Kohima, May 26 (PTI) The Innovation NE Week 2025 kicked off here Monday with a strong endorsement of Nagaland’s growing potential in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Addressing the inaugural session virtually, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), S Krishnan, lauded Nagaland’s progress in sectors like food processing, tourism, and services, emphasising that the state has skilled individuals whose talents can be marketed globally, stated an official statement here.
Highlighting the importance of equipping Northeastern youth with modern and upgraded digital skills, Krishnan said, “Nagaland has a large number of people proficient in English, giving them an edge in today’s digital economy.” He added that MeitY’s inclusive programmes aim to empower people across all regions, especially in the Northeast, which is home to 20 of the 55 NIELIT centres in India.
A major highlight of the day was the exchange of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to support startup incubation, training, and grassroots innovation.
NIELIT Kohima & Vignan TBI: A partnership to enhance market access and incubation support for Northeast startups.
NIELIT Kohima & SPJIMR, Mumbai: To strengthen institutional capacity and provide mentorship to regional startups. NIELIT Kohima & ACIC IIT (ISM) Foundation, Dhanbad: To promote community-driven entrepreneurship and regional capacity-building.
These MoUs were exchanged in the presence of Madan Mohan Tripathi, Vice Chancellor and Director General of NIELIT, G. Hukugha Sema, Commissioner & Secretary, IT&C Nagaland, and other dignitaries.
Tripathi reiterated MeitY’s commitment to inclusive growth in the digital sector, stating that the Ministry is actively investing in infrastructure, skilling, and entrepreneurship in the Northeast.
He noted the recent recognition of NIELIT as a Deemed-to-be University and shared that over 1.71 lakh people have been trained under the North East Capacity Building 2.0 programme in the past three years.
Altogether 25 startups from all eight Northeastern states will graduate during this event, showcasing innovations across AgriTech, HealthTech, Cybersecurity, Green Energy, and Cloud solutions.
The event also features panel discussions, workshops, and pitchathons to connect innovators with investors and policy leaders.
Sema, Nagaland’s IT&C Secretary, emphasised the region’s long-standing contribution to India’s digital economy, especially in BPOs and service sectors. “We have to innovate, adapt, and change,” he said, stressing the relevance of emerging technologies like AI, for which the central government has allocated Rs 10,300 crore under the India AI Mission 2024.
Vaibhav Jain, Vice Chair at Google India, noted that the region is no longer “emerging” but has firmly arrived on India’s innovation map.
Echoing the sentiment, Tripathi said Innovation NE Week is a model of collaboration and inclusivity, bringing together government, academia, startups, and industry under one platform.
The event is organised by Startup Nagaland under the Department of Industry and Commerce, Government of Nagaland, with support from MeitY.
It will continue till May 28, serving as a key platform for regional collaboration, digital empowerment, and innovation. PTI NBS NBS RG
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