early times report
Jammu, Oct 5: The Screening Committee constituted under the Jammu and Kashmir Startup Policy 2024–27 held its second meeting at the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute’s (JKEDI), Bari Brahmana, campus Jammu to screen and evaluate the applications for grant of seed fund assistance to eligible startups of the Union Territory. The meeting was chaired by Sh. Khalid Jahangir (JKAS), Secretary Industries and Commerce Department and Director JKEDI, who is also the Nodal Officer for implementation of the Startup Policy in J&K.
The J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, notified by the Government, envisions making J&K one of the leading startup ecosystems in the country by 2027, while facilitating the establishment of at least 2,000 new startups. Among its major interventions is the provision of seed funding of up to ₹20 lakh (in four equal instalments) to recognized startups for activities such as prototype development, introduction of innovative products and services, market entry, and scaling up.
The Screening Committee comprised of Dr. Sudhakar Dwivedi, Professor & Dean, Student Welfare, Division of Agriculture Economics and ABM, SKUAST-Jammu, Dr. Parvaiz Ahmad Mir, Director, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED), IUST, Awantipora, Dr. Naveed Ahmad, CEO, SKUAST-K Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre, Dr. Irfana Baba, In-charge, NewGen IEDC, University of Kashmir, Sh. Anil Suri, Industrialist (President & CEO, AB Consultants), Smt. Dhariti, Associate Professor & In-charge, Atal Incubation Centre, IIT Jammu, Sh. Akash, Incubation Manager, IIT Jammu, Ms. Pratiti from Startup India, a representative Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organization(JKTPO) and Mr Irtif Mehraj, In-Charge CIIBM, JKEDI (Member Secretary).
Thirty-six (36) startup applicants from Jammu division were called for pitching out of which 34 startups presented their pitches before the Committee.
The committee members provided real-time feedback on issues such as market readiness, financial viability, scalability, sourcing of investment, and enhancing competitiveness.
As per the Operational Guidelines, the recommendations of the Screening Committee will now be placed before the Startup Task Force Committee, chaired by the Commissioner Secretary to Government, Industries & Commerce Department, as part of the two-tier process for sanctioning of the seed funding.
Earlier, the Screening Committee held its first meeting at JKEDI Pampore campus on September 27, 2025 to screen and evaluate the applications received from Kashmir division.
The seed funding under the J&K Startup Policy will provide early-stage support to startups, enabling them to transform their innovative ideas into scalable and sustainable ventures.
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