The Innovation North East (NE) Week 2025 opened with enthusiasm on Monday, placing a strong focus on Nagaland’s rising potential in digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-led growth. The week-long event aims to showcase how states like Nagaland can become key contributors to India’s ongoing digital revolution. Held under the theme of fostering inclusive technological progress, the inaugural session saw participation from industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and government representatives. The event is being seen as a significant platform to promote regional innovation and skill development across the Northeast. Delivering the keynote address virtually, S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), highlighted Nagaland’s growing reputation in sectors such as food processing, tourism, and services. “Nagaland has skilled individuals whose talents can be marketed globally,” Krishnan said, emphasizing the state’s untapped potential and the strategic importance of the region in India’s digital economy.
Krishnan also pointed out that the Northeast, with its English-speaking, tech-savvy youth, holds a unique advantage. “Equipping the youth of the Northeast with modern digital skills is not only necessary but a critical investment in India’s future,” he added. He further outlined the government’s efforts to promote digital empowerment in remote and underserved regions, noting that 20 of India’s 55 National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) centres are located in the Northeast. A major highlight of the inaugural day was the signing of three key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting the startup ecosystem, nurturing grassroots innovation, and enhancing institutional capacity building in the region. The first MoU, signed between NIELIT Kohima and Vignan Technology Business Incubator (TBI), focuses on facilitating startup incubation and expanding market access for young entrepreneurs from the Northeast.
The second MoU, inked between NIELIT Kohima and SPJIMR Mumbai, seeks to build mentorship bridges between educational institutions and startup aspirants, offering professional guidance to emerging business leaders in the region.The third agreement, established between NIELIT Kohima and ACIC IIT (ISM) Foundation, Dhanbad, aims to strengthen community-driven innovation and support local entrepreneurship models that reflect the socio-economic dynamics of rural areas.
