Jammu and Kashmir startups M/s Genetico Private Limited and M/s GR8 Private Limited have won top honors at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025. Genetico received Rs. 20 lakh in the HealthTech and BioTech sector, while GR8 Sports won Rs.
5 lakh in the Gaming and Sports category. The startups stood out among 2400 participants from across India in the Startup MahaRathi Challenge. This flagship initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) fosters competition among early and growth-stage startups in 10 high-impact sectors.
Five startups from J&K participated: GR8 Sports, CLMRAT Sports, AL-Hamdaan Crafts, Studio Agama, and BISA Innovation.
J&K startups triumph
They were led by Irtif Mehraj Lone and Zahid Ali Dar from the J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI).
The J&K Industries and Commerce Department has been pivotal in building the startup ecosystem in the Union Territory. They formulated the J&K Startup Policy 2024 and are implementing it through JKEDI. Arjun Gupta, Founder of Genetico, said the award recognizes their team’s hard work and commitment.
Fawz-ul-Kabir, Founder of GR8, expressed gratitude and thanked the J&K Government and JKEDI for their support. The J&K Government allocated Rs. 50 crore for fiscal year 2025-26 to implement the startup policy.
Funds will go towards seed funding, awards, incubator grants, mentorship, and awareness initiatives to strengthen the ecosystem across J&K.
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