Jagdeep Dhankhar to inaugurate biotech startup expo in Kathua today

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Jammu, January 3

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will inaugurate a mega expo under the theme “Emerging StartUp Trends in North India” on Thursday at Biotech Park in Kathua. Union Minister Jitendra Singh will also be present.

25 startups to participate

• Biotech startup expo being held in Kathua in a bid to develop the district along the international border with Pakistan as a hub for budding entrepreneurs
• The expo at the Biotech Park will see the participation of 11 startups from Jammu and Kashmir, six from Gurgaon and Noida, three each from Chandigarh and Kanpur and one each from Dehradun and Roorkee

Jitendra Singh said Kathua Mega Expo will not only promote startups in North India but will also advance Tier II town outreach as far as the startup culture is concerned.

The minister in a statement said, “From over 350 in 2014 the number of startups in India today is more than 1.30 lakh and number of unicorns more than 100, while India is placed at number 3 in the world in promoting startup ecosystem.”

To foster growth

The aim is to create a convergence point for budding entrepreneurs and seasoned mentors to foster innovation, collaboration and growth. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister

Making a strong pitch for the youth to take up entrepreneurship, Jitendra Singh said the bio-diversity rich region of Jammu was home to numerous startups in the biotech sector focusing on plants such as lavender and mint.

The minister also said that digitalisation and monitoring systems have minimised the procedural delays and created an enabling environment for startups. He claimed that the government is working on multiple levels to boost the startup ecosystem, adding that startups can become large scale entrepreneurship, making use of such schemes.

The Startup Expo is being organised jointly by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), DBT and CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, wherein a total of 25 startups from North India, including J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi would be showcasing their innovations and products.

“We are developing Kathua Biotech Park as a hub for startups as it offers land at competitive rates to entrepreneurs from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh,” Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC, said.

Six women entrepreneurs are also scheduled to participate in the expo where the Vice President will also interact with startup innovators, entrepreneurs, academicians, scientists and local representatives.

“The event encapsulates the spirit of pushing boundaries, embracing change, creating solutions and ushering new opportunities that address real-world challenges and will witness various innovations by 25 selected startup in varied sectors which includes agriculture, industrial biotechnology, medical and diagnostic devices, food technology, nutraceuticals, aroma and space,” said the minister.