AIC-SMU Technology Business Incubator (AIC-SMUTBI) in partnership with Headstart Networks, AIM, NITI AAYOG, Startup Nagaland, Microsoft for Startups, NEATeHUB, TiE, IIE Guwahati and Educenter – School of Business organized a Virtual event on “North East India as an Emerging Startup Ecosystem: Challenges and Opportunities” on 28th September 2021.
Investors, Corporate Representatives and Government Officials took part in the event. The event had a special segment showcasing Startups from the North Eastern Region. Six Startups, viz, Encamp Adventures a Tourism-Tech which works on reducing carbon footprint from Assam, Nibiaa Devices an Agri-Tech which works on precision Agriculture from Manipur, Qonect an Insurance-Tech in Healthcare segment from Manipur, Aaharan Pvt Ltd an Ed-Tech startup from Tripura, CAS collective a sustainability design startup from Sikkim and Autocion an Auto-Tech startup from Nagaland pitched in the pitching round. The highlight of the event was a session by Vani Gupta Dandia on Soft Skills which are known to be the most under-rated skills startups tend to ignore.
Vani is an expert in branding and has led many corporates including PepsiCo in strategizing and brand positioning in the market. A round table with the enablers of the ecosystem of North East India was also conducted where Dr Shriparna Barua of IIE Guwhahti, Dr Karthikeyan, CEO of NEATeHUB and Dr Tej Chingtham, CEO, AIC-SMUTBI discussed the opportunities and the challenges of the North East with Gautham Sivaramakrishnan, Microsoft for Startup who moderated the session.
The closing remark was from Vaniya Dangwal, Senior Program Manager – Strategic partnerships, Headstart Network Foundation.
