Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the progress made by Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) in nurturing the aspiring startup ventures in the state through the implementation of State Entrepreneurship Development Programme.
Addressing the graduation and seed distribution ceremony of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurs Development Programme (APEDP) here, Mein said that the state government is committed to promoting innovative initiatives and is hopeful that the programme would bring economic development to the state.
The event was organised by APIIP to felicitate 31 startups, who successfully completed incubation and pre-incubation in the APEDP-1 launched on August 15, 2020, and to distribute seed money to 35 selected startups under APEDP-2, launched on August 12, 2022.
Among the 35 selected startups under APEDP 2, the top ten winners will receive Rs 5 lakhs each, whereas the remaining 25 startups will receive Rs 4 lakhs each on a milestone basis.
They will also be receiving training, mentorship, incubation, and pre-incubation support from APIIP for the next 9 months, an official communiqué said here.
Additionally, the graduating batch of Cohort 1 startups displayed their products and services at the ceremony. During the occasion, Mein also launched the startup portal for the benefit of the startups in the region.
While citing the overwhelming response received from over 800 applicants for the APEDP, Mein appreciated the enthusiasm among the young entrepreneurs and noted the vast scope of entrepreneurship development in the northeastern state.
Mein congratulated the newly selected startups under APEDP 2 and wished the best of success to the graduating batch of APEDP 1.
He urged them to make use of the revamped startup portal and other facilities at APIIP towards scaling their respective business ventures.
Motivating the spirit of entrepreneurship in the state, the deputy chief minister applauded the active engagement of the youths of the state in building the startup ecosystem, generating increased job opportunities in the region, while empowering the youths to stand on their own feet.
He assured the unfailing partnership of the state government in facilitating the necessary resources and support to the young entrepreneurs in their journey to scale growth and bring greater development to the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Mein urged all the entrepreneurs to get registered in the MSME of the Centre so that they could get more aid from the ministry and instructed the officials to guide them and facilitate them through the Ease of Doing Business.
Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Principal Secretary Planning & Investment Division Sarat Chauhan also spoke on the occasion.
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