Posted by Guwahati: Global software giant SAP has partnered with IIMA Ventures to launch the Northeast Growth Labs (NEGL), a new initiative aimed at supporting and scaling social enterprises across Northeast India. The program will offer catalytic funding, technical support, and business development opportunities to 75 high-impact ventures working in key sectors such as agri-tech, education, and healthcare.
Spanning all eight Northeastern states, the initiative seeks to foster an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem while addressing regional development challenges. According to SAP and IIMA Ventures, the goal is to directly impact over 3,000 individuals, enhance livelihoods, and promote environmental sustainability through innovation-driven enterprise support.
“Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship with local impact is core to SAP’s mission,” said Manish Prasad, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent. “We’ve supported over 200 social enterprises, and our Northeast Growth Labs initiative, in partnership with IIMA Ventures, strengthens our commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth. These ventures are transforming communities and creating an equitable future.”
Northeast Growth Labs builds upon the foundation laid by previous regional programs, including the Assam Agribusiness Growth Lab, which helped early-stage ventures with seed funding and capacity building. The new program is aligned with SAP’s Social Procurement agenda and leverages IIMA Ventures’ incubation expertise in nurturing high-impact startups.
“NEGL is not just a program extension—it’s a bold regional platform combining capital, capacity, and connections to back fearless entrepreneurs solving for India’s next frontier of innovation,” said Chintan Bakshi, Partner – Incubation at IIMA Ventures.
The initiative launched with a bootcamp in Guwahati, where the first cohort received mentoring and training on AI applications, storytelling for impact, B2B sales, and sectoral opportunity mapping. The program also aims to foster cross-sector collaboration, involving stakeholders from government, development agencies, and institutional investors.
Among the featured ventures are:
- Dream Hives – the Northeast’s first honey-based heritage wine brand, sourcing directly from FPOs and FPCs.
- Chezfresco – a food innovation startup enabling small-scale food entrepreneurs.
- Greengen Agri Biotech – providing agri-biotech solutions to small tea growers.
- Fuloni Agritech – creating biodegradable urban gardening tools for artisans.
- Pustikor Foods – promoting Assam’s Joha rice through sustainable farming methods.