Students' web design firm going great guns

Students' web design firm going great guns


BELGAUM: Their story is inspirational: four enthusiastic youngsters of the Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT-Belgaum) start their own little firm, dotCord IT Solutions, helped along by the college.

dotCord, a web designing firm, is doing well for itself. Sandeep Hegde and Manoj, who are behind the start-up, worked together on a website for IEEE GIT for a competition organized by IBM. The site drew much appreciation, and slowly crystallized into work.

"We began to think that we could start a firm based on our potential. And ever since, we haven't looked back," elaborated Sandeep. They were joined by Manav and Chinmay, and also put some interns to good use.

For the students, it's both a learning and earning experience. They design websites according to the requirements of clients, on the college campus itself. GIT has helped them by setting up an IT incubation centre, which encourages such extra-curricular activities.

The students have provided web solutions for small and medium-scale corporate companies -- locals as well as outsiders -- and have successfully designed over 40 websites so far. They also have some handsome projects in hand. "Initially, it was very difficult for us to get our first client. Entrepreneurs in Belgaum were generally looking towards Bangalore and Pune for web designers," said Sandeep, in his final year.

But, all that has changed. "Many entrepreneurs liked our job and are contacting us with projects," says Sandeep. And why is their work popular? He said they prefer to provide designs which are easy to operate technically, rather than making new and tough ones.

Prof Santosh Saraf, coordinator for IT incubation centre, said these students' attitude is an inspiration to the other students of the institute. They are also developed the site of an institute, he added.

Their firm won the `Best Student Entrepreneur Award' from TiE, the world's largest organization in fostering entrepreneurship, in 2009.

Source Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Students-web-design-firm-going-great-guns/articleshow/5841388.cms