NEEDP

OurGuest, a Sikkim-based travel-tech startup, was founded out of a passion for showcasing the hidden gems of India. Founders Karma Thutop Chechutharpa and Pintso Gyasto, recognising the lack of platforms promoting the region’s unique homestays and cultural experiences, embarked on a journey to bridge this gap. OurGuest curates a selection of verified homestays, farm stays and retreats, offering travellers an authentic glimpse into the local lifestyle and hospitality.

Established with the vision of empowering rural homeowners, particularly women, OurGuest has become a channel for sustainable tourism. By promoting homestays in remote locations, the startup not only provides travellers with unforgettable experiences but also supports village communities in earning a sustainable livelihood.

Deemed as the largest platform of its kind in Northeast India, OurGuest has seen remarkable growth, expanding its reach with customisable tour packages and impactful community initiatives. With a focus on offbeat travel, OurGuest has crafted a reputation for providing enriching journeys through Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir. Looking ahead, the startup has its sights set on further expansion into Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Nepal.

OurGuest’s commitment to excellence is evident in its selection of properties, secure transportation and expert local team. The company takes pride in creating memorable holidays filled with unique cultural experiences.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
OurGuest.in

Making a career in music has never been easy, especially for artists hailing from far-flung regions of the country. When Mizo-lad, Lalrinnunga Jahau, sat down to discuss music with his friends, they realised the grim reality of the Mizo music industry. While digital platforms replaced cassettes and CDs globally, Mizoram was yet to get a digital platform where the Mizo musicians could sell their music. YouTube helped create a source of income, but limited views impacted their earnings. Lalrinnunga, a musician himself, was deeply moved by the sad plight of the musicians, along with his friend. They contemplated building a music-streaming application that would bring respite to the local musicians. In 2022, DARBU was launched.

DARBU, the first music-streaming application and music e-commerce marketplace from Mizoram, functions as a platform for discovering and promoting new talents while nurturing the professional growth of musicians. Listeners can purchase a music piece released exclusively on the platform by paying a nominal amount, while the commonly available songs are offered for free. With its impact-first approach, the startup gives away 90% of earnings for every 500 purchases of a song. Unlike platforms like YouTube, where artists need millions of views to earn, Darbu requires just 500 purchases.

Moreover, the startup aims to create a comprehensive platform for all things "musical" in Mizoram. This includes a marketplace for merchandise, exclusive concert tickets and the "Darbu Launchpad" campaign, funding music production for emerging artists. This initiative has gained traction with international listeners.

Today, the platform has over 50,000 subscribers, including international listeners!

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park

Embracing innovation this World Health Day! Join us as we shine a spotlight on our innovative startups from the NEEDP Cohort that are making relentless efforts to tackle healthcare challenges, especially in the region. From enhancing accessibility to ensuring affordability and innovating cutting-edge solutions, these startups are driving change and transforming healthcare in Northeast India.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
Picasoid
Padma HealthCare
Symbica
Eyennovation Eyewear Pvt. Ltd.

The desire for innovation can be sparked by a problem as simple as the inability to find one’s favourite food. A similar instance occurred with Imtisunup Longchar and Lipokjungla Ozukum, who were pursuing careers in metropolitan cities in India. Distressed by the unavailability of Northeastern cuisines in the cities they were living in, both Imtisunup and Lipokjungla started rummaging through the Internet, looking for their favourite Northeastern food. Being unable to find a single website offering Northeastern cuisines, handlooms and handicraft items, this non-existent digital presence of products from this part of the country led them to make a homecoming and found Ilandlo Services.

A one-stop online marketplace from Nagaland, Ilandlo Services offers an assortment of products from Northeast India – right from food and gourmet items to clothing and accessories to personal care and lifestyle products to gifting items to books authored by writers from Northeast India. Started in 2014 after the duo returned to their home state, the startup was born out of the need for a pan-India presence of unique products from the region. Subsequently, it also aimed at supporting the small and micro producers who faced challenges in presenting their offerings to a wider audience and expanding beyond their local areas.

Ilandlo Services has emerged as the largest e-commerce platform from Northeast India, with over 6000 products, 15,500 registered customers, and delivering products across India as well as to countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. It has also launched 3 walk-in stores in Nagaland. With a spike in revenue growth by 40%, Ilandlo Services also became the first startup from Nagaland to raise seed money through the North East Venture Fund (NEVF) last year.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
ilandlo

Three Assam-based startups incubated under NEEDP, KnowledgePie Pvt. Ltd., Tholua Pratisthan Pvt. Ltd. and Svastha Samriddhi Pvt. Ltd. (IndiMeat), have been selected to receive grants under the NRL iDEATION program. The news was made official following an agreement signing ceremony recently.

The NRL iDEATION program was launched with a vision to uplift and strengthen the startup ecosystem of Northeast India by providing mentoring and funding support to startups in the region.

Knowledge Pie is a cutting-edge biotech firm that specialises in the development of innovative solutions for medical imaging.

Tholua Pratisthan is dedicated to promoting holistic wellness and mindfulness through its innovative range of food products crafted from locally sourced ingredients rich in nutrition, medicinal attributes, probiotics and beneficial bacteria essential for a robust immune system. Among its stand-out products is the indigenously cultivated black garlic packed with probiotic goodness.

Svastha Samriddhi (IndiMeat) focuses on developing and marketing ready-to-consume, meat-based, protein-rich products that are rich in protein and energy, aimed at tackling deficiencies in protein and essential nutrients.

Our heartiest congratulations to all the startups!

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
Tholua

Just like the myriad colours of this festival, successful entrepreneurship blends passion, courage, creativity, resilience and adaptability. May your startup journey be as bright and colourful as the hues of Holi!

HAPPY HOLI!

A Meghalaya-based startup incubated under NEEDP, The Chicken Wagon, has recently bagged the recognition of serving the "BEST BURGER IN SHILLONG" at the Swiggy Restaurant Awards 2024. Having garnered the majority of votes for their delightful burgers, the startup grabbed the top position, surpassing the fast-food giant KFC.

Celebrating amazing food from restaurants, the Swiggy Restaurant Awards 2024 offer recognition in over 40 categories for food delivery and over 30 for dining out. With over a hundred brands nominated in each city, this award is a battle among restaurants to emerge as the best through a user voting system.

The Chicken Wagon is the first food truck in Shillong, Meghalaya, serving quality food to people on the go. It offers a range of hygienic and mouth-watering delights like hot fried chicken, fresh juices, fries, chips, burgers, hotdogs, caramel coffee, etc.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
The Chicken Wagon

While the world remains mesmerised by the grandeur of the celebrations, House of Locals, a startup from Assam incubated under NEEDP, played a part in enhancing the event's decor with its exquisite, eco-friendly accent pieces. Handcrafted by skilled artisans from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Manipur, the startup designed and delivered around 255 handcrafted products like urns, chairs, lights and a 6ft tree installation with lights. These products, made from raw materials like bamboo and cane, not only added to the aesthetics of the pre-wedding festivities but also marked the prominence of Northeastern craft on the national stage. More importantly, it brought the deserved appreciation to the artisans of Northeast India.

Founded by Swagata Gautam, houseoflocals offers an exquisite collection of sustainable décor pieces, utility goods and gift items handcrafted by the skilled artisans of Northeast India. Besides, the startup also focuses on imparting skill development training to the local people in various rural belts in the country.

Heartiest congratulations to the entire team of House of Locals!


Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park

Four IIMCIP-supported startups from Northeast India exhibit at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

In the recently launched 'Vividhata ka Amrit Mahotsav' at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 8, 2024, four startups incubated under the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NEEDP) showcased their products, seizing the opportunity to shine on a grand stage. These startups, viz., Aromica Tea, H. I. Store, Naayeen and House of Macnok, harnessed the platform to exhibit their offerings to a diverse audience, witnessing immense exposure and a boost in sales.

Held for the first time, the Mahotsav focused on celebrating the Northeast region's rich heritage and culture, providing a vibrant platform for artists, artisans, performers and culinary experts from the 8 states to display their talents and craftsmanship.

Aromica Tea, hailing from Assam, showcased its unique blends of Assam tea sourced from small tea gardens, captivating the audience with its quirky flavours. The Manipur-based startup, H. I. Store stood out for its commitment to eco-friendliness, presenting exquisite handcrafted products from wild water reeds. Naayeen, another startup from Manipur, captivated visitors with its collection of aromatic handmade candles shaped like sumptuous desserts and sweets. The Arunachal Pradesh-based House of Macnok captured attention with its eco-friendly wellness and lifestyle products, including handmade jewellery, home decor items, indigenous foods and other sustainable offerings, promoting a holistic and conscious lifestyle.

Together, these startups from the Northeast region showcased not only their entrepreneurial spirit but also exhibited the rich cultural heritage and innovative prowess of their homeland to the people of the country.



Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
Government of india
President of India
Kiren Rijiju
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park

Aromica Tea House of Macnok Naayeen

The Top 20 Incubation Startups and Top 25 Pre-Incubation Startups under the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NEEDP) were awarded additional grants during the Northeast Startup Summit held in Guwahati recently.

As per the mandate of the programme, the Top 20 startups in the Incubation batch and the Top 25 startups in the Pre-Incubation batch received grants of Rs. 7 lakhs and Rs. 4 lakhs each. Notably, this grant supplements the Rs. 1 lakh prototype grant for each of the 150 startups in pre-incubation and the Rs. 3 lakh commercialisation grant for each of the 120 startups in the incubation batch.

This additional funding, coupled with the comprehensive support provided through NEEDP, including knowledge sessions, bootcamps and the previously disbursed grants, is expected to accelerate the growth of the startups, assisting them in fulfilling their business needs.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
North Eastern Council
Startup India
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park