Shillong, February 5 : PRIME Meghalaya strengthened the State’s startup ecosystem on Wednesday by onboarding 75 new ventures under the Chief Minister’s E-Championship Challenge (CMECC) 6.0 and graduating another 75 startups from Cohort 5 at a ceremony held at Ward’s Lake, Shillong .
The programme highlighted the growing impact of Meghalaya’s entrepreneurship mission, with over 5,000 entrepreneurs supported so far, ₹200 crore disbursed in financial assistance, and nearly 7,000 direct jobs generated across the State .
Under CMECC 6.0, the top 35 startups will receive business grants of ₹2 lakh each, while the next 40 will receive ₹1 lakh. All selected ventures will undergo a structured nine-month incubation programme that includes training, mentorship, market access, buyer linkages and pathways to loans and venture capital .
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma reiterated that entrepreneurship remains a core pillar of Meghalaya’s economic strategy and noted that the State’s initiatives have gained national recognition .
Commissioner & Secretary, Planning Department, Dr. Vijay Kumar D informed that CMECC 6.0 had received nearly 4,000 applications, with PRIME teams reaching close to 2,500 villages through doorstep incubation . He added that another ₹80 crore in funding is in the pipeline and the government aims to create more than 25,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2032 .
Entrepreneurs shared success stories during the event, including Meubalajied Ki Wa O S Sungoh of ONLYBEES Pvt. Ltd. and Ferdinand Lyngdoh Marshillong of Ekanbha, whose venture recently received the National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025 after being supported with a ₹60 lakh grant .
Several startups were honoured for outstanding performance. Prime Touch Creation won the Economic Engine award; ONLYBEES Pvt. Ltd. was recognised for Scale-Up; Ekanbha was named Incubation Hero; Momo Dose received Market Catalyst; while Hun Agri Enterprise, BRAVES Enterprise and Hashabia Stingless Bee were awarded the Value Change Transformation honour. Daza’s earned the Circular Impact award and Ezik & Ezer’s Bakery was named Consistency & Growth Champion .
The event reaffirmed the Government of Meghalaya’s commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation, positioning the State as a leading startup hub in the country .
