Srinagar, Sept 7: NIT Srinagar, IIM Jammu’s YUVA Innovation Hub and Directorate of Employment (Department of Labour & Employment), Government of J&K through Mission YUVA have entered into a tripartite MoU to strengthen the startup and innovation ecosystem across the UT.
The five-year MoU, executed at NIT Srinagar, brings Greenovator Incubation Foundation (GIF), NIT Srinagar, into the YUVA incubation ecosystem as a regional incubation node for supporting Neo-Innovative Enterprises in Kashmir.
The agreement was signed by Director, NIT Srinagar and Chairman, Greenovator Incubation Foundation; Prof. Anurag Misra, Chairperson, Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Skill Development (CEISD), IIM Jammu/Srinagar Campus Dr Muqbil Burhan, and acknowledged by Director Employment and Mission Director, Mission YUVA, Harvinder Singh (IAS), J&K, on behalf of the Government.
The MoU is part of the Government of J&K’s Mission YUVA—Neo-Innovative Enterprises, a flagship entrepreneurship development initiative aimed at establishing a vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem across the Union Territory. Under the mission, the Government seeks to train, incubate and support 500 Neo-Innovative Enterprises over five years from 2025 to 2030, through YUVA Innovation Hubs anchored at IIM Jammu and a network of YUVA Incubation Centres across J&K.
The YUVA Innovation Hub, operationalised at IIM Jammu’s Jammu and Srinagar campuses under CEISD, will serve as the nodal body for the Mission YUVA ecosystem, providing strategic direction, coordination, training, mentorship and investor linkages.
Speaking on the occasion, Harvinder Singh, IAS, Director Employment and MD, Mission YUVA, said the partnership would strengthen the institutional mechanism being created under Mission YUVA for nurturing innovative enterprises in the Union Territory.
“Mission YUVA is aimed at creating a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir by connecting young innovators with incubation, mentorship, technology, markets and finance. The partnership between the YUVA Innovation Hub, Greenovator Incubation Foundation and the Government will provide a strong institutional platform for converting innovative ideas into viable enterprises and creating employment opportunities,” he said.
Later, Singh visited the Greenovator Incubation Foundation at NIT Srinagar, where he reviewed the incubation facilities and interacted with officials associated with the institute’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
Under the tripartite collaboration, GIF, NIT Srinagar, will function as a regional incubation node and support the identification, incubation and development of early-stage innovative enterprises in Kashmir.
The incubation centre’s focus areas include nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, cybersecurity and robotics.
Director NIT Srinagar Prof. Anurag Misra said the MoU would leverage the institute’s technical expertise, laboratories and research ecosystem to support technology-driven entrepreneurship.
“NIT Srinagar has a strong ecosystem of research, innovation and technological expertise. Through Greenovator Incubation Foundation, we want to ensure that this ecosystem translates into opportunities for young innovators and entrepreneurs,” he said.
Prof. Misra said this MoU will help us connect ideas with mentorship, infrastructure, industry and markets, while contributing to the creation of technology-based enterprises in UT.
Dr Saad Parvez, Director, GIF, NIT Srinagar, said the partnership would help bridge the gap between research, innovation and commercialisation.
“With NIT Srinagar’s technical infrastructure and the support available through Mission YUVA and the YUVA Innovation Hub, we can provide entrepreneurs with a more complete ecosystem covering technology, mentorship, funding and market access,” Dr Parvez said.
As per the MoU, GIF will provide selected enterprises access to workspace, laboratories, equipment, technical assistance, mentorship, business advisory and other institutional infrastructure available at NIT Srinagar. Startups will also be supported in market access, B2B linkages, trade-fair participation, e-commerce readiness and public procurement.
Selected Neo-Innovative Enterprises will be eligible for seed funding of up to ₹6 lakh, to be provided by the Government of J&K under Mission YUVA, subject to prescribed selection and funding requirements. The funding can be utilised for proof of concept, prototype development, and product trials.
