SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) on Saturday hosted the “Startup Meet–2025” at its Sempora campus under the ambit of the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27.
The landmark event brought together leading entrepreneurs, angel investors, startups, and ecosystem stakeholders from across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
The event featured renowned startup founders including Siddharth Ladsariya, Founder of ‘Everest Fleet’, and Ankita Sheth, Co-founder of ‘Stay Vista’- both acclaimed serial entrepreneurs and angel investors.
Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Besides, Director Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, Mussarat Islam and Professor and CEO Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED), IUST, Awantipora, Parvez Ahmad Mir were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Commissioner Secretary emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to nurturing startups through the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, which provides an enabling environment for innovation and enterprise.
Vikramjit Singh noted a rising trend of professionals returning to J&K to launch successful startups by leveraging government support. He also highlighted initiatives to integrate entrepreneurship education at the university and college level, and informed that several J&K-based startups are now actively participating in national-level incubator and investor programs.
He said, “Over the past two to three years, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has scaled up institutional financing, enabling young entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into impactful ventures. This sustained support has catalysed the growth of a vibrant startup ecosystem in the Union Territory, fostering innovation, generating employment, and laying the foundation for a resilient and self-reliant economy.”
The event began with a ‘Startup pitching session’, where ten carefully selected ventures presented their business ideas, showcasing innovation across sectors such as technology, agriculture, healthcare, and education. These pitches were followed by Q&A sessions, providing valuable investor feedback and mentorship.
In the subsequent session, Siddharth Ladsariya shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey. Reflecting on the early days of his venture ‘Everest Fleet’, which has grown to become India’s largest Uber fleet operator with over 20,500 vehicles, he highlighted key challenges startups face, like funding, scalability, and operations.
He also urged startups to take full advantage of the various schemes and support systems offered by the government. Stressing the value of networking, collaboration, and government support schemes.
Ladsariya also extended an offer of incubation support to promising startups from Jammu & Kashmir, reaffirming his commitment to fostering innovation in the region.
Ankita Sheth, in a candid and inspiring address, spoke about the importance of resilience, teamwork, and adaptability in the startup journey. Drawing from her own experience building ‘Stay Vista’, she encouraged founders to embrace uncertainty, seek mentorship, and build meaningful relationships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She emphasized that a strong team is the foundation of success and that effective teamwork drives results. Her motivational speech inspired young founders to embrace uncertainty and remain adaptable in a constantly evolving landscape.
In his address, Secretary in the Industries & Commerce Department and Director, JKEDI, Khalid Jahangir, expressed gratitude to the Commissioner/Secretary for enabling the implementation of the new policy framework. He also expressed gratitude to Siddharth Ladsariya and Ankita Sheth for coming all the way from Mumbai to guide and support the startups of J&K.
He shared that registration of startups has seen a manifold increase in the last two years, and as of now over 1,000 startups from J&K are now registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). He said more than 200 mentors have been onboarded through JKEDI’s digital portal, who shall facilitate the startups; and screening of Startup Award applications and Seed Funding will be started soon as the operational guidelines of J&K Startup Policy have been notified.
The Startup Meet fostered meaningful interactions, collaborative spirit, and actionable insights, opening doors to investment, mentorship, and networking opportunities. The active involvement of reputed investors added value, reinforcing JKEDI’s role as a catalyst in strengthening J&K’s startup ecosystem.
