By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 7: A cohort of 12 startups under Meghalaya’s PRIME Entrepreneurship programme is all set to fly to Austria to participate in Vienna UP 2025 — one of Europe’s largest startup festivals that brings together innovators, investors, and business leaders from around the globe.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma shared the development in a social media post, calling it a significant milestone for the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“12 startups which are part of our PRIME Entrepreneurship programme are headed to Austria to participate in the Vienna UP 2025 event. This global platform offers our entrepreneurs a valuable opportunity to connect with international peers, investors, and industry leaders,” he wrote.
Emphasising the importance of global exposure, he added, “Exposure to global markets and ecosystems is crucial for our startups to broaden their perspective, open avenues for cross-border collaborations, and accelerate their growth potential. Excited to see how these experiences translate into meaningful impact for their ventures back home”.
The delegation members, which met with the Chief Minister on Wednesday before their departure, expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pledged to make the most of the experience.
Freddy Ranee, who runs a startup, said the trip would be a gamechanger.
“This will give us a lot of exposure. We think we know everything by doing things locally. Unless we go out and explore the potential market, we will not be able to learn and expand in the way one could imagine. So, this would help us small businesses like our cottage industries. We need a bigger exposure and such exposure trips will take us to the next level,” Ranee said.
Dr E Marbaniang, another member of the team, echoed a similar sentiment. “The festival is not just any festival but a platform for startups like us to get exposed to. This will be a potential networking place where we will get the opportunity to mingle with the startups of the world.”
Another startup member, Jayant, noted the long-term potential that a global exposure can unlock. “If we get global exposure, we can grow our business in the domestic market as well as globally. It depends on the domain – which startup is working in which sector and what we can do in the future.”
A member of the Chicken Wagon team was upbeat: “I am from the Chicken Wagon team and from my end, I would like to explore, learn and return with better knowledge and outlook on what we are doing.”
The Vienna UP 2025 festival is expected to serve as a springboard for these budding entrepreneurs, offering them not just visibility on the world stage but also insights and networks that could reshape the future of innovation back home.