Entrepreneurial culture is a strategic foundation for economic transformation. Entrepreneurial culture integrates innovation, fostering both incremental growth and disruptive opportunities. And in recent times Northeast India is undergoing transition from being a resource-based economy into an innovation hub. Supported by various government policies and technological advancements to build an impactful business ecosystem leveraging its unique regional advantages. Here, the story of Assam can be seen with its government taking up steps towards establishment of a robust startup policy boosting entrepreneurial leadership and vision, at the same time empowering people and building a sustainability mindset.
This major shift in startup culture, is a result of Assam Start-up and Innovation Policy 2025. Under this policy the government aims to recognise 5000 startups and create as many as 100000 jobs in the region turning North East India into an entrepreneurial hub with Assam at its vanguard. With a funding opportunities of INR 1,000 Crore for innovators and incubators, a state-of-the-art incubator- the NEST has been established with the aim to facilitate support and provide facilities like testing labs, video conferencing, workspaces, conference rooms, internet etc.
Driven by this dynamic policy, 1487 startups have already been recognised in the area of Agri, FinTech and DeepTech out of 2054 in North-east, as on January 2026. The state is enabling a strong entrepreneurial eco-system through mentoring, funding support (up to ₹10L ideation, ₹50L scale-ups).
Mentioned below are some of the major sectors for startups and entrepreneurs in Assam:
Tea: Assam enjoys a crucial position for tea export in the global tea industry with over 50% of India’s total production coming from Assam. With the increasing demand in orthodox tea, number of brands have come up increasing sales in both domestic and international markets. In this context, the bagless organic “Woolah Tea”, are worth mentioning for patented “bagless” tea. They made their entry in Shark Tank India Season 4, and also secured a deal with Aman Gupta for ₹50 Lakhs for 2.5% equity (plus advisory equity) at a ₹20 Crore valuation. Dessoi Naturals LLP from Jorhat, another Assam-based startup, a premium tea and wellness brand received a debt support under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme through the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India incubation centre.
Handloom: When it comes to Handloom, Assam’s handloom is renowned for its exclusive muga silk, eri silk and paat silk. This handloom sector is a major source of women empowerment with over 12 lakh weavers mostly women. Of late, Muga silk, the Gamusa and Eri Silk hold GI tags to safeguard its authenticity and protection against imitations. Assam Startup is providing mentorship and support, through incubation to startups like Bolkol and Brahmaputra Fables who work with weavers and enabling them to scale-up. Startups are playing a crucial role in revitalizing the handloom industry and ensuring economic viability for the state’s artisans and weavers, thereby preserving the rich textile heritage.
Experiential Tourism: With its rich flora and fauna, Assam offers diverse experience starting from its wildlife (Kaziranga, Manas, Pobitora, Nameri etc.) to the cultural festivals like Bihu or the spiritual sites like the Satras and Kamakhya or the beautiful river island of Majuli. It connects travellers with the nature, thus, opening avenues for experiential tourism. The region, being an attraction for both national and international tourists, offers high-margin businesses with immersive experiential trips.
Food & Agriculture: Assam is also known for its rich agricultural possibilities with the mighty Brahmaputra and Barak rivers flowing through the state. These rivers and the geographical conditions make Assam one of the most conducive states for variety of crop production in the country. Besides its proximity with South East Asian countries makes it more profitable for carrying out trades on agro-based products and food. Government initiatives like Act East Policy has added momentum to the businesses in Northeast. Today Assam’s agriculture sector is being transformed by a robust startup ecosystem focused on technology-driven solutions, value-added processing, and financial inclusion.
Surekha Bhuyan
PR and Startup Media Mentor
e-mail: surekha.tzp@gmail.com
Sources:
- http://startup.assam.gov.in
- https://eastmojo.com/news/2026/01/16/as-startup-india-turns-ten-assam-startups-show-impact-of-policy-support/
- https://assamtribune.com/sci-and-tech/from-defence-to-space-startups-power-indias-nation-building-drive-1604501