Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam’s startup sector is surging. Women now steer more than half of these new businesses. An IIM Calcutta Innovation Park report surveyed 116 startups to track this growth. It reveals a state brimming with raw potential. Yet, the path to expansion remains blocked by cold, hard realities.
Money is the biggest problem. Roughly 67.9% of founders say they cannot find enough institutional funding to grow. Business skills are also lacking. About 60.3% of entrepreneurs admit they need better business knowledge, while 58.6% feel disconnected from the broader startup world. Technology also hampers progress for 43.1% of these firms.
These startups work in diverse fields. They span agriculture, food, IT, and handlooms. Others build in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, education, tourism, hospitality, and real estate. Ajay Jain, chairman of the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park Board, says the state is ready for more growth. "Assam’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has gained tremendous momentum, and its future is very promising," Jain noted.
To fix these issues, the report suggests a four-stage support framework. It wants to push startups from pre-incubation through to acceleration. Experts call for better mentoring, stronger ties between industries and schools, and more local research facilities. Founders must now turn these local ideas into sustainable, scalable companies that compete far beyond Assam’s borders.
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