JAMMU, NOVEMBER 14: The Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), the designated Nodal Agency for implementation of the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, today convened the second sitting of the Startup Screening Committee meeting here at its Regional Office Bari Brahmana, to evaluate startup proposals seeking seed funding assistance under the policy.
A total of 108 applications were received for seed funding assistance under the initiative, out of which 86 applications were found to have complete documentation and were considered ready for placement before the Screening Committee.
The screening exercise was conducted in two sittings to facilitate the evaluation of eligible applicants from across the Union Territory. During the first sitting, held at JKEDI Headquarters, Pampore, Kashmir, 63 aspiring entrepreneurs presented their business ideas before the committee. In today’s second sitting at Bari Brahmana, another 25 applicants pitched their startup ideas and business proposals for consideration under the seed funding component of the policy.
The Committee evaluated the proposals on various parameters, including innovation, business viability, scalability, market potential, problem-solving capabilities, feasibility and the potential of the proposed ventures to generate employment and contribute to the economic development of Jammu and Kashmir.
The exercise provided aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their innovative business concepts before a panel of experts and receive valuable observations and feedback to strengthen their business models and enhance their prospects for commercialisation.
The seed funding component of the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27 provides financial assistance of up to ₹20 lakh to eligible startups, in four installments, to support prototype development, product development, market entry and business expansion, subject to the prescribed eligibility conditions and operational guidelines.
The initiative assumes significance in view of the expanding startup ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir. Till October 2026, 1,414 startups were registered on the Startup JK Portal, including more than 200 women-led ventures. Further, 27 startups have already been sanctioned seed assistance amounting to ₹5.40 crore, with the first instalment of ₹5 lakh released to each beneficiary.
Following the screening exercise, the recommendations of the Screening Committee will be placed before the Startup Task Force Committee, headed by the Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Industries and Commerce Department, for further consideration and approval in accordance with the provisions of the policy and its operational guidelines.
Through such initiatives, JKEDI continues to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Jammu and Kashmir by facilitating access to early-stage financial support, encouraging innovation and nurturing promising business ventures towards sustainable and scalable enterprises.
