, educator and a lifelong learner. He has been working in the field of entrepreneurship development from last more than 35 years at both national and international level. He has conducted large number of training programmes for potential and existing entrepreneurs enabling start-ups and growth. Considering his expertise in training, Government of India through EDII appointed him as a Technical Advisor to set up Vietnam India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (VIEDC) at Hanoi-Vietnam where he was stationed for three years. Internationally he has conducted training programmes for entrepreneurs at Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Combodia and China. With a view to gain authenticity in his teachings, Prof. Phatate experienced entrepreneurship himself by starting and running a manufacturing enterprise named Rutuja Trimmings at Pune before exiting from it after running it for 10 years in 2007. He also serves as an Advisor to “Toe-Hold Artisans Collaborative (TAC)” which is a group enterprise of Kolhapuri footwear artisans and exports its’ footwear to USA, Japan, Italy Korea etc. He is a founder member of ‘Entrepreneurs’ International’ which is an association of MSME entrepreneurs in and around Pune region. He is a mentor to good number of start-ups and early stage companies

He strongly believes that entrepreneurship is a practice and has learnt through experiencing.

  • Bcom; MBA (Finance & Marketing) and PhD in Entrepreneurship.
  • Certified Entrepreneurship Teacher from NFTE New York, USA.
  • Certified MarketPlace Business Simulation Instructor.
  • Certified CAPSIM Business Simulation Instructor.

  • Professor & Head- Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation-Mahindra University-Hyderabad (From Oct 2018 till date)
  • Associate Professor & Chair (Entrepreneurship)- FLAME University-Pune. (From Oct 2013-Oct 2018)
  • Associate Professor- Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur. (From Aug 2008-Oct 2013)
  • Faculty- Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) Ahmadabad & Technical Advisor – ‘Vietnam – India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (VIEDC)’ (Feb 2005 – June 2008)
  • Director- MITCON’s Technopreneurship Development Centre, Pune- India (April 2003 – Feb 2005)
  • Joint Director- Asian Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives (ASCENT), Bangalore-India (Jan 2001 – March 2003)
  • Director- Institute of Small Business and Industry and Co-preneur (Husband and Wife together starting business.), Rutuja Trimmings, Pune, India (Oct 1994- Jan 2001)
  • Senior Project Officer and Regional Officer, Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (MCED) (Oct 1988 – Sept 1994)
  • Project Officer, Maharashtra Industrial & Technical Consultancy Organization Ltd (MITCON) Pune (Nov 1985 -Sept 1988)

Conference Papers:

2012

  • “Forms-revival of traditional craft to international markets”, presented at Knowledge Globalization Conference held at FLAME, Pune. January 5-7, 2012.

2011

  • “Toe-Hold Artisans’ Collaborative”, presented at United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Conference held at Hilton Head Islands, South Carolina, USA January 13-16, 2011.
  • “Forms @ the crossroads”, presented at ICER-BRIC International Conference on ‘Entrepreneurship and new venture creation-International models and benchmarks’ held at IIM-Bangalore. December 8-10, 2011 (Co-authors: Dr.K.R.Jaysimha & Dr.Rajendra Nargundkar)
  • “Toe-Hold Artisans’ Collaborative”, presented at United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Conference held at Hilton Head Islands, South Carolina, USA January 13-16, 2011.
  • “Forms @ the crossroads”, presented at ICER-BRIC International Conference on ‘Entrepreneurship and new venture creation-International models and benchmarks’ held at IIM-Bangalore. December 8-10, 2011 (Co-authors: Dr.K.R.Jaysimha & Dr.Rajendra Nargundkar)

2010

  • “SME Development in Vietnam”, presented at MSME Conference held at IMT Nagpur in 2010.
  • ‘Toe-Hold Artisans Collaborative”, presented a case at the International Case Conference held at Goa in 2010.
  • “SME Development in Vietnam”, presented at MSME Conference held at IMT Nagpur in 2010.
  • ‘Toe-Hold Artisans Collaborative”, presented a case at the International Case Conference held at Goa in 2010.

2008

  • “GROUP ENTERPRISE -As a means to facilitate movement of Necessity based Entrepreneurs to Opportunity based Entrepreneurs (A case study of Toehold artisans Collaborative)”, presented at the International IEF Conference held at MICA Ahmadabad on 17-18 Dec 2008.
  • “GROUP ENTERPRISE -As a means to facilitate movement of Necessity based Entrepreneurs to Opportunity based Entrepreneurs (A case study of Toehold artisans Collaborative)”, presented at the International IEF Conference held at MICA Ahmadabad on 17-18 Dec 2008.

2003

  • “Group Enterprise- as a tool to transform grass root men and women into entrepreneurs”, presented at fifth biennial conference on contemporary issues in entrepreneurship research held at EDII Ahmadabad in 2003.
  • “Group Enterprise- as a tool to transform grass root men and women into entrepreneurs”, presented at fifth biennial conference on contemporary issues in entrepreneurship research held at EDII Ahmadabad in 2003.

1997

  • “Changing Economic Scenario and Entrepreneurship Development”, presented at the National Convention of Entrepreneurship Trainers held at EDI-I Ahmadabad in 1997 (Co-author: Prof.Vinod Shastri)
  • “Changing Economic Scenario and Entrepreneurship Development”, presented at the National Convention of Entrepreneurship Trainers held at EDI-I Ahmadabad in 1997 (Co-author: Prof.Vinod Shastri)

Journal Papers :

  • “Group Enterprise-A Tool for Transforming grass roots men and women to Entrepreneurs”, Future Business Review vol 1-July 2011 (ISSN: 229-5534).
  • “Toe Hold Artisans collaborative: a case of transforming necessity-based entrepreneurs to opportunity-based entrepreneurs”, Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol 12(5) North American Business Press (ISSN: 1913-8067)

Published Cases:

Toehold Artisans Collaborative: Building Entrepreneurial Capabilities to tackle Poverty-Ivey Publishing & ISB Hyderabad

Published articles and others:

  • “What type of an Entrepreneur are You”, published in daily Hitavada on 25/9/2012.
  • Prepared a Trainer’s manual on conducting “Entrepreneurship Development Programmes.”
  • Prepared manual on “Business Opportunities Search & Scanning”.
  • Written articles on “How to lead growing enterprises” and on ‘Myths about Entrepreneurship’, which were published in souvenir of Entrepreneurs’ International.
  • Edited a Handbook for Trainers on “Group Enterprises and Exports” funded by ITC Geneva.