With a vision to penetrate the startup culture in the Jammu & Kashmir region, Central government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Signed between the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), it aims at fostering collaboration, mentorship, and support for startups in the region.

The MoU between DPIIT and JKEDI paves the way for greater branding, outreach, and accessibility to Startup India’s ecosystem, fostering mentorship, knowledge exchange, and infrastructure support, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said in a statement.

Advertisement

It also focuses on market linkages, funding networks, and international expansion opportunities, aligning with India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, it added.

Rajinder Kumar Sharma, JKAS, Director JKEDI, during the event, highlighted the impact of the JK Startup Policy, launched in March 2024, which has led to over 250 new startup registrations on the DPIIT portal taken the total to 988 in a short span.

He also emphasized the significant outreach efforts undertaken by JKEDI, stating that during the current financial year, the institute has successfully conducted 601 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs) across Universities, Colleges, Higher Secondary Schools, and IITs in 20 districts of J&K—without incurring any expenses.

During the programme, Director DPIIT and Director JKEDI held one-on-one interactions with all incubators, discussing their challenges, needs, and future plans. The session provided a unique platform for incubators to share insights, suggest improvements, and seek policy-level support for enhancing the startup ecosystem.

The signing took place during “Jammu Kashmir Konnect,” a special startup-focused program organized at JKEDI’s Baribrahamna campus, where startups, incubators, and key-way stakeholders gathered to discuss innovation and growth opportunities.

The Head of the Incubators from IIT- Jammu, IIM-Jammu, Jammu University, SKUAST-Jammu, Cluster University and CIIIT Jammu along with the FICCI Flo attended the event physically. Incubators from NIT- Srinagar, IUST University, SKUAST – Kashmir and CIIIT Baramulla joined virtually.