Dr. Ajit Kumar Nigam is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience spanning entrepreneurship education, incubator development, project management, strategic leadership, and academic administration. Based in Ahmedabad, India, he has held prominent roles, including CEO of the NIFT Foundation for Design Innovation (NFDI) and Associate Dean at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), where he has been instrumental in establishing incubators and entrepreneurial ecosystems across the nation. His leadership has driven innovation and sustainable growth within these institutions, reflecting a comprehensive approach that merges academic rigor with practical application.

As CEO of NFDI, Dr. Nigam established four innovation centers, integrating emerging technology themes and aligning the foundation’s objectives with industry demands. During his tenure as Associate Dean at UPES, he founded the UPES Incubation Centre and developed partnerships across multiple sectors, thereby embedding entrepreneurship within academic programming and advancing UPES’s mission to foster real-world impact through education.

As a dynamic management expert, Dr. Nigam is adept at overseeing multi-faceted academic and entrepreneurial programs from ideation to implementation, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, government policies, and educational standards. His leadership in academic administration and project management extends across various stages—from structuring end-to-end project lifecycles to securing funding and forming strategic partnerships that support institutional incubation centers and entrepreneurship programs. These competencies have allowed him to cultivate incubators and lead entrepreneurship initiatives that prepare startups for success while strengthening institutional objectives.

In the last assignment, he led the entrepreneurship program at XLRI Delhi-NCR Campus and is dedicated to equipping students with entrepreneurial skills, overseeing curriculum development, and advancing project management and AI-driven business strategies within the academic setting. His certification in AI from IBM underscores his commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology into curricula, preparing students to thrive in modern, tech-centric markets.

Currently, he is a Professor at Anant National University as part of the School of Creative Practices and Entrepreneurship in Ahmedabad, India.

Beyond academia, Dr. Nigam actively contributes to policy advisories, shaping strategies that promote innovation-led growth in developing markets. His insights in cross-cultural business dynamics and international collaborations reflect his recognition of global interconnectedness in the future of startups. His unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and building the startup ecosystem within academic environments positions him as a pivotal figure in driving strategic development, inspiring both students and emerging entrepreneurs, and advancing the role of higher education in economic development.