Great challenges lie ahead for the fledgling start-up scene in Northeast India. A handful of successful start-ups, however, continue making a mark

Guwahati: Tech giant Byju's has closed 30 out of its 292 tuition centers in India as part of cost optimization measures. The company now aims to make most of its centers profitable in the third year of operations. At the same time, Startups like ShareChat, Swiggy, and Unacademy have also fired a large number of employees due to scarce funding and pressure from investors.

Amid uncertainty for these national giants, a question has arisen in the Northeast: what can the start-ups do to avert a similar fate?

Dr. Sriparna Bhuiyan, Advisor of North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) and former Head, Centre for Industrial Expansion, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) states that startups from the Northeast, despite their caliber, face a common set of challenges to sustain and scale.

In general parlance, these include a lack of technical know-how, regional angel networks, and specialized guidance.

The Assam Startup Policy is a crucial cog in the start-up scene in the Northeast Indian scene. It aims to create an Assam Angel Network (AAN) to cater to early-stage funding needs and provide seed funds and scaling grants for startups. "Entrepreneurs in the region should be encouraged to face challenges and keep going," advised 'Shark Tank' sensation Rimjhim Kalita.

Recently, a panel discussion organized by the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park in Guwahati emphasized best practices for start-ups and encouraged attendees - who were mostly start-up founders - to "keep going".

Anjan Pathak, spoke on his journey of founding his company along with Partha Neog, securing the first major client, and then transforming 'Vantage Circle' into an internationally renowned brand with clients such as HCL, Accenture, Infosys, WIPRO, Capgemini, and others. It served as a boundless source of inspiration for the budding entrepreneurs participating in the event.

Biswajit Dey, a founder of RC Hobbytech Solutions, a pioneer in drone start-up tech in India, spoke to Business North East and said, "When an idea is designed one should not just think. They should implement it what they think."

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