Vice President to inaugurate Mega North India StartUp Expo today

New Delhi: Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar will inaugurate a Mega StartUp Expo under the theme “Emerging StartUp Trends in North India” today at Kathua, the border town sharing its boundaries with Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, in the presence of Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and Vice President CSIR.

Disclosing this at a press conference at the National Media Centre here in Delhi on January 03, 2024, Dr Jitendra Singh said that from over 350 in 2014 the number of StartUps in India today is more than 1.30 lakh and number of unicorns more than 100, while India is rated at number 3 in the world in its StartUp ecosystem.

Kathua Mega Expo will not only boost StartUps in North India but will also promote B towns outreach as far as StartUp culture is concerned, added Dr Jitendra Singh.

The Startup Expo under the theme, “Emerging Startup Trend in North India”, is being organized jointly by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), DBT, GoI and CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, wherein a total of 25 Startup from North India, i.e. from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi would be showcasing their innovations and products.

The event is being organized with the specific objective to create a convergence point for budding entrepreneurs and seasoned mentors, to foster innovation, collaboration, and growth. The event encapsulates the spirit of pushing boundaries, embracing change, creating solutions and ushering new opportunities that address real-world challenges and will witness various innovations by 25 selected startup, in varied sectors which includes, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, medical & diagnostic devices, food technology, nutraceuticals, aroma and space, etc.

During the expo, StartUps will exhibit their products, prototypes, and services, providing attendees with hands-on experiences of cutting-edge technologies. The event will also offer ample networking time, allowing participants to connect with potential co-founders, investors, mentors, collaborators and industry people.

This event will also be valuable for the local youth, college and school students, budding entrepreneurs, young farmers, and women of the Jammu region to be acquainted with the government startup schemes, funding opportunities and various other initiatives that are meant to strengthen the youth. It will also encourage the youth to start a career as a StartUp and facilitate the country to become self-reliant.

After inauguration, the Vice President would also interact with the distinguished gathering of traders, academicians, technocrats and members of the civil society, including the representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) of the region.