In a significant step towards strengthening the startup ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, through its Technology Business Incubator (IIIM-TBI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI). The MoU aims to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, skill development, and startup incubation by leveraging the strengths of both institutions. It seeks to create a collaborative framework for nurturing startups, enhancing capacity building, and facilitating market linkages.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu and Chairman IIIM-TBI, stressed the need to translate the agreement into tangible outcomes on the ground, emphasizing that the collaboration must go beyond paperwork and reflect visible impact. He called for the preparation of a detailed action plan, including a structured activity calendar, clearly defined responsibilities, and immediate next steps. He also highlighted the importance of identifying startup batches, sector-specific opportunities, and organizing targeted training and exposure programs, suggesting that even a modest number of successful startups would mark meaningful progress.

The collaboration will include the preparation of a comprehensive white paper outlining sectoral focus areas, startup intake, and implementation strategies. Plans are underway to conduct roundtable meetings and stakeholder consultations to identify market demand and align training modules accordingly. Startups will be shortlisted based on sectoral requirements and provided with customized training, mentorship, and incubation support.

Secretary Industries & Commerce and Director JKEDI, Khalid Jahangeer, emphasized the need to strengthen the partnership and ensure long-term collaboration. He underlined that market linkages and investor connect remain critical for the success of startups, noting that the region’s ecosystem is still evolving in terms of equity funding. He said efforts will be made to connect startups with investors through dedicated meets and networking platforms, along with regular mentoring sessions involving successful entrepreneurs to guide and inspire young innovators.

Earlier, Senior Principal Scientist at IIIM and Principal Investigator of IIIM-TBI, Dr. Saurabh Saran, highlighted that the collaboration will also cover research exchange, capacity building, and training initiatives. He noted that joint work in areas like biotechnology, fermentation, and food processing could open new opportunities for startups.

Later, Khalid Jahangeer, Secretary I&C and Director JKEDI, along with Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu and Chairman IIIM-TBI, also visited the fermentation facility and the Technology Business Incubator (TBI) facility at IIIM, where they reviewed ongoing research, incubation activities, and startup support infrastructure.