Shillong, Feb 5: In a major push to strengthen Meghalaya’s startup ecosystem, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday felicitated 150 startups at the PRIME Meghalaya Onboarding and Graduation Programme held at Ward’s Lake, Shillong.
The event marked the onboarding of the Top 75 startups selected under the Chief Minister’s E-Championship Challenge 6.0 and the graduation of 75 startups from Cohort 5 of the incubation programme.
Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest, Sangma reaffirmed his government’s commitment to entrepreneurship, calling it a key driver of economic transformation in the state.
“Entrepreneurship can work wonders for the state and the nation,” the Chief Minister said, adding that despite repeated interactions with entrepreneurs, what remains constant is his belief in their potential.
He highlighted that a few years ago Meghalaya lacked a structured support system for startups, but today its entrepreneurship programmes have received recognition and awards from the Government of India.
Drawing from his own experience as a struggling entrepreneur before entering politics, Sangma said he understands the challenges, disappointments and uncertainties faced by young founders.
“I see the same spark in your eyes. The government will do its best to support you through your entrepreneurial journey,” he said, while cautioning that entrepreneurship remains a demanding path. “PRIME has been set up to guide you through those challenges.”
The Chief Minister stressed that the state’s economic agenda, infrastructure push, mission-mode programmes and policy frameworks are closely linked to entrepreneurship development. He also underlined the importance of recognising high-performing startups through initiatives like the E-Championship Challenge to inspire a culture of innovation.
“Industry champions and icons are powerful motivators. We must build a culture of entrepreneurship among our youth from an early age,” he added.
Encouraging young founders to remain resilient, Sangma urged them not to be discouraged by setbacks. “Keep moving forward. One day, when you look back, these struggles will define your journey,” he said.
Commissioner & Secretary Dr Vijay Kumar D, in his address, described entrepreneurship promotion as both the “hardest and most exciting” challenge for Meghalaya, given its geographical distance from major markets. However, he noted that the persistence and innovation of local entrepreneurs have helped the state steadily build its startup ecosystem.
He pointed to the exponential growth and diversification of state-backed entrepreneurial programmes, saying they have positively impacted youth, women and the broader economy.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also launched the PRIME Entrepreneur Catalogue, awarded top performers of the incubation programme in various categories, and felicitated graduating startups from Cohort 5 and Cohort 6.
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