Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. SRINAGAR: Rural Business Incubation Centre (RBIC) at SKUAST-K, supported by NABARD under the Gramya Vikas Nidhi scheme, organised a one-day interactive ideation programme and design thinking workshop at Government Degree College (GDC), Pulwama.
Titled “From Grassroots Problems to Scalable Startups: RBIC Idea Resonator on Agri & Rural Innovation,” the event was held to commemorate the World Entrepreneur's Day and brought together more than 100 enthusiastic students to explore entrepreneurial avenues, problem-solving, and sustainable enterprise building.
The initiative aims to expand the regional startup and incubation ecosystem across Jammu & Kashmir by identifying high-potential ideas early and helping students convert local community challenges into commercially viable enterprises.
Prof Bashir Ahmad Sheikh, Principal, GDC Pulwama, delivered the presidential address, welcoming the initiative and highlighting the vital role of academic institutions in reshaping the economic aspirations of local youth. He emphasised that students possess remarkable potential and that structured platforms like Idea Resonator are critical for exposing them to entrepreneurship beyond conventional career paths. He urged participants to look at the region’s distinct agrarian landscape through an entrepreneurial lens and take full advantage of institutional incubation support to build sustainable ventures.
Dr Jameel Ahmad Khan, Chief Executive Officer of RBIC, led an intensive masterclass on the Design Thinking process. He guided students through the fundamentals of user empathy, problem definition, creative ideation, market validation, and functional prototyping. Dr Khan emphasised that impactful innovation starts with asking the right questions and understanding local friction points firsthand, assuring participants that RBIC will provide full-cycle incubation, lab access, and financial linkages to help nurture their grassroots concepts into scalable startups.
The team from the Mission YUVA highlighted the state-wide scope of the ‘Udhyam Jagriti 5.0’ campaign, emphasising its mission to foster grassroots entrepreneurship and mobilize youth across Jammu and Kashmir.
The speakers elaborated on the institutional support provided under the ‘Neo-Innovative Enterprises Scheme’, designed to identify high-potential, youth-led startups and equip them with essential seed funding, technical mentorship, and seamless market access.
