Entrepreneurship is increasingly being pushed beyond Odisha’s major cities, with an awareness programme in Therubali, Rayagada, bringing around 110 aspiring entrepreneurs together to learn about government schemes and opportunities for starting small businesses. The programme was organised by IMFA and BIPF in collaboration with the District Industries Centre, Rayagada, and focused on helping unemployed rural youth understand how they can establish small industrial ventures. This type of initiative is particularly relevant to Odisha because rural entrepreneurship can reduce dependence on migration and create local employment around agriculture, food processing, services, manufacturing and other small industries. Participants were briefed on government schemes, application procedures and support mechanisms available for entrepreneurs. The bigger opportunity lies in connecting such rural entrepreneurs with actual markets. Training can help people understand how to start a business, but long-term success depends on access to finance, technology, customers, raw materials and professional guidance. District-level programmes can therefore become more effective when they are connected with local industrial clusters and larger companies. Rayagada and southern Odisha have opportunities in agriculture, forest-based products, food processing, manufacturing services and tourism-linked businesses, and a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem could help convert these local resources into sustainable enterprises