Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today launched the North East Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 (NESFIC)- Ashtalakshmi for Viksit Bharat, an initiative aimed at creating a new relationship between government, young innovators and society by providing a dedicated platform for the talent, creativity and problem-solving capabilities of the youth of the North East.
The programme was launched at a function held at Assam Administrative Staff College in the spirit of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan 2026, commemorating 25 years of the relentless public service of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and subsequently as the Prime Minister of India.
It may be noted that NESFIC seeks to translate the spirit of Seva into technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, creating a practical ecosystem in which young innovators can identify real-world challenges, develop solutions and take them towards actual implementation.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said, “NESFIC represents a new approach to the relationship between government, young innovators and society. The initiative is not about innovation merely for the sake of creating something new, but about understanding the problems faced by people, government institutions and industries and applying knowledge, creativity and technology to develop practical solutions”.
The Chief Minister said that 50 real-world challenges have been identified under NESFIC-40 from government departments and 10 from industry organisations. These challenges have emerged from actual problems faced by government departments, industries and citizens. “Here, young innovators will have a real problem to solve, an environment in which to test their ideas, support to develop their solutions and, most importantly, a pathway to a real customer,” Sarma said.
He observed that one of the key objectives of NESFIC is to create an opportunity for government to become the first customer of young innovators. Although government is among the largest buyers of goods and services in the country, young startups often find it difficult to enter government markets because of conventional procurement requirements relating to turnover, experience and bank guarantees. NESFIC seeks to bridge this gap by creating a structured pathway for innovative solutions to move from the idea stage towards government adoption.
On the challenges being presented, Sarma said the Health and Family Welfare Department has brought eight challenges, five of which focus on mothers and newborn children. These include early detection of pregnancy-induced hypertension, improving access to obstetric ultrasound in remote areas, better infection control in labour rooms, faster identification and referral of sick newborns, and early detection of congenital deformities.
He said that if a young engineer, doctor or startup can develop a solution that enables an ASHA worker in a tea garden or a char area to identify a health danger at an early stage, it would represent innovation at its highest level.
Similarly, the Science and Technology Department has brought challenges involving satellites, drones and artificial intelligence, for crop-health monitoring, wetland mapping, detection of encroachment on government land and the development of a digital twin for flood management and early warning. The Chief Minister said that even a few additional hours of advance warning provided through technology could help a district administration protect lives, homes and livelihoods during floods.
Speaking about the roadmap under NESFIC, the Chief Minister said that 150 startups will be selected at the Northeast Innovation Conclave in Guwahati in late November, with three startups shortlisted for each of the 50 challenges. Each selected startup will receive idea-stage support under the Assam Startup Policy and will work closely with the respective problem owner using relevant data and testing sites. The startups will also receive mentoring support from partner institutions.
On the Demo Day in February 2027, the best startup for each challenge will receive an Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grant of Rs. 20 lakh, while a deep-technology solution will be eligible for a grant of Rs. 40 lakh.
Sarma expressed confidence that the North East can emerge as one of India’s important living laboratories for technology and problem-solving.
As part of the programme, three MoUs were exchanged to strengthen the startup and innovation ecosystem in Assam and the North East.
The first MoU was exchanged between IIM Kolkata Innovation Park and Assam Startup to
design and operate a three-year cohort-based accelerator programme to support the growth of startups in Assam.
The second MoU was between the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and Assam Startup to facilitate the establishment of a Centre of Entrepreneurship in Guwahati, with facilities for incubation, emerging-technology laboratories and industry access.
The third MoU was signed with India Accelerator, under which India Accelerator will establish a fund pool of up to Rs. 100 crore for startups from the North East, with Assam Startup serving as the Enablement and Knowledge Partner.
