SKUAST-K, Mission YUVA, IIM Jammu sign MoU for youth-led startups in J&K

Ziraat Times News Desk

SRINAGAR, Aug 19: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mission YUVA of the Jammu & Kashmir government and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu to mentor, incubate and scale youth-led neo-innovative enterprises in the Union Territory.

The agreement was signed in the presence of SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Registrar SKUAST-K, Joint Director Mission YUVA Waseem Raja, Chief Executive Officer of the SKUAST-K Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (SKIIE) Centre Naveed Hamid and representatives from IIM Jammu’s Mission YUVA vertical.

The partnership is aimed at creating an integrated support system for young entrepreneurs by combining Mission YUVA’s financial support, IIM Jammu’s selection and mentoring mechanisms and SKIIE’s technical incubation infrastructure.

As an immediate outcome of the agreement, SKIIE signed separate incubation agreements with M/s Noorsa Innovations Pvt. Ltd. and M/s FarmHealth Innovations Private Limited. The two ventures, selected under Mission YUVA’s Neo-Innovative Enterprises Scheme, will receive dedicated incubation space, access to advanced laboratories and infrastructure support at SKUAST-K.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the partnership would strengthen SKUAST-K’s role as a launchpad for youth innovation in Jammu & Kashmir.

He said the university would continue to provide institutional support to Mission YUVA and connect promising young innovators with its incubation ecosystem. SKUAST-K, he added, has been actively associated with the initiative since its inception in identifying and mobilising high-potential ideas.

Joint Director Mission YUVA Waseem Raja said the collaboration would make advanced technical infrastructure, specialised laboratory facilities and domain-specific mentorship accessible to grassroots innovators.

He said the initiative would provide young entrepreneurs with the handholding required to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable and job-generating enterprises.

Naveed Hamid, CEO of SKIIE, said the tripartite arrangement would create an end-to-end pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs, covering the journey from idea development and technical validation to enterprise creation and market linkage.

Mission YUVA, launched by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, aims to position Jammu & Kashmir as a major hub for enterprise and employment. The initiative targets the creation of more than 1.4 lakh enterprises and 4.25 lakh jobs across categories ranging from nano-enterprises and MSMEs to 500 high-potential neo-innovative ventures.

The targeted sectors include artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, agri-tech and sustainability.

Under the new framework, startups selected through Mission YUVA’s screening process will be routed to the SKIIE Centre for technical incubation, validation and market-linkage support, with particular potential benefits for innovators working in agri-tech and biotechnology.

The collaboration also adds to SKIIE’s growing presence in the regional startup ecosystem. The centre was recently named “Incubator of the Year” at the JK Startup Mela and currently hosts more than 130 registered startups.

SKIIE is supported by national and international funding and innovation partners, including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), RBIC, Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), E-YUVA and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

8 COMMENTS

  1. It’s exciting to see SKUAST-K, Mission YUVA, and IIM Jammu come together to support youth-led startups in J&K. Collaborations like these can create a significant impact on the entrepreneurial landscape in the region. I believe that fostering innovation among the youth can lead to sustainable development. For guidance, I often turn to industry blogs and webinars that focus on startup strategies.

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  3. It’s fantastic to see SKUAST-K and IIM Jammu signing an MoU that focuses on youth-led startups in J&K. This collaboration could pave the way for innovative solutions tackling local challenges and fostering entrepreneurship in the region. I’ve recently come across some free online courses that offer valuable insights into startup strategies, which could be really useful for aspiring entrepreneurs.

  4. It’s inspiring to see such partnerships between SKUAST-K and IIM Jammu aimed at promoting youth-led startups in J&K. Initiatives like Mission YUVA can significantly boost entrepreneurial spirit in the region. In my experience, having access to local mentorship programs can make all the difference for budding entrepreneurs. I often turn to community forums to connect with experienced mentors.

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