Innovative business ideas rewarded with cash prizes by Sikkim RISE

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><b>GANGTOK,:</b> The winners of Sikkim RISE, a flagship government-backed start-up talent hunt and multi-stage ideation programme designed to discover, mentor and fund innovative business ideas across all districts of Sikkim, were declared by Commerce &amp; Industries Secretary Karma D. Youtsu at the conference hall of the Commerce &amp; Industries Department on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">In the ideation category, Pasal, by Pem Uzeyla Bhutia (Gangtok), was declared the winner, followed by Binod Kumar Adhikari (Gangtok) and Bipashna Sharma (Gyalshing) as runners-up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">In the prototype category, Trout Farms, by Arpan Gurung (Soreng), was declared the winner, followed by Thupden Lachungpa (Mangan) and Shayel Rai and Aditi Chettri (Namchi) as runners-up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">In the revenue category, Organic Honey, by Kamal Sharma (Pakyong), was declared the winner, followed by Chodup Dorjee Lachenpa (Mangan) and Smrita Pradhan (Namchi) as runners-up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The winners will be presented with cash prizes of Rs 10 lakh, while the runners-up will receive Rs 5 lakh each, during the Udyami Bharosa Sammelan to be held at Manan Kendra here on September 28. Organised by the Commerce &amp; Industries Department in collaboration with the SEED CELL, the Sammelan will be attended by Chief Minister PS Golay as the chief guest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The winners will also get a chance to pitch their ideas in front of the Chief Minister.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Sikkim RISE (Realizing Ideas, Shaping Entrepreneurship) aims to foster local entrepreneurship, strengthen the State’s start-up ecosystem, and realise the vision of ‘One Family, One Entrepreneurship’.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The first edition of Sikkim RISE was organised by the Commerce &amp; Industries Department in collaboration with the SEED CELL under the World Bank-assisted Sikkim Inspires programme.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Secretary Karma D. Youtsu congratulated all nine winners and runners-up. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Sikkim Innovation Hub under the Startup Policy 2025 will play a pivotal role in providing necessary business support, incubation grants, and then the final seed capital component, apart from market linkage. With the vision of the Chief Minister, the benefits should not be just limited to cash support but should go beyond cash support in building businesses. By next year, your businesses should be fully functional,” said Youtsu.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Among the jury members were Mount Zion Group of Schools founder and chairman Sony Virdi, Paksam founder and CEO Dr Arjun Kumar Adhikari, and IIM Calcutta’s Ram Kumar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Sikkim RISE commenced in July from Soreng district. A total of 36 teams/start-ups participated, from which nine start-ups were shortlisted as winners and runners-up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">In the first week of October, the three winners in the three categories will be taken on a national exposure trip, along with a national-level pitching session. This is being planned in consultation with IIM Calcutta and the SEED CELL.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The winners expressed gratitude to the State government and all the departments involved in Sikkim RISE.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

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