AIM SUMVAAD 2026 puts northeast at the heart of India’s innovation agenda

GUWAHATI: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, has reinforced the Northeast’s growing role in India’s innovation ecosystem by convening the Regional AIM SUMVAAD – North East Chapter 2026 in Guwahati, bringing together policymakers, state governments, industry leaders, incubators, academia and startup ecosystem stakeholders to accelerate innovation-led development across the eight Northeastern states.

The conclave focused on building a collaborative roadmap for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, recognising the region as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia and a key contributor to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Northeast Positioned as India’s Innovation Frontier

The event highlighted the Northeast’s unique strengths, including its rich biodiversity, bamboo resources, traditional crafts, cultural diversity and an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Joram Aniya, Member, NITI Aayog, reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the Northeast as “Ashta Lakshmi”—eight states with distinct strengths capable of driving India’s future economic growth.

She noted that sustained investments in infrastructure, connectivity and economic development, coupled with the government’s “Act East to Act Fast” strategy, have positioned the region at the centre of India’s development agenda.

AIM Strengthens Regional Innovation Ecosystem

Welcoming participants, Sumit Gakhar, Head (Finance), Atal Innovation Mission, underlined AIM’s commitment to deepening collaboration among state governments, innovation institutions, incubators and startup ecosystem partners to unlock the region’s innovation potential.

Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, said the Northeast’s talent, natural resources and entrepreneurial spirit would play a defining role in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.

“When innovation is rooted in local strengths and powered by Sabka Prayas, the Northeast will not only participate in India’s growth story—it will help lead it,” Bagla said.

Focus on Bamboo, Tourism and Traditional Industries

The day-long programme featured thematic sessions on sectors where the Northeast enjoys natural competitive advantages.

Experts discussed:

• Commercialisation of bamboo and bio-resource value chains.
• Technology-enabled sustainable eco-tourism.
• Innovation in traditional handloom and handicraft clusters.
• Strengthening grassroots livelihoods through entrepreneurship.

These discussions underscored the potential of combining indigenous knowledge with modern technologies to create globally competitive enterprises.

Incubation and Startup Financing Take Centre Stage

Building stronger incubation ecosystems emerged as another major focus of the conclave.

Industry experts, startup founders and incubation leaders deliberated on:

• Supporting startups from ideation to commercialisation.
• Strengthening incubation centres across the Northeast.
• Expanding access to venture capital and institutional finance.
• Building corporate partnerships and market linkages.
• Creating resilient innovation ecosystems for sustainable enterprise development.

Representatives from the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs) also participated in discussions aimed at improving coordination among innovation stakeholders.

Strengthening India’s Innovation Network

The North East Chapter marks another milestone in AIM’s nationwide SUMVAAD initiative, following successful regional engagements across North, South, Central and East India.

By bringing together governments, incubators, investors, academia, industry and entrepreneurs on a common platform, the programme aims to create a more inclusive innovation ecosystem while leveraging the Northeast’s strategic advantages to drive India’s next phase of economic growth.