The North-East Agriculture Technology Entrepreneurs Hub (NEATEHUB) – an Atal Incubation Centre at the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) at its campus at Borbheta – distributed cheques amounting to Rs.1.51 Crores to 17 Agri startups of the incubator in a function organized at the incubator on Wednesday, 20th April 2022.
The grant funding was given under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sectors Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) Scheme.
The entrepreneurs selected from the incubator for the Idea and Startup stages were from the Isanya and Saranya Incubation Programmes, respectively, from the 2021-22 batches. Incubatees from Isanya received pre-seed funding of up to Rs.5 lakhs, whereas startups from Saranya received maximum funding of up to Rs.20 lakhs.
Numerous Chief Guests were present at the NEATEHUB cheque distribution ceremony
The chief guest for the cheque distribution ceremony was Dr. Jayanta Deka, Dean- Faculty of Agriculture, AAU, and a special guest for the event was Dr. Prasanna Pathak, Director of Extension Education, Assam Agricultural University.
The CEO of NEATEHUB Dr. K. Karthikeyen and Dr. Danish Tamuly, Director of the Board of NEATEHUB were also at the event.
Dr. Jayanta Deka and Dr. Prasana Pathak handed over the cheques to the selected entrepreneurs. Speaking on occasion, Dr. Prasana Pathak congratulated the entrepreneurs on their achievements and for choosing a risk-ridden path like entrepreneurship.
Moreover, he praised NEATEHUB for providing state-of-the-art facilities to the startups and becoming a beacon in the field of Agri entrepreneurship in NER.
Dr. Jayanta Deka, in his address, encouraged the entrepreneurs to become job creators in the immediate future to address the problem of unemployment. Besides, he emphasized the need to develop a conducive environment for entrepreneurship for students, right at the entry into University level.
Earlier, Dr. Danish Tamuly, in his welcome address, underlined the need for technology-based innovation in the northeastern region, for which NEATEHUB was providing adequate support and exposure. Dr. K. Karthikeyen offered a vote of thanks to the participants.
Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that NEATEHUB was established in 2019 at the AAU Jorhat campus and is currently handholding three incubators in NER – one each in Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Lembucherra (Mizoram), and Agartala (Tripura).
The selected entrepreneurs from Isanya are Gautam Hazarika (Bornoi Organics Pvt. Ltd), Dr. Syed Alimaz Hussain ( Moriesh Duck), Dipjyoti Deka (Milliamps Automation), Ngamnom Joham ( Food Stride), Dhruba Jyoti Deka (Indiluv), Chinmoyee Rajkumari (Hy-food), Hemange Bora ( Pure Seed Agro Products) and Tongram Bijayashanti Devi (Sanajing Sana Thambal).
The incubatees selected under Saranya are Bahniman Kakati (Teaorb Services LLP), Parikhshit Borkotoky ( Kraftinn Home Décor India Pvt. Ltd), Dr. Asim Zubair ( Alia Biosys), Pranab Jyoti Barman (Earthly Fresh), Dr. Wahengbam Bembee Devi (Bee Manufacturing Enterprises), Tinash Momin, (Tinash Agro Industries), Satyajit Bora (Maitrayee Tea), Manjib Sharma ( Manohar Agro Solutions LLP) and Bijoy Kumar Gogoi (Nebdh Plow Pvt. Ltd.)
