Nagaland University to Host Incubation Centre for Northeast Entrepreneurs

Lumami: In a major push to boost entrepreneurship and innovation in the Northeast, Nagaland University has been chosen to host one of the four new Incubation Centres under a Central Government initiative. This project is aimed at empowering aspiring entrepreneurs from across the region through training, mentorship, and funding support.The initiative titled ‘Establish, Develop, and Manage Entrepreneurship Development Centres and Incubation Centres in the Educational Institutes of the North Eastern Region’, is sponsored by the North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong, and implemented by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.Nagaland University’s Kohima campus has been designated as one of the nodal incubation centres, and will incubate 44 selected beneficiaries in the first batch. The beneficiaries include participants from Nagaland (18), Arunachal Pradesh (16), Assam (6), and Manipur (4). The onboarding process is set to begin in July 2025.A total of 145 beneficiaries were selected after a rigorous evaluation process conducted across 30 Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs) in 2024–25. The selection involved awareness and development programmes, project presentations, and panel interviews by experts from industry and government.The top 50 performers from among the selected incubatees will receive Startup Seed Money Grants of up to ₹5 lakh each to support their ventures.

Speaking on the development,Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K Patnaik expressed pride in the university’s selection.“This opportunity reaffirms the university’s commitment to academic excellence and nation-building through innovation, research, and inclusive development,” he stated.

Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bordoloi, Coordinator of the Incubation Centre and Assistant Professor in the Department of Management, shared that the coming months will feature workshops, bootcamps, ideathons, and hackathons. Industry experts will provide one-on-one mentorship to help incubatees refine and develop their startup ideas.“This is a first-of-its-kind initiative for the Northeast. Potential entrepreneurs have been identified from even the remotest corners, and awareness camps have sparked interest across institutions and villages,” said Dr. Bordoloi.As part of its responsibilities, Nagaland University will also:Nominate youth participants for incubation,Provide resources, experts, and logistical support,Link with other government schemes,Maintain research and data on the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,Introduce entrepreneurship education into academic curricula.This initiative marks a turning point in creating a sustainable startup ecosystem in the Northeast, with Nagaland University at its centre. The project aims not only to support business ideas but also to drive economic growth and self-reliance among the youth of the region.