Guwahati: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, in collaboration with the BRICS Youth Council, hosted an Entrepreneurship Pre-Consultation Event on February 7, 2025, at the Bhupen Hazarika Auditorium on the IIT Guwahati campus.
This pre-consultation was part of a series of events held in universities and colleges across India leading up to the BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Working Group Meeting in March 2025. The aim was to engage and educate young people on key areas relevant to the Working Group's agenda.
Business North East (BNE) spoke to Sagar J Daryani, founder of WOW! Momo stated, “It's always a great experience to address young entrepreneurs and students. The power of youth is the future of the country, and being here feels truly inspiring. I hope I was able to inspire some of them. Even if just one person becomes an entrepreneur, I would be happy. Success and failure are both part of the journey. I'm not specifically talking about becoming a successful entrepreneur, but I'm sure many attendees felt motivated. Listening to people who have been through the journey always inspires me. Even I continue to learn and get motivated by interacting with young minds. This has been a fantastic event, and I sincerely appreciate IIT Guwahati for organising it and for inviting me. As for advice to young entrepreneurs or startups entering the market, I believe it's crucial to understand market fit—know where you belong, why you're here, and what problem you're solving. Beyond that, making your product saleable is key. Many startups focus too much on backend processes, but if you can’t sell, you can’t scale. Systems and processes become meaningful only when you have volume. So, first, focus on creating a product that is go-to-market-ready and gaining traction in sales. The rest—technology, processes, and systems will naturally balance out. Prioritise sales without getting stuck in perfecting the backend too soon. The back end can be improved later, but the front end and customer experience must come first. That’s how great businesses are built, step by step, steadily growing. Slow and steady wins the race, but the key is to stay steady throughout the journey.”
Further, Swapnil Sinha, IIT Guwahati Bionest CEO, told Business North East (BNE), “Today's event is organised by BRICS, with Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC) as the institutional knowledge partner. This event is being widely televised and supported by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. The focus of the event is to engage youth and encourage them toward entrepreneurship. Several such satellite events are being conducted across the country, and for the Northeast chapter, IIT Guwahati is the host. Since IIT Guwahati is a premier institute of national importance, strategically located with strong connections to the entire Northeast ecosystem, it serves as an ideal venue for this event.
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We have witnessed an overwhelming participation of students from various universities and colleges across Assam and the Northeast. Additionally, more than 80 startups are showcasing their innovations and participating in pitching competitions. These startups represent diverse regions, including Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. It’s truly exciting to see such enthusiastic participation from entrepreneurs across the region. One of the key highlights of the event is the Idea Challenge, where both students and startups are pitching their ideas.
"Overall, this one-day event is proving to be highly impactful and fruitful from multiple perspectives, whether for startups, entrepreneurs, students, or enablers like us. It’s truly a remarkable gathering of innovation and entrepreneurship,” he added.
The event proved to be a valuable platform for young entrepreneurs, innovators, and students. Attendees had the opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and innovation experts from Northeast India. Organisers anticipated a dynamic exchange of ideas and networking opportunities. The event attracted a large audience of students, faculty, and aspiring entrepreneurs from the region.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
