Gangtok, Sikkim | 26th December, 2025
The 2nd Cohort of Digi SAPNE (Startup Acceleration Program for North East), the flagship startup acceleration program of Atal Incubation Centre – Sikkim Manipal University Technology Business Incubation Foundation (AIC-SMUTBI), was formally launched with its Second Cohort by Shri Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, in the august presence of Prof. G. K. Prabhu, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Sikkim Manipal University (SMU).
Digi SAPNE is a fully supported program of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, with strategic support from Startup India and Invest India. The program is designed to strengthen the startup ecosystem of the North Eastern Region by enabling promising startups to scale their businesses, access capital, expand market reach, and generate sustainable employment.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Sanjiv Singh highlighted the Government of India’s sustained focus on promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in the North Eastern Region. He emphasized that structured acceleration initiatives such as Digi SAPNE play a critical role in unlocking regional entrepreneurial potential and integrating startups from the North East into the national and global innovation landscape.
The launch of the Second Cohort builds on the strong success of the First Cohort, which comprised 12 startups from all eight states of North East India. These startups collectively raised more than ₹10 crore in funding and generated revenues exceeding ₹7 crore in the last financial year, underscoring the impact and effectiveness of the program.
Prof. G. K. Prabhu, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, SMU, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to innovation-led development through AIC-SMUTBI. He noted that Digi SAPNE aligns with SMU’s vision of fostering industry-academia collaboration and empowering youth-led enterprises to drive inclusive regional growth.
With the launch of its Second Cohort, Digi SAPNE aims to support a new batch of high-potential startups from the North Eastern Region, providing them with structured mentorship, investor connect, market access, and growth-enabling support.
The launch marks a significant milestone for AIC-SMUTBI and reiterates the Government of India’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and regionally balanced startup ecosystem.
