ITANAGAR, 19 Aug: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday announced to expand the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) premises to accommodate more entrepreneurs from the present 50 per year and enhance the ambit of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Programme (APEDP).
The APIIP was established in August 2020 under the Planning, Investment & Finance Department as the state’s marquee incubator for the Arunachal Pradesh Startup Policy. It organizes annual startup challenges to identify potential entrepreneurs, and besides providing seed money, it offers 9 months incubation and pre-incubation programmes to support selected entrepreneurs to attain commercial success.
The chief minister said, “In just four years, we have supported 106 startups across three cohorts, providing more than Rs 4.5 crore in seed funding, with an inspiring 38% of them being women-led enterprises. These startups represent the true diversity of Arunachal Pradesh – agriculture, handicrafts, IT, e-commerce, and tourism.”
He further hailed the APIIP for its “historic step” this year to become the first state in India to adopt artificial intelligence for shortlisting startup applications. Fifty bright new startups were selected under this process.
Khandu also suggested expanding the premises of the APIIP building and assured government support, either by renting a readily available existing building or constructing a new building.
Khandu along with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein gave away the graduation certificates to Cohort 3.0 and prize money to Cohort 4.0 startups.
Meanwhile, the APIIP signed MoUs with seven educational institutions for mentorship programmes for new startups.
The chief minister termed it another milestone and informed that soon, startup cells will be set up within these institutions, “nurturing student innovations and ensuring that no good idea is left unsupported.”
The institutions are: Arunachal Pradesh University, Pasighat; Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai; Dorjee Khandu Govt College, Tawang; Dera Natung Govt College, Itanagar; NERIST, Nirjuli; NIT, Jote, and Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh.
To further empower youths to become successful entrepreneurs, Khandu informed that the government has launched YES Arunachal – Youth Empowerment Sphere – a one-stop platform for all government schemes.
The chief minister also pointed out that the investment cell of the Planning, Investment & Finance Department “cannot remain a mere ‘cell’ anymore.” He suggested that the investment cell be upgraded to a directorate, so that it can independently explore ways and means to invest in budding entrepreneurs and their innovative startups.
Several Cabinet ministers, the chief secretary, commissioner, representatives of Startup India, educational institutions, and mentors from IIT Delhi and IIM Shillong were also present on the occasion. (CM’s PR Cell)
