Global Immersion: Innovation in India

This course will focus on the startup economy in India. Student teams will work closely with a startup incubated by the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) in the Fall A-term, as well as during our trip to Bengaluru (Bangalore), India. Why focus on India? India, the world’s largest democracy with a population of 1.3 billion, is emerging as an important counterpoint to China from a geopolitical perspective. The US is leaning on India as a crucial ally; President Biden welcomed Indian Prime Minister Modi to Washington in June 2023 and said that the US-India relationship was "one of the defining relationships of the 21st Century.” The Prime Minister addressed the US Congress and received a standing ovation, although his visit also generated a fair amount of controversy. In late 2022, India’s economy overtook Britain’s to be the world’s fifth largest, and with a growth rate of about 8% it is likely to be the fastest growing big economy this year. Why focus on innovation? Apart from conglomerates such as Reliance, Adani, and Tata, innovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of India’s growing economy. Startups, often tech-based, have gone from providing e-commerce and ride-sharing services to the richest Indians to seeking opportunities at the global innovation frontier. The partnership with IIMB is a way for students to learn about the Indian startup ecosystem from founders in India, and for the startups to get some objective input and advice. Each startup is in a different industry and is facing different challenges. The project will help students develop experience working in cross-cultural teams and practice entrepreneurial and consulting skills. This promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime multicultural experience where students will learn from and consult with founders of cutting-edge Indian startups. Travel to Bengaluru (Bangalore) will take place October 14-21, 2023. Global Immersion Program classes bridge classroom lessons and business practices in another country. These three credit classes meet for half a term in New York prior to a one week visit to the country of focus where students will meet with business executives and government officials while working on team projects. Upon return from the travel portion of the class, students will have one wrap up meeting at Columbia Business School. The 2023-2024 Global Immersion Program fee for all classes is $1950 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first-class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Please visit the Chazen Institute website to learn more about the Global Immersion Program, and visit the Global Immersion Policies page to review policies affecting these courses. Only second year students may participate in Global Immersion Program fall courses; please note exams scheduled during this week may be rescheduled and papers due during that week are expected to be turned in by their due date. Please note at this time the Indian Embassy is not accepting visa applications from citizens of China and Hong Kong; this has been the case since early 2023 and we do not anticipate students from these countries will be able to participate.