Sikkim RISE to boost startup ecosystem in State

KUNAL RAI

GANGTOK,: The Commerce and Industries Department, in collaboration with the SEED Cell, is set to organise the first edition of 'Sikkim RISE – Realising Ideas, Shaping Entrepreneurship', a flagship programme under Sikkim INSPIRES aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Commerce and Industries Minister T.T. Bhutia said the department has initiated a major effort to build a vibrant innovation and startup ecosystem in Sikkim.

"The Government of Sikkim is working towards creating an enabling environment where innovation, entrepreneurship and enterprise can flourish. Under the Sikkim INSPIRES Programme, the Commerce and Industries Department is implementing a comprehensive strategy to promote entrepreneurship, nurture innovation and generate sustainable livelihood opportunities across the State," he said.

Referring to the Sikkim Startup Policy, 2025, the Minister said the government is not merely supporting individual startups but is developing a complete startup ecosystem that will provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the infrastructure, mentorship, institutional support and policy framework required to build successful enterprises.

As part of this initiative, the department is establishing the State Innovation Hub at Udyog Bhavan, Gangtok, along with four incubation centres across the State.

Bhutia informed that two incubation centres are already operational at the Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC), Bardang, and the Centre for Computers and Communication Technology (CCCT), Chisopani. Incubation services were formally launched on March 14, 2026, and are now available through these centres as well as the State Innovation Hub.

He said these institutions have been established as a single platform to provide both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives envisaged under the Sikkim Startup Policy while offering end-to-end support, including idea validation, mentoring, incubation, market linkages, investor connect and business growth.

As part of this larger vision, the department is organising Sikkim RISE – Realising Ideas, Shaping Entrepreneurship, a State-level Ideathon and Startup Talent Hunt.

According to the Minister, Sikkim RISE is much more than a competition. It is a platform to identify talent, encourage innovation, mentor aspiring entrepreneurs and support startups with the potential to generate employment and contribute to the State's economy. He added that the initiative has knowledge partners, including IIM Calcutta, the SEED Cell and other institutions.

The initiative has been designed in alignment with the objectives of the Startup India Mission and seeks to strengthen Sikkim's entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovators at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

Bhutia said the response to the first-of-its-kind district and State-level Ideathon has been highly encouraging. Applications were invited from aspiring youth and women entrepreneurs from all districts of Sikkim, with the application process concluding on June 30, 2026.

The competition will enter its district-level phase from July 14 at Soreng before being held across all districts.

The competition has been divided into three categories - Ideation Stage for innovative business ideas, Prototype Stage for ventures with validated concepts or prototypes, and Revenue Stage for startups that have already commenced commercial operations.

District-level winners will compete at the State Grand Finale in Gangtok on August 21, 2026, coinciding with World Entrepreneurs' Day.

To encourage innovation, the winner in each of the three categories will receive a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh, while two runners-up in each category will receive Rs. 5 lakh each. Winners will also be provided national-level exposure visits and opportunities to participate in pitching events.

The Minister added that DPIIT and Startup India are also extending support to startups under the initiative. He shared that the grand finale is envisioned as a landmark celebration of entrepreneurship in Sikkim, bringing together aspiring entrepreneurs, successful startup founders, investors, mentors, industry leaders and policymakers on a single platform. The State government aims to develop Sikkim RISE into a flagship annual entrepreneurship initiative for the North Eastern Region, he said.

Encouraging youth, women entrepreneurs, educational institutions, industry stakeholders and the people of Sikkim to actively support the initiative, the Minister said entrepreneurship is not merely about starting businesses but about creating opportunities, solving local challenges and building a resilient and self-reliant economy.

He said Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay has envisioned "One Family, One Entrepreneurship" and that Sikkim RISE is intended to help realise that vision. He also expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute towards the goal of making Sikkim "Sunaulo, Samriddh and Samarth."

Earlier, Commerce and Industries Secretary Karma D. Youtso informed that, as the grand finale coincides with World Entrepreneurs' Day, the Chief Minister has announced that the day will be observed as Udhyami Bharosa Sammelan. The finale of Sikkim RISE will be attended by the Chief Minister as the chief guest.

The press conference was also addressed by SEED Cell General Secretary-cum-OSD, Commerce and Industries Department, Dipen Subba. Officers of the Commerce and Industries Department, SEED Cell president Raj Lama and other office-bearers of the SEED Cell were also present.