The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu successfully concluded its two-day National Startup Festival, celebrating innovation and entrepreneurial growth across Jammu & Kashmir. The event, held on February 22-23 at Government Women College, Gandhi Nagar, showcased success stories and emerging startups, attracting a large audience of students, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders. The festival was inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Vice President of CSIR. Several distinguished guests, including Satish Sharma, J&K UT Cabinet Minister, and Padma Shri Prof. Vinod K Singh, Chairperson of CSIR’s Recruitment & Assessment Board, participated in the event alongside top directors from various CSIR institutes. A total of 45 startups from across India exhibited their innovative products and technologies, earning recognition from Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM, who awarded certificates to the participants. The exhibition attracted over 800 visitors, including students from Jammu’s degree colleges and schools, who engaged with the entrepreneurs and their showcased innovations. During the closing ceremony, Dr Ahmed highlighted IIIM’s commitment to nurturing the region’s startup ecosystem, noting the institute’s strength in pre-clinical drug discovery and its efforts in promoting agri-entrepreneurship. He announced the establishment of two incubators and the signing of a Grant-in-aid Letter Agreement (GLA) with DBT-BIRAC for a new incubator at the Industrial Biotech Park in Kathua. Prominent startups at the expo included Herbal Aura, Gaurico, One Veda, Happico, Gleen Biotech, Himalayan Essential Oils Producer Company Ltd., and several others, alongside young innovators from Jammu’s schools. The event’s success was credited to the efforts of Dr Zabeer Ahmed and his team of scientists and officials. The National Startup Festival provided a vital platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the promotion of innovative ideas, reinforcing IIIM’s role in strengthening the startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir. (PIB)