Tribal Startups take centre stage at Startup Mahakumbh; two ventures win National awards

new delhi: the ministry of tribal affairs showcased 45 tribal-led startups at the startup mahakumbh held at bharat mandapam here, as part of its “dharti aaba tribepreneurs 2025” initiative under the ongoing janjatiya gaurav varsh celebrations.two tribal-led ventures, incubated at iim kolkata and iit guwahati, were conferred national awards by union minister for commerce and industry piyush goyal for their pioneering work in sustainable tourism and agritech.the startups—ourguest travels from sikkim and ngurie organic from nagaland—were recognised for their innovation and impact. ourguest travels, incubated at iim kolkata, received the direct-to-consumer (d2c) award for its curated platform of homestays and experiences across the northeast and jammu & kashmir, supporting over 600 rural properties and more than 6,000 travellers.ngurie organic pvt ltd, incubated at iit guwahati, bagged the agritech award for deploying data-driven and blockchain-enabled solutions to improve water efficiency, soil health, and food security in organic farming.union tribal affairs minister jual oram and secretary vibhu nayar congratulated the winners and lauded the contributions of all participating tribal entrepreneurs in showcasing the potential of tribal india in emerging sectors such as deep tech, green energy, and sustainable agriculture.the three-day event also featured a panel discussion on “investing in bharat: unlocking startup potential beyond the metro”, with representatives from ivycap ventures, infosys, sacc india, and the ministry.a design thinking workshop conducted by iit delhi and a startup bootcamp were also held to mentor tribal founders. over 45 tribal entrepreneurs, 100 emrs students, and 150 higher education beneficiaries received participation certificates.the ministry said it remains committed to fostering a self-reliant tribal economy through mentorship, funding, and exposure opportunities.