The Government of Assam must be congratulated for launching the “North East Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 (NESFIC) - Ashtalakshmi for Viksit Bharat” in Guwahati on Friday, with the objective of fostering an environment where innovation functions as a cultural norm rather than a one-time event. As Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has said, the success of this initiative will depend on the actual deployment of startup products by various government departments and regional industries rather than the volume of applications. As has been reported on the front page of the Saturday edition of this newspaper, NESFIC-2026 is an initiative which aims at creating a new relationship between government, young innovators and society by providing a dedicated platform for the talent, creativity and problem-solving capabilities of the youth of the Northeastern region. It also seeks to translate the spirit of seva into technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, in the process creating a practical ecosystem in which young innovators can identify real-world challenges, develop solutions and take them towards actual implementation. It is important to note that innovation is the core engine driving India’s transformation into a self-reliant, knowledge-based economy aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. In fact, India hosts the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, featuring over 100,000 recognized startups and more than 100 unicorns. New technologies and business models help generate millions of jobs, especially as nearly 50 per cent of these startups originate from tier-2 and tier-3 cities across the country, which clearly demonstrates the democratisation of entrepreneurship and India’s inclusive innovation story. Equally important to note, India’s steady climb in the Global Innovation Index – from 81st position in 2015 to 38th in 2026 – is not accidental but is the outcome of deliberate policy choices, investments in entrepreneurship, and the indomitable quest and spirit of India’s young innovators. It is, however, generally accepted that there exist persistent challenges in this area. The list is long – lack of synergy across institutions, need for patient capital for deep-tech ventures, weak academia-industry linkages, uneven state-level innovation capacities, and gaps in intellectual property protection and commercialisation. Assam probably is one such example where the startup culture is still worrisome: as of September 2026, altogether 1,489 startups have received comprehensive support under the state government’s initiatives in Assam. Reports say a total of Rs 27 crore in grants have been distributed to 74 startups in Assam so far, with startups incubated at ‘Assam Startup: The Nest’ raising about Rs 100 crore in external funding so far. Reports also say that supported ventures have so far generated a revenue of about Rs 40 crore, apart from creating about 4,900 livelihood opportunities. Despite scaling remaining a primary hurdle, Assam has been actively expanding its startup landscape, driven by strong grassroots participation and recent policy pushes. The Assam Startup Policy provides tiered financial aid, ranging from Rs 10 lakh for new ideas up to Rs 50 lakh in seed funding, alongside a Rs 397 crore allocation under the Assam Startup and Incubation Policy. A general overview has revealed that emerging ventures in Assam primarily span agriculture and food, IT, handloom and handicrafts, manufacturing, healthcare, and tourism. A report released in September 2026 by the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) revealed that women founders make up 52.6 percent of surveyed startups in Assam, adding to the positive outlook.