North East Accelerator Program

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) in association with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India is proud to announce the launch of the North East Accelerator Program (NEAP), a program to identify & support innovative, sustainable and scalable early-stage entrepreneurs from North Eastern India.

Applications are now open for start ups and early-stage entrepreneurs from the North Eastern states of India, who need acceleration support to scale up their businesses!

About the program:
Though the North Eastern States of India have huge potential – human, natural and economic – it is also true that this large bank of opportunities remain largely untapped. One way to unlock this potential would be to unleash the innovative energy of current and emerging entrepreneurs from the region. This in turn would have multiple benefits – create many more employment opportunities, reduce or reverse migration of local youth, energize the local business ecosystem, help facilitate the socio-economic development of the region, etc. In short, identifying potentially game-changing early-stage entrepreneurs from North-East India and creating a supportive ecosystem to help them scale up their business is likely to have a disproportionate impact in the future of the region.

With this objective in mind, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) along with the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is launching the North-East Accelerator Program (NEAP), in which a number of innovative, sustainable and scalable early-stage entrepreneurs from North Eastern India will be identified and supported. The program will source and select high-quality start ups in North Eastern India, and provide the identified start-ups intensive mentoring and training from a pool of industry experts, to help them scale up not only in the region but also beyond. The initiative, probably the first of this kind in this region, is a unique initiative which would bring together the key stakeholders in the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem including start ups, investors, mentors and subject matter experts.

IIM Calcutta Innovation (IIMCIP) has established itself as a premier hub for entrepreneurship development in East & North East India. Apart from being a leading business incubator in India, IIMCIP has pioneered a number of collaborative initiatives, working closely with governments, corporate, investors, mentors and other experts.

Ennovent, a global innovation company that helps clients accelerate business innovations for sustainability in low-income markets in developing countries, is partnering with IIMCIP to execute this program.

The program will identify and scale early stage entrepreneurial innovations across the North East India. The accelerator is a result of collaboration among IIMCIP and Ennovent.The program will provide the identified start-ups the opportunity of intensive mentoring and training from the pool of experts and help them mature and establish not only in the region but also beyond. The program will provide a platform for start-ups to receive financial advice, marketing expertise and other functions that will enable the entities to grow.

Program Rewards:
This is a first-of-its-kind unique Acceleration Program tailor-made for early-stage entrepreneurs from North-East India that provides multiple valuable benefits to entrepreneurs from NE India:-

– Investment Readiness Training Sessions
– Tailored Mentorship
– Identification of & Access to Funding Opportunities
– Networking Opportunities with Relevant Industry Ecosystems
– Access to Marketing Channels
– Recognition & Publicity

Program Timelines:
Registration Begins: 15 December 2017
Last date for Applications: 31 January, 2017
Announcement of Selection Results: 14 February, 2017

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
The contest is open to
– Early-stage (set up on or after 1st January 2013) Startups based in a North Eastern State of India working on solutions that address the socio-economic needs of India
– Having at least a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with fair degree of Customer Validation or Proof of Concept (POC)
– Should ideally have demonstrated some traction from customers

Preference will be given to those with a full-time core team

FAQ’s

How can I register?
One needs to first visit the website (www…….com) (“Website”) for registering in the Program.
The registration and application submission period will remain open from • Dec 15–Jan 31, 2017 (both days inclusive). Next, click on the “Now Register” section for registration. Once the registration is successfully completed, a registration number will be generated and sent (via email /SMS) to the registered applicants. One needs to then verify the email account by following necessary instructions mentioned in the email. After registration is verified, one may visit the “Application Section” by logging in to the website and fill up the Application form online. The Application form can be saved (click “Save as draft”) and viewed (click “Login”) any number of times before final submission. Once the application is ready for final submission, the Applicant has to click “Submit”. No changes will be permitted after the Application has been submitted. Applicant will get a confirmation of the submission through email and / or a text message. Applicants must quote the Registration Number for all future correspondence.
Should the solution be from North East India?
Yes, the solution should be focused on or based in at least one of the seven states of North Eastern India.
How will I know if my idea is selected?
The shortlisted applicants will be communicated both via Email and SMS confirming their selection to the subsequent stages. All such communication will be sent to Applicants’ registered Email Id and Mobile number.
Who are the program facilitators?
1. The IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) is a not for profit (Section 8) company established under the aegis of IIM Calcutta to promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The mission of IIMCIP is aligned to the mission of the institute to “develop innovative and ethical future leaders capable of managing change and transformation in a globally competitive environment and to advance the theory and practice of management”.
  The broad objectives of IIMCIP are:
  – To promote entrepreneurship and create a nurturing ecology where fledgling enterprises with innovative ideas and solutions can flourish.
  – To promote Innovation in research and business through industry-academia partnership.
  
  Please visit the website: http://www.localhost/iimcip/ to know more about IIMCIP.
2. Ennovent is a global innovation company that helps clients accelerate business innovations for sustainability in low-income markets in developing countries.
  
  Ennovent works with its clients, partners and community to jointly develop, fund and implement customized Innovation Solutions. Innovation Solutions accelerate innovations for different elements of for-profit business models. They relate not only to products and services, but also to business processes, distribution channels, partnership networks, organization models etc. Innovation Solutions combine different individual components which can be customized to meet the requirements and objectives of clients and partners.
  Please visit the website: http://www.ennovent.com to know more about Ennovent.
3. What is Proof of Concept (PoC)?
  
  A proof of concept (POC) is a real life implementation /execution of a certain method or idea to demonstrate its feasibility, or a demonstration in principle, whose purpose is to verify that some concept or theory has the potential of being used.