SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Mission YUVA and IIM Jammu have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to mentor, incubate and scale youth-led innovative startups in Jammu and Kashmir.
The agreement brings together SKUAST-K’s incubation infrastructure, Mission YUVA’s financial and institutional support and IIM Jammu’s selection and mentoring expertise to help young entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into viable businesses.
The MoU was signed in the presence of SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Registrar of SKUAST-K, Mission YUVA Joint Director Waseem Raja, SKIIE Centre CEO Naveed Hamid and representatives of IIM Jammu’s Mission YUVA vertical.
As part of the collaboration, the SKIIE Centre also signed separate incubation agreements with Noorsa Innovations Pvt Ltd and FarmHealth Innovations Private Limited. The two ventures, selected under the Mission YUVA Neo-Innovative Enterprises Scheme, will get incubation space, laboratory facilities and infrastructure support at SKUAST-K.
Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the partnership would strengthen SKUAST-K’s role in supporting youth innovation in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the university had been associated with Mission YUVA since its inception in identifying and mobilising promising ideas.
Mission YUVA Joint Director Waseem Raja said the collaboration would provide grassroots innovators access to specialised laboratory facilities, technical infrastructure and domain-specific mentorship, helping them develop their ideas into sustainable enterprises.
SKIIE CEO Naveed Hamid said the MoU brings together Mission YUVA’s grant support, IIM Jammu’s selection process and SKIIE’s incubation facilities, providing entrepreneurs with support from the idea stage to enterprise development.
Launched by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mission YUVA aims to facilitate the creation of more than 1.4 lakh enterprises and 4.25 lakh jobs in Jammu and Kashmir, including 500 high-potential neo-innovative ventures in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, agri-tech and sustainability.
Under the new arrangement, startups selected through Mission YUVA will be referred to the SKIIE Centre for technical incubation, validation and market-linkage support, with a particular focus on agri-tech and biotechnology ventures.
The SKIIE Centre currently hosts more than 130 registered startups and has received support from organisations including the Department of Science and Technology, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, HADP, E-YUVA and IFAD.
