Guwahati: Assam’s startup ecosystem is expanding its entrepreneurial base, with women accounting for more than half of the founders covered in a new study. However, limited institutional finance and gaps in business capabilities continue to pose challenges for startups seeking to scale, according to a report by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP).
The Assam Startup Ecosystem Report, based on primary research involving 116 startups across the state, examines the sectors in which startups operate, their stages of growth, major challenges and the support they require to expand their businesses.
The startups surveyed operate across a diverse range of sectors, including agriculture and food, information technology, handloom and handicrafts, manufacturing and logistics, healthcare, education, tourism and hospitality, and construction and real estate.
A key finding of the report is the significant participation of women in Assam’s startup landscape. Women founders accounted for 52.6% of the startups surveyed, indicating a substantial presence of women in the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Despite this participation, access to finance remains a significant hurdle. Around 67.9% of startups identified inadequate institutional funding as a major systemic challenge, pointing to the need for more diverse financing avenues and stronger connections between startups and investors.
The study also highlighted shortcomings in business knowledge and ecosystem awareness. About 60.3% of entrepreneurs reported inadequate business knowledge, while 58.6% said they had limited awareness of or exposure to the wider startup ecosystem.
Technology-related capacity was another concern, with 43.1% of respondents identifying a lack of technological know-how as a challenge.
The report recommends expanding entrepreneurship education, mentoring programmes and professional support networks to address these gaps. It also calls for closer industry-academia partnerships, greater B2B networking and exposure opportunities, improved technology infrastructure, local technical assistance, research and development facilities, and stronger market connections.
“Assam’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has gained tremendous momentum, and its future is very promising,” said Ajay Jain, chairman of the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park Board.
Jain said the report was intended to showcase Assam’s entrepreneurial potential and encourage greater participation from organisations that can strengthen the state’s startup ecosystem.
“It is heartening to see significant growth of women entrepreneurs, resulting in gender inclusiveness. Assam can now build further on such a strong entrepreneurial foundation, turning local opportunities into sustainable enterprises,” he said.
According to the report, the next phase of Assam’s startup development will require greater emphasis on building sustainable businesses that can scale beyond the state. Startups are increasingly looking to expand into markets outside Assam while seeking additional capital and strategic partnerships.
To support this transition, IIMCIP has proposed a four-stage support framework comprising Outreach & Hunt, Pre-Incubation, Incubation and Acceleration. The model is designed to assist entrepreneurs from the early stages of identifying and validating business ideas through venture building and eventual expansion.
The report further recommends developing stronger investor networks and alternative financing mechanisms, alongside sector-specific assistance, industry-academia collaboration, specialised R&D infrastructure and improved access to markets.
Together, these measures are aimed at helping Assam’s growing pool of entrepreneurs move from early-stage ventures towards sustainable and scalable businesses.