IIMC & Assam Govt Partner to Boost NE Startups

Kolkata, Nov 3 (PTI) The IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) on Monday announced signing of an MoU with Assam Innovation and Startup Foundation (AISF) to strengthen the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the northeastern state.

The pact was signed by Jeevan Basavaraj, Secretary of the Department of Innovation, Incubation and Startups (DIIS) of the Assam government, and Ajay Jain, Chairman of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, in the presence of senior officials.

The collaboration aims to leverage IIMCIP's expertise in mentoring and funding startups to support AISF's mission of building a "robust and sustainable startup ecosystem" in Assam, a statement said.

The collaboration is aligned with the Assam Startup Policy 2025 and aims to transform Assam into a leading startup hub that promotes innovation-led growth, job creation and inclusive development, it said.


IIMCIP, a not-for-profit company established under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, has till date mentored more than 2,000 startups and seed-funded 130 ventures.

These ventures have collectively raised over Rs 2,000 crore and built a cumulative portfolio valuation of nearly Rs 8,000 crore, the statement said.

AISF, a Section 8 company under the Assam government's DIIS, serves as a platform for supporting, incubating and promoting startups and entrepreneurial initiatives across the state.

The partnership is expected to focus on structured mentoring, capacity building and providing access to markets and investors for Assamese entrepreneurs, with a special emphasis on fostering high-impact collaborations and promoting women's entrepreneurship.