JKEDI holds 3-day startup mentoring programme with entrepreneur Prof. Sunil Handa

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar, August 7: The Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) organised a three-day orientation and mentoring programme for startups, aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners, students and young innovators at its main campus in Pampore from August 5 to 7.

The programme featured Prof. Sunil Handa, founder of the Eklavya Foundation, an alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, and an entrepreneur and startup mentor who has worked with thousands of ventures across India.

As part of the programme, Prof. Handa held one-on-one mentoring sessions with 43 emerging startups from across Jammu & Kashmir. The sessions focused on the specific challenges and growth prospects of the participating ventures, with discussions covering business strategy, customer acquisition, market positioning, scaling operations and building sustainable enterprises.

The mentoring enabled participating startups to review their existing business models, refine their growth strategies and gain practical insights into the challenges involved in building and expanding businesses.

Addressing participants during the orientation session, Prof. Handa encouraged startups from Jammu & Kashmir to look beyond regional markets and position their products and services for national and international customers.

Using practical examples and case studies, he highlighted the importance of understanding market trends, customer behaviour and industry structures for developing competitive and sustainable businesses.

Handa also advised aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on solving real-world problems through innovation and value creation. He stressed the importance of clarity, commitment and disciplined execution, urging entrepreneurs to concentrate on one objective at a time instead of spreading their efforts across multiple ideas.

He further encouraged young innovators to take calculated risks, describing informed risk-taking as essential for innovation, business growth and long-term value creation. He also underlined the need for resilience, continuous learning and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions.

JKEDI said the programme provided participants with practical insights into innovation, customer-centric thinking, market expansion and entrepreneurial leadership.

The institute said the initiative was part of its efforts to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir by creating opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs to engage directly with experienced industry leaders and mentors, with the broader objective of promoting innovation-driven and sustainable enterprises.