Womens-Led Startups Drive Growth in Jammu and Kashmir

Revitalized Startup Ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir Sees 1,793% Growth

The startup ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a remarkable surge in growth, with the number of startups rising by 1,793% over the past five years. According to data from the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), the region now has 1,306 startups, up from just 69 in 2021.

This growth can be attributed to a coordinated policy push, rising unemployment pressures, and an increase in women entering formal entrepreneurship. The New J&K Startup Policy 2024–27 sets a target of 2,000 startups and provides support through seed funding, incubation, mentorship, and market access. The policy also includes a Rs. 250 crore venture capital fund, with an initial Rs. 25 crore infusion from the government to support early-stage ventures.

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The policy architecture is backed by a structured implementation framework, with JKEDI serving as the nodal agency. The ecosystem is being built across the full lifecycle of a startup, from ideation and validation to scaling and market access, with a specific focus on youth, women, and entrepreneurs from rural and tier-II regions.

Institutional support has also widened, with incubation centres now operating across institutions such as JKEDI, IIT Jammu, NIT Srinagar, IUST Kashmir, and SKUAST. These centres provide infrastructure and guidance to first-generation entrepreneurs. Central schemes have added another layer, with collateral-free loans under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups crossing Rs. 19 crore in the region.

The growth is also marked by a significant increase in women-led startups, with 333 out of 917 startups in 2024 being women-led. Women-led MSME registrations in J&K increased from 13,352 in 2021–22 to 44,708 in 2023–24, with total registrations crossing 82,000 in just three years.

Women-led businesses are spread across sectors, including food processing, handicrafts, retail, and small-scale manufacturing. Many of these ventures are linked to local resources and traditional skills but are now finding access to wider markets. The sectoral distribution of startups shows a demand-led pattern, with construction and engineering accounting for nearly half of all ventures.

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While the growth is encouraging, there are also signs of strain, with 41 recognised startups from the region having been dissolved or struck off as of October last year. Early-stage funding also remains limited, with only 25 startups receiving seed capital support over the past three financial years. Entrepreneurs continue to point to structural constraints, including power supply, regulatory hurdles, GST-related challenges, and delays in incentives.

Despite these challenges, the ecosystem is expanding steadily, and policy support, institutional backing, and growing participation are creating a base. The 1,793% increase in startups is significant, but what will matter more is whether this growth translates into sustainable businesses, wider market integration, and consistent job creation.