The Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) on Monday continued its mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship under the J&K Startup Idea Challenge, conducting boot camps at two key institutions — Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Jammu and Imtiyaz Memorial Government Degree College (GDC), Shopian.
These camps mark the 8th and 9th in a series of 46 boot camps planned across colleges and universities in the Union Territory.
Jammu Boot Camp (GCET)
At GCET Jammu, a three-member team from JKEDI’s CIIBM vertical at Regional Campus Bari Brahmana—including Zahid Ali (Project Manager), Shiwani Sharma (Assistant Faculty), and Sorab Mengi (Assistant Manager)—led the session.
105 students participated, reflecting growing interest in startups as a career path.
Seven students pitched their ideas to a panel comprising college faculty and JKEDI officials.
Two ideas were shortlisted for further rounds, with the panel providing feedback and mentorship.
Shopian Boot Camp (GDC Shopian)
The session at GDC Shopian witnessed a massive turnout of 275 students and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The JKEDI team included Irtif Mehraj (Incubation Manager), Sayeem Rafiq (District Nodal Officer, Shopian), Mudasir Mohiuddin (Assistant Faculty), Faheem ul Din Malik (Associate Project Manager), and Syed Rizwan (Office Associate).
Five participants presented their ideas before experts from the college, J&K Bank, and JKEDI.
Four ideas progressed to the next stage. Faculty and students expressed interest in more such interactive events.
Anantnag Boot Camp
A similar boot camp was held at GDC Bijbehara, Anantnag, attracting over 150 participants.
Next Steps
Shortlisted candidates will undergo intensive mentoring and pitch training at JKEDI’s Pampore and Bari Brahmana campuses, ahead of a Grand Finale where top 20 ideas will be pitched to a jury comprising industry experts, investors, and policymakers. Winners will receive prizes, incentives, and incubation support.
Wider Campaign
46 boot camps are planned across J&K’s educational institutions.
Additionally, two major workshops and two intensive boot camps will be held at JKEDI campuses for focused training.
Partners
The campaign is supported by J&K Bank, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, P-Mark, Jamkash Vehicleades, and Rahim Greens.
The initiative aims to nurture a culture of innovation and build a robust startup ecosystem across Jammu and Kashmir.