Bihar Govt. Commits to Robust Startup Ecosystem

Patna, Jan 16 (PTI) The Bihar government is committed to creating a robust startup ecosystem and will support young entrepreneurs in setting up their businesses across the state, Industries Minister Nitish Mishra said on Thursday.

The minister was addressing a seminar titled 'Avinya Bihar 2025' organised by the Industries Department and Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna (CIMP), on the National Startup Day, according to an official statement.

"The Bihar government is committed to fostering a robust startup ecosystem and supporting ambitious young entrepreneurs on their journey," Mishra said.

He said it will be easier to do business with Entrepreneurship Development Centers and Startup Cells being set up across the state.

"We aspire for startups to thrive and flourish in every corner of Bihar," Mishra said.

Bandana Preyashi, Secretary of the Industries Department, said, " Startups are a priority for the government, and we aim to make Bihar a hub for startup funding".

The enthusiasm among Bihar's youth inspires hope that thousands of startups will emerge in the coming years, she said, adding that "we are ready to support them in every possible way".

The event was attended by Nikhil Dhanraj Nippanikar, Director, Handloom & Silk and CIMP's Director Prof (Dr) Rana Singh, among others.

To encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, the Avinya Bihar 2025 event was organised. It was supported by organisations like Startup Bihar, CIMP-BIIF, TiE Patna, and B-HUB Maurya Lok.

This state-level programme was conducted across all 38 districts of Bihar in three sessions.

The event focused on the rapidly evolving startup ecosystem in Bihar, the success stories of entrepreneurs, and their contributions to the state's development.

The Nodal officer of the Bihar Startup Cell, Nikhil Dhanraj Nippanikar, emphasised the importance of promoting local innovations and sustainable ideas while encouraging entrepreneurship at the state level.

He also highlighted that with government support through seed funding, post-seed funding, startup cells, and incubation centres, Bihar startups have the potential to excel at the national level.

During the event, a portal startupbihar.in was launched that will provide entrepreneurs with easy access to resources and information.

A film showcasing the remarkable achievements of startups in Bihar was screened.

Bihar's startup ecosystem is progressing rapidly, with 900 registered startups, including 139 women-led ventures.

The state has disbursed a total of Rs 52.67 crore in support, divided into seed funding, matching funds, post-seed funding, and additional assistance for women and SC/ST enterprises.

At the event, selected startups were awarded seed funds (up to Rs 6 lakh) and post-seed funds (up to Rs 15 lakh).