KATHUA: The BioNEST Bioincubation Centre of CSIR–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, located at the Industrial Biotech Park (IBTP) at Ghatti, Kathua in collaboration with IIIM’s Technology Business Incubator (IIIM-TBI), successfully organised the “Innovative X 1.0 – Awareness Campaign” under the Mission YUVA initiative on today.
The programme aimed at motivating and strengthening the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative aligns with the vision of the Union Minister and Vice President, CSIR, Dr Jitendra Singh, to empower youth and startups by promoting innovation, skill development and enterprise-led growth in Jammu and Kashmir.
Scores of students from local colleges, farmers, and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the region participated in the programme, reflecting the growing interest in biotechnology-driven enterprises in J&K.
The event was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Shahzad Alam, Managing Director, Mission YUVA and Director, Employment and Skill Development Department, J&K, who appreciated and commended CSIR-IIIM for creating a vibrant and enabling platform for innovation and startups.
He explained Mission YUVA to the audience, outlining clear pathways for Nano Enterprises, MSMEs, and Neo-Innovative Enterprises, particularly for knowledge-driven startups.
He urged the youth to identify local problems, develop innovative solutions, and utilise government platforms for funding and mentorship. “You now have a clear platform. If you want to start something, you know where to go and how to proceed,” he said, encouraging participants to apply for the Neo-Innovative Enterprises scheme through the Mission YUVA portal.
Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu and Chairman, IIIM-TBI, in his message said that CSIR-IIIM remains committed to fostering innovation-led entrepreneurship by creating a robust ecosystem that integrates scientific research, technology development, and enterprise creation.
He emphasised that initiatives such as Innovative X 1.0 under Mission YUVA play a crucial role in empowering youth, startups, and farmers by providing access to advanced infrastructure, mentorship, and industry linkages.
He also highlighted that the Industrial Biotech Park, Kathua, and IIIM-TBI serve as key enablers in translating research outcomes into market-ready solutions, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, biotechnology, and healthcare.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr Saurabh Saran, acknowledged the leadership and guidance of Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu. He provided an extensive overview of the state-of-the-art Industrial Biotech Park at Ghatti, Kathua.
He also highlighted the park’s strategic location and its six functional areas, including fermentation technology, phytopharma development, and micropropagation, along with advanced instrumentation worth several crores of rupees available for startups. He also shared that IIIM-TBI has so far nurtured over 125 startups, of which 15 have successfully launched market-ready products.
Dr Saran emphasised the park’s role as a comprehensive ecosystem offering infrastructure, scientific mentorship, and business support to convert ideas into viable enterprises.
Dr Nasir-ul-Rasheed, Principal Scientist, focusing on skill development initiatives. He outlined hands-on training programmes ranging from five days to six months in areas such as quality control, advanced instrumentation, and fermentation technologies, aimed at making youth industry-ready.
He inspired the audience by sharing the success story of a Class 12 student mentored at IIIM who went on to win a prestigious international robotics fellowship, asserting that “the sky is the limit” for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
The participants gained insights into Mission YUVA from Ms Gauri Deoli, representative of the Mission. She explained Mission YUVA’s vision of transforming J&K into a vibrant entrepreneurial hub, built on four key pillars — Culture, Capital, Capacity, and Connectivity.
She particularly elaborated on the Neo-Innovative Enterprises scheme, which provides seed funding of up to ₹20 lakh, along with mentorship and market linkages for innovative, knowledge-based startups.
The event also featured inspiring startup pitching experiences from four entrepreneurs including Vikrant Dogra, Chairman, Unati Foundation, shvanku, CEO, Herbal Aura, Sandeep Razdan, Chairman, Sarnas OPC Pvt Ltd and Dr Swamy, Founder, Crop-Domain Pvt Ltd.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Crop-Domain Pvt Ltd and IIIM-TBI.The collaboration aims to foster innovation, technology development, and entrepreneurship in the agricultural biotechnology sector.
Following this, startups, students, and ecosystem partners were felicitated for their contributions. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Vidushi Abrol, Business Manager, IIIM-TBI, and the event moderator.
