KT News Desk
Srinagar, Oct 16: The University of Kashmir (KU) organised a two-day ‘Ignite Bootcamp: Sprint to Startup Success’ and Investor Meet-up aimed at strengthening the region’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and fostering youth-led business ideas.
The event was organised by the varsity’s NewGen IEDC and Business Innovation and Incubation Centre in collaboration with ALSiSAR Impact, Mumbai, and supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
The event witnessed participation of startup founders, investors, and mentors from across the country.
The bootcamp featured masterclasses, hands-on workshops, mentorship sessions, panel discussion, and real-time pitching rounds.
Speaking at the valedictory session of the two-day camp Vice-Chancellor, KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan, said that the University is committed to strengthening its innovation ecosystem through structured mentorship and industry linkages.
“Initiatives like this reflect our vision to transform the innovative spirit of young minds into sustainable ventures that contribute to inclusive economic growth,” she said.
Speaking on the occassion Registrar KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, highlighted the importance of university-led incubation support in promoting regional entrepreneurship, while Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Shah, Director, DIQA KU, emphasised that such events create practical learning opportunities for students and innovators to connect with real-world challenges.
The training sessions were led by Anuj Sharma, Founder and Director, ALSiSAR Impact, and Anvitaa Rastogi, Vice President, Portfolio & Strategy, ALSiSAR Impact.
As a key outcome of the event, five promising innovators were selected for a three-month fellowship with ALSiSAR Impact.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the University of Kashmir and ALSiSAR Impact to promote sustained collaboration in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The event further announced the launch of a Women Entrepreneurship Vertical, to be operated by NewGen IEDC KU and supported by ALSiSAR Impact, aimed at empowering women-led startups across the region.
The bootcamp was coordinated by Dr. Irfana Rashid, Coordinator, NewGen IEDC KU and concluded with renewed enthusiasm among participants to position Jammu & Kashmir as a vibrant hub for innovation and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
