Centre Pushes Innovation in J&K: 15 Start-ups to Get DST Support at IUST
i-TBI, iFactory Lab Inaugurated at IUST; Minister Calls J&K Youth ‘Torchbearers of India’s Growth’
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, inaugurated the DST Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (i-TBI) and iFactory Lab today at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, describing the initiative as a major step toward building a vibrant start-up ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.
Announcing a Rs 5-crore support package from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Dr. Jitendra Singh said the central government is committed to hand-holding aspiring entrepreneurs from the Valley. “We are starting with 15 start-ups, and in the next three years, this number will grow to 30. The aim is to ensure that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir never miss the bus of India’s innovation revolution,” he said.
The Minister also unveiled a Technology Innovation Hub (TI Hub) and announced a 12-month faculty development programme, emphasizing that both students and teachers must embrace new-age knowledge to remain globally competitive. He highlighted that the iFactory Lab, set up under the Ministry of Heavy Industries’ C4i4 initiative, will expose students to Industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics.
Framing the launch in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Dr. Jitendra Singh said IUST’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED-IUST Foundation) is a “model of how higher education institutions can integrate incubation, technology development, and start-up support.” Established in 2022, CIED has already drawn over Rs 1.20 crore from the university’s own resources and now hosts key national programs including the DST’s i-TBI scheme, DPIIT’s Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, and SIDBI’s STEM programme.
Highlighting J&K’s demographic strengths—where over 65% of the population is under 35—Dr. Jitendra Singh said innovation and entrepreneurship are vital to tackling the region’s high youth unemployment rate. He pointed to potential sunrise sectors such as horti-agri tech, food processing, eco-tourism, handicrafts, and ICT applications, noting that Kashmir’s lavender-based “purple revolution” is already demonstrating how agri-startups can generate wealth and livelihoods.
The Minister urged universities, parents, and industry partners to actively support young entrepreneurs rather than diverting them to conventional career paths. “The strange phenomenon is that when youngsters from Kashmir move out, they become highly enterprising and excel. Our collective responsibility is to create the same opportunities here so they can thrive at home,” he remarked.
With the new incubator and labs, IUST is positioning itself as a regional hub of innovation, with advanced facilities like design and prototyping labs, an AICTE IDEA Lab, and a Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Construction Materials developed in partnership with industry. The vision, according to the university, is to evolve into a Skill University integrating academics, research, and enterprise creation, in line with the national goal of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Concluding his address, Dr. Jitendra Singh said Jammu and Kashmir’s young innovators could emerge as “torchbearers of India’s growth story,” adding that the initiatives launched at IUST are not just about local transformation but also about ensuring the region’s active contribution to India’s global leadership in science, technology, and innovation.
