Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the state and assured positive consideration of a proposal to establish a state-sponsored venture capital fund.
Speaking at the inauguration of a state-of-the-art 'Do It Yourself' (DIY) lab and a startup investment pitching session here, he also announced plans for a dedicated building for the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) in the next financial year, an official statement said.
Mein said Arunachal Pradesh has made significant progress in creating opportunities, infrastructure and platforms that are enabling young people to pursue innovation and entrepreneurship with confidence.
Highlighting APIIP's vision of creating "job givers instead of job seekers", the deputy chief minister said he has been associated with the institution since its inception and expressed pride over Arunachal Pradesh being recognised as the Best Performer State in the National Startup Ranking 2025.
The award was conferred in January this year.
Mein congratulated APIIP chief executive officer Tabe Haidar and his team for their efforts in securing the recognition and reiterated the government's resolve to position Arunachal Pradesh as a preferred destination for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment.
He also lauded the progress made under the Ease of Doing Business single window clearance system and stressed the need to integrate all government departments with the platform to ensure seamless services for investors and entrepreneurs.
Earlier, Mein inaugurated the newly established DIY Lab, equipped with advanced product prototyping facilities including 3D printers, electronic tools, food quality testing equipment and a dedicated branding zone.
The facility is aimed at helping startups develop and refine products before large-scale manufacturing.
Welcoming the gathering, APIIP CEO Tabe Haidar described the DIY Lab as an innovation hub that would help students, startup founders and young entrepreneurs convert ideas into prototypes and commercially viable products.
He also highlighted the state's investment potential and called on investors and high-net-worth individuals to support emerging startups.
The investment pitching session brought together investors, venture capital representatives, startup founders, entrepreneurs and government officials. Representatives from NEDFi Venture Capital Limited, IIM Ahmedabad Ventures, Alpha Venture, Spotlight SP AIF, Anantan Ecosystem and AlphaTUB participated in the programme.
During the interaction, investors shared insights with aspiring entrepreneurs, while local business leaders appreciated the government's efforts to improve infrastructure, connectivity and the overall business environment.
Representatives of NEDFi described Arunachal Pradesh as having one of the strongest incubation support systems in the Northeast.
Stakeholders also discussed opportunities and challenges in the startup sector, with many supporting the creation of a state-sponsored venture capital fund to boost startup growth and improve access to early-stage financing.
A total of 13 startups incubated under APIIP presented their business ideas before investors. The event concluded with a networking session aimed at promoting partnerships, mentorship and investment collaborations.
The state government recently launched the fifth edition of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Programme (APEDP 5.0) with enhanced programme capacity and increased seed funding support to encourage more entrepreneurs to build successful enterprises, officials said.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
