In a major boost to the startup ecosystem of the Northeast, Nagaland University’s Kohima campus has been selected to host one of four regional startup incubation centres being established under a new initiative of the North Eastern Council (NEC). The programme, aimed at nurturing entrepreneurship in the region, is being implemented by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.
The centre at Nagaland University is set to onboard 44 promising startups, including six from Assam, offering them mentorship, training, and access to resources needed to scale their ventures. As an added incentive, the top 50 performing startups across the four centres may be awarded seed funding of up to ₹5 lakh each.
The selection of Nagaland University comes at a time when the state is actively pushing for greater economic self-reliance and youth employment through innovation. University officials hailed the decision as a significant milestone for both the academic and business communities of Nagaland.
“This is a proud moment for the university and the state. We see this as a platform to channel the creativity of our young entrepreneurs into sustainable enterprises that contribute to the local economy,” said a senior faculty member from Nagaland University involved in the initiative.
The startup incubation centre will function as a nurturing ground for early-stage entrepreneurs across various sectors including agri-business, eco-tourism, education tech, and digital services. It will also serve as a training and support hub for aspiring entrepreneurs from other Northeastern states.
Officials from the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, the project’s nodal agency, said the goal is to create robust support infrastructure in underserved areas, while encouraging collaboration among young innovators from across the region.
This effort is part of a broader push by the central government to strengthen regional development in the Northeast through innovation-led enterprises. The NEC has identified entrepreneurship as one of the key engines of growth for the region, and this initiative is aligned with its Vision 2040 roadmap.
Entrepreneurs selected for incubation will receive support not just in the form of funds, but also in legal guidance, market linkage, product development, and investment-readiness training. The incubation centres are expected to become operational by the end of August 2025.
