Awantipora, Jan 30: The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED) at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) has secured a capital grant of ₹50 lakh under the Startup Policy of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir from the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI).
The grant was awarded during the Idea to Impact Startup Mela organised by JKEDI in Jammu. The award was presented by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to the IUST team led by Vice Chancellor Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, in the presence of Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, and Director JKEDI, Khalid Jahangir.
On the occasion, an IUST-supported incubatee was also felicitated with the Outstanding Entrepreneurship and Startup Award. The startup GR8 Bats was conferred with the honour in recognition of its entrepreneurial performance.
Speaking at the event, Prof Romshoo said IUST was among the first universities in Jammu and Kashmir to adopt the Startup Policy of the Government, enabling students to function as Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and convert innovative ideas into commercial ventures. He commended Prof Pervez Ahmad Mir and the CIED team for fostering a strong entrepreneurial culture among the youth and said the growing impact of CIED was clearly visible through its expanding startup ecosystem.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the government for its continued support and said innovation and entrepreneurship have been identified as priority areas under IUST’s Institutional Development Plan. He noted that CIED–IUST is currently implementing multiple national and institutional schemes, including the Skill to Enterprise Model (STEM) in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Bank of India, the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) of DPIIT, Government of India, and the Department of Science and Technology’s Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (I-TBI).
At present, CIED–IUST is incubating and mentoring over 300 startups across Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, more than 20,000 individuals have received training, mentoring, and skill development support through CIED in partnership with institutions such as MSME, NEESBUD, and NI-MSME.
The achievement, university officials said, reinforces IUST’s role as a key driver of innovation-led entrepreneurship and startup development in the Union Territory.
