Tripura to Inaugurate T-NEST on February 26: CM Dr Manik Saha and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh to Grace Landmark Innovation Event
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, February 25, 2026
Tripura is poised to mark a historic milestone in its entrepreneurial journey with the inauguration of T-NEST on February 26, 2026 at Hapania International Ground. According to a press release issued by the Director of Information Technology, Government of Tripura, the inauguration of T-NEST represents a landmark institutional reform aimed at nurturing entrepreneurship and startups across the State.
The programme will be inaugurated by Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura, on 26 February 2026 at 11:30 AM at the International Exhibition Centre, Hapania, Agartala. The event will be graced by distinguished dignitaries including Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State, Government of India, Dr. VK Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog, Shri Pranajit Singha Roy, Minister for IT, Finance, Planning and Coordination, Government of Tripura, Shri Jitendra Kumar Sinha, IAS, Chief Secretary of Tripura, and Shri Rajib Kumar Sen, Programme Director, NITI Aayog, Government of India, reflecting the importance of this initiative at both state and national levels.
The press release highlights that the New Sector-Agnostic Tripura Startup Policy, launched in January 2025 under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and with guidance from the Department of Information Technology, Finance and Planning & Coordination, marked a decisive shift from the earlier IT/ITeS-focused framework to a broad-based, inclusive and innovation-driven ecosystem. The policy welcomes entrepreneurship across multiple sectors including agri-tech, tourism, healthcare, bamboo and forest-based industries, fisheries, logistics, handloom, construction, rural enterprise solutions and digital services.
It further states that the policy provides a structured, stage-wise support mechanism from ideation to commercialisation. The support framework includes a one-time Tri-Seed Fund of Rs.2 lakh, prototype development assistance up to Rs.10 lakh, operational reimbursements, branding and market access support, intellectual property facilitation for domestic and international patents, GST reimbursements and price preference in government procurement. The policy also offers enhanced incentives for women-led and differently-abled enterprises. A Rs.50 crore Start-Up Venture Fund is under operationalisation to catalyse growth-stage investments and scale promising ventures.
The Director’s press release notes that the response to the policy has been highly encouraging, with more than 100 startups registered so far. Recognition Certificates have been issued to eligible enterprises and fiscal incentives amounting to approximately Rs.68 lakh have been disbursed. Through the New Generation Innovation Network scheme, 12 premier academic institutions, including Tripura University and NIT Agartala, have been integrated into the startup ecosystem. Around Rs.1.45 crore has been disbursed for the establishment and maintenance of incubation centres, and more than 50 student-led projects have received financial assistance, strengthening campus-level innovation and entrepreneurship.
The press release emphasises that T-NEST, established at the International Trade Centre, Hapania, is not merely a physical incubation facility but a structured, program-driven innovation platform. It will function as the operational arm of Startup Tripura and the State Innovation Mission, serving as a single-window interface connecting entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, academia and government departments. The incubation framework under T-NEST will guide startups from idea scouting and pre-incubation to pilot implementation, market linkage and investment readiness.
A distinctive feature highlighted in the release is the Government-as-First-Customer model, through which departments will articulate real-world problem statements and enable startups to pilot innovative solutions integrated with governance systems. This approach is expected to generate both economic value and measurable public impact while encouraging solution-oriented entrepreneurship aligned with the State’s development priorities.
The inauguration programme itself will reflect the vibrancy of Tripura’s emerging startup ecosystem. A Start-Up Exhibition will showcase 25 startups presenting innovative products and services across diverse sectors. Additionally, eight technical and higher educational institutions will display 18 student-led projects, demonstrating the transition from academic innovation to enterprise creation.
The Director of Information Technology, in the press release, has stated that a key highlight of the event will be the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding with T-Hub, Hyderabad, one of India’s premier innovation ecosystems. The partnership is expected to facilitate knowledge exchange, mentorship access, capacity building initiatives, market linkages and collaborative programmes that connect Tripura’s startups with national and global innovation networks.
The press release further mentions that T-NEST will be reinforced by the proposed Modern Incubation and Innovation Park at Chandmari and the envisioned Tripura IT & Data Economy Centre, forming a comprehensive innovation pipeline from early-stage incubation to large-scale technology and data-driven investments.
Describing the initiative as a landmark institutional reform, the Director of Information Technology Jeya Ragul Geshan, IFS stated in the press release, “The inauguration of T-NEST signifies far more than the opening of a facility. It represents Tripura’s confident stride towards structured innovation governance, collaborative partnerships and digitally empowered economic growth. With the support of visionary leadership and strong national linkages, Tripura is moving from digital enablement to digital enterprise and positioning itself as an emerging innovation hub of Northeast India.”
With the presence of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, the inauguration of T-NEST is expected to signal a new chapter in Tripura’s journey towards entrepreneurship-led growth, technological advancement and sustainable economic transformation.
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