A two-day mentorship program under the ‘J&K Startup Idea Challenge’ commenced today at the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) main campus in Pampore.

The programme is being conducted in collaboration with T-Hub, Hyderabad, one of India’s leading innovation and startup incubators.
The initiative is part of a large-scale entrepreneurship development effort launched under the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, which seeks to identify, nurture, and empower young innovators from across the Union Territory.
The J&K Startup Idea Challenge received an overwhelming response, with participation of more than 5,000 students and aspiring entrepreneurs from various educational institutions across J&K. These participants have submitted more than 1200 innovative ideas, out of which 225 promising ideas have been shortlisted for structured mentorship and capacity building, following a rigorous multi-stage evaluation.
The ongoing mentorship sessions, aim to equip participants with practical insights into entrepreneurship, innovation strategies, business model development, and market validation.
The sessions will also provide a framework for evaluating and selecting the best ideas from among the shortlisted participants for further incubation and support.
The mentorship phase represents a crucial stage in transforming innovative concepts into viable and scalable business ventures. Similar mentorship sessions are scheduled to be held at JKEDI Bari Brahmana, Jammu, on 10th and 11th November 2025.
After completion of the mentorship and pitch training sessions at JKEDI’s campuses in Pampore and Bari Brahmana, the shortlisted participants will compete in a Grand Finale, where they will be presented before a distinguished jury of industry experts, investors, and policymakers. Winners will receive prizes, incentives, and incubation support at the JKEDI and its partner incubators across the Union Territory