The MoU was signed during the "Jammu Kashmir Konnect," a special program aimed at fostering innovation and growth among startups, incubators, and other stakeholders. The event, held at JKEDI's Baribrahamna campus, provided a platform for discussing challenges, opportunities, and future strategies for strengthening the startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

The partnership between DPIIT and JKEDI focuses on providing greater access to the Startup India ecosystem, offering mentorship, knowledge exchange, infrastructure support, and expanding market and funding networks. The collaboration aims to support J&K's entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses locally and internationally, contributing to India's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

As part of the event, one-on-one interactions were held between DPIIT and JKEDI directors with incubators, who discussed their needs and the challenges they face. The session also allowed incubators to share insights and seek policy support to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the region.

A key highlight of the event was the progress of the JK Startup Policy, launched in March 2024, which has already seen the registration of over 250 startups, bringing the total to nearly 988 on the DPIIT portal. The policy's outreach has been substantial, with 601 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs) conducted across universities, colleges, IITs, and schools in 20 districts of J&K—without incurring any costs.

The MoU signing marks a significant milestone for J&K's startup ecosystem, offering entrepreneurs access to the resources and support needed to succeed. The event saw the participation of key leaders from IIT-Jammu, IIM-Jammu, Jammu University, and other regional institutes, with several others joining virtually from institutions like NIT-Srinagar and SKUAST-Kashmir.

This collaboration is expected to foster a thriving, dynamic startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir, providing crucial infrastructure, funding, and mentorship for the region's aspiring entrepreneurs.