• Bihar kicks off Ideas Yatra, a 45-day startup drive across 38 districts to identify over 1 lakh raw ideas and boost entrepreneurship.
• Industries Minister Nitish Mishra announces Bihar Innovation Board; startup count jumps from 586 in 2024 to 1,522 now.
• Shradha Sharma, founder of YourStory, and CIMP to mentor rural, youth, and women entrepreneurs under Bihar Startup Policy 2022.

The Bihar Ideas Festival was inaugurated by jointly the department of industries, Chandragupta Institute of Management Patna (CIMP) and a startup.

The Bihar Ideas Yatra is the showpiece event a 45-day initiative to foster entrepreneurial culture in each district with a special thrust for women, rural youth and budding innovators. The aim is to empower the setting up of 10,000 new businesses in the state by shortlisting potential ideas, providing guidance, creating investor connections and providing access to seed capital under the Bihar Startup Policy 2022.

Industries minister Nitish Mishra revealed the inauguration of Bihar Innovation Board, which has already seen 1,700 new-age ideas roll in. "The number of startups registered in Bihar has almost doubled from 586 in 2024 to 1,522 now," he stated.

He invited the people to propose policy changes while the yatra is underway and promised seed funding, micro-initiatives and investor linkages.

Shradha Sharma, the founder and CEO of the startup, emphasized expanding entrepreneurial opportunities outside Patna. "We need to involve every woman, young person and aspirer in the state's growth," she said. Now a mentor onboard at CIMP, Sharma will support up-and-coming founders through visibility, mentorship and storytelling.

CIMP director Rana Singh highlighted the institution's role in guiding entrepreneurs. "We are committed to mentoring young innovators and providing them the tools to transform ideas into viable businesses," he said.

A major attraction of the festival is the 38-District Startup Discovery Bus Yatra that will collect more than 1 lakh raw ideas from students, artisans, women entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises. The campaign would be accompanied by local networks such as college e-cells, District Industries Centres (DICs), KVIC and MSME offices.