JKEDI Unveils ‘Startup Transcend’ to Link with UAE Startups

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Open House with Startup Middle East CEO Siby Sudhakaran highlights new opportunities for Kashmiri startups

By TRH State Desk

SRINAGAR, August 7, 2025 — In a move to globalize Jammu & Kashmir’s entrepreneurial talent, the J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) hosted an Open House titled “Startup Transcend: Scaling Up Opportunities for Startups in the UAE”, aimed at connecting local startups with the rapidly growing Middle East startup ecosystem.

Held at JKEDI’s main campus in Sempora, Pampore, the event featured a keynote talk by Siby Sudhakaran, CEO of Startup Middle East, who offered deep insights into how Kashmiri entrepreneurs can access business opportunities across the UAE and beyond.

“I am a startup for startups,” Sudhakaran told a hall full of eager founders and student innovators, encouraging them to explore strategic partnerships, free zones, and sector-specific platforms that the UAE offers to high-potential businesses.

In his address, Sudhakaran highlighted the startup-friendly infrastructure of the UAE — from incubators and investor networks to dedicated mainland and free zone incentives — and urged entrepreneurs from J&K to identify niche sectors and position themselves competitively in the Middle Eastern market. Drawing on his experience with the Dubai Expo 2020, he also shared success stories of startups that went global through such linkages.

Khalid Jahangir, Secretary in the Industries and Commerce Department and Director of JKEDI, emphasized Jammu and Kashmir’s historical legacy of enterprise and trade, and how the time has come for local startups to think globally.

“The Middle East, particularly the UAE, offers the kind of scale, mentorship and investment bandwidth that our entrepreneurs can harness to build future-ready ventures,” said Jahangir. He also stated that “JKEDI is committed to enabling such global linkages and cross-border growth opportunities.”

The event witnessed participation from early-stage entrepreneurs, student innovators, and ecosystem enablers across J&K. The interactive Q&A session enabled founders to seek clarity on market access, legal frameworks, and partnership possibilities in the UAE.

As part of its broader commitment to nurturing innovation, JKEDI announced plans to launch a Startup Idea Challenge across educational institutions in the Union Territory, aiming to foster entrepreneurship and ideation at a young age.

With Startup Transcend, JKEDI has laid the foundation for transforming J&K into a globally connected startup hub, aligning local ambitions with international markets and networks.

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