CSIR-IIIM, JKEDI Join Hands to Strengthen Startup Ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu: CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) and the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the startup ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir through entrepreneurship promotion, incubation support, skill development, and innovation-driven collaborations.

The agreement was signed through the Technology Business Incubator of CSIR-IIIM Jammu (IIIM-TBI) to create a collaborative framework for nurturing startups, enhancing capacity building, and facilitating market linkages for emerging enterprises in the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM Jammu and Chairman of IIIM-TBI, stressed the importance of converting the agreement into measurable outcomes and ensuring that the partnership delivers visible impact on the ground.

He called for preparation of a detailed action plan with structured activity calendars, clearly defined responsibilities, startup identification strategies, and immediate implementation measures.

Ahmed said the institutions would focus on identifying sector-specific startup opportunities and organizing targeted training and exposure programmes, adding that even a limited number of successful startups would represent meaningful progress for the region’s innovation ecosystem.

As part of the collaboration, the institutions will prepare a comprehensive white paper outlining sectoral focus areas, startup intake mechanisms, and implementation strategies. Roundtable discussions and stakeholder consultations will also be conducted to assess market demand and align training programmes accordingly.

Under the initiative, startups will be shortlisted based on sectoral requirements and provided customised mentorship, training, incubation support, and market access opportunities.

Khalid Jahangeer, Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department and Director JKEDI, highlighted the importance of strengthening investor connectivity and market linkages for startups in Jammu and Kashmir.

He noted that the region’s startup ecosystem is still evolving in terms of equity funding and said efforts would be made to connect entrepreneurs with investors through dedicated networking platforms, investor meets, and mentoring interactions involving successful entrepreneurs.

Earlier, Saurabh Saran, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-IIIM and Principal Investigator of IIIM-TBI, said the partnership would also cover research exchange, capacity building, and specialised training initiatives.

He noted that collaborative work in biotechnology, fermentation, and food processing could open new growth opportunities for startups emerging from the region.

Following the MoU signing, Khalid Jahangeer and Zabeer Ahmed visited the fermentation facility and the Technology Business Incubator facility at CSIR-IIIM Jammu, where they reviewed ongoing research activities, startup incubation programmes, and support infrastructure available for entrepreneurs.