Srinagar
The 23-day-long Startup Yatra J&K – an initiative to promote startups Friday culminated at Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute’s Main campus Pampore with the Grand Finale.
The finale was marked by the distribution of awards (prize money) among 20 innovators from the state in the fields of Agriculture, Social, Technology, and Womenpreneur (wannapreneur) and a special jury award.
A total of 182 participants had pitched their ideas out of which 75 were shortlisted for the Accelerator Program. Out of these 20 innovators were awarded in these categories based on the kind of problems they intend to solve, and the revenue or business model used by them.
“A prize money of Rs 10 lakh was distributed among the 20 winners in these categories after their ideas and innovations were duly screened by a 10-member jury team. Jury Award of Rs One Lakh was given to Waseem Ahmad Nadaf for his innovation in water purification and was declared as the ‘Hero of the State’,” the spokesman in a statement said.
“All the shortlisted innovators were offered incubation services at JKEDI,” he said.
“The award winners include Mahid Rafiq, Muhammad Rafiq Ahanger, Sabzar Ahmad Wani, Sheikh Zubair Ahmad, Irshad Hussain Shah, Vishwas Modanwal, Sahil Koul and Team, Kumail Muzaffar and Team, Muhammad Naseer-ul-Haq, Peerzada Akhter Hussain, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Syed Muneer Iqbal, Sabzar, Ahmad, Wasif and Team, Shubham Kumar, Aman Sharma, Asfa and Nusaiba, Dr Tasleema Jan, Insha Ashraf, Mehraab Ishfaq Ada and Samiyan,” said spokesman in a statement.
“The prize money winners are from different areas of the state including Srinagar, Islamabad, Baramulla, Shopian, Pulwama, and Jammu,” he added.
Principal Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department, Shailendra Kumar was the chief guest on the occasion. Director JKEDI, Dr M I Parray, Vice Chancellor IUST, Awantipora, Prof Mushtaq Siddiqui, Director Industries Kashmir, Bilal Ahmad and Professor Sidiqqui from SKUAST-K were also present on the occasion.
In his address, Principal Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department, Shailendra Kumar appreciated the response of the people from different age groups towards the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.
He said it is a humble beginning for the state of Jammu and Kashmir and assured all possible help to the innovators present on the occasion so that they are able to convert their ideas into profitable ventures.
“Government is there to support you. The State of Jammu and Kashmir needs many more innovations and startups. Patience is the buzzword and all the innovators need to be patient and work hard to achieve success,” said Kumar. He said consequent upon the rolling out of the Jammu and Kashmir Startup Policy, a mobile application shall soon be rolled out to provide information related to the policy, its benefits and the procedure to avail benefits.
Earlier, Director JKEDI, Dr. M I Parray welcomed the participants.
The Accelerator Program cum Grand Finale was coordinated by Irtif Mehraj, Incubation Manager JKEDI and Arsalan Ashraf, Executive Manager (P&A) IT, JKEDI Irtif presented the vote of thanks.
The yatra was earlier flagged off by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and Director JKEDI, from the institute’s Jammu campus on September 27.
“During yatra, there were numerous van stops and boot camps were held after the students shared their ideas with the Startup India representatives,” the spokesman in a statement said.
