Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: Two entrepreneurs from Nagaland grabbed top honors at the Ideabaaz Startup Fest 2026. The event ran from August 26 to 30 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. D Ledia Awomi took the prize for Best Cultural Performance. L Chuba Longkumer secured the award for Best Aromatic Plant.
Awomi heads the Ethnic Group of Nagaland. She organized a fashion show highlighting regional handlooms and attire at the festival. Her background includes local film production and extensive work with women's groups. She hopes future partnerships with Ideabaaz will boost the state's visibility. "I hoped that the rich culture of the state will be further promoted through her future collaborations with Ideabaaz," Awomi said.
Longkumer owns the L.C. Longkumer Agar Processing Unit. He founded the business in 2016. His father began growing agarwood trees in the 1960s. Longkumer now handles cultivation, sourcing, and the distillation of agarwood oil. He launched the firm to secure fair prices for local growers and shield them from bad market practices.
Nagaland offers perfect conditions for high-quality agar oil. The local product is resinous and carries a distinct, long-lasting sweet scent. Longkumer currently serves a large customer base in the Middle East. He intends to grow his retail reach into Dubai and Bangkok soon.
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