The Department of Industries and Commerce, Kohima, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, hosted the “SRF 5.0 Knowledge Exchange Workshop” (Nagaland Edition)—a two-day event that commenced at Banquet Hall, Hotel Vivor, Kohima, on March 10, 2025.
Dr. Sumeet Jarangal, IAS, Director of DPIIT, stated that the Startup India initiative, launched on January 16, 2016, aims to foster learning and collaboration through knowledge-sharing workshops such as the States’ Startup Ranking.
Dr. Sumeet highlighted key government schemes, including the Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Fund, and India Seed Fund Scheme, emphasizing the significance of such workshops in raising awareness about startup support programs. He stressed that the objective is not just to promote startups but also to embrace new ideas and transform mindsets.
Hekani Jakhalu, Advisor for Industries & Commerce, expressed her gratitude to the DPIIT team for selecting Nagaland as the venue for this significant workshop. She also thanked Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, for approving and supporting the initiative in the state.
She noted that India currently ranks third globally in startups, attributing this achievement to the collective efforts of representatives from various states and union territories who have helped position India on the global startup map.
Speaking about Nagaland, Hekani pointed out that entrepreneurship is still a relatively new concept in the state. In 2013, the Nagaland government launched a program aimed at shifting young people’s mindsets toward entrepreneurship. She emphasized that innovative programs have since been introduced to encourage youth to view entrepreneurship not as a backup option but as a promising and viable career path.
She expressed confidence that the DPIIT workshop would inspire stakeholders to enhance their rankings and contribute to the startup ecosystem’s growth. She emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange, experiential learning, and networking, highlighting that such collaborations have played a crucial role in India’s startup success.
Furthermore, she stressed that the workshop provides an opportunity for the entire North Eastern region to unite, learn from one another, and foster collective growth.
The event featured a presentation titled “The Journey of Nagaland’s Startup Ecosystem” by Keneirienuo T Zatsu, Deputy Director of the Department of Industries & Commerce. Additionally, a fireside chat on fuelling entrepreneurship across the state was led by Meraj Faheem, CEO of the Innovation Cell (TGIC), Telangana, and Kamaljit Das, Joint Secretary of MSME, Odisha.
The workshop also included a knowledge-sharing session on States’ Startup Policies, with a special focus on Startup Nagaland, followed by a panel discussion on the role of digitization in sustaining the startup ecosystem.