At the fifth edition of the Young Leaders Connect meeting in Itanagar in 2016, it was discussed and decided that YLC would like to initiate a fellowship for the entrepreneurs of the North-East states. YLC is keen to address the soft challenges of exposure, knowledge dissemination, skill sets and networking for the entrepreneurs from the northeast. Feedback received from many entrepreneurs from across the northeast during the fifth edition of YLC, suggests that there is an immediate need of a cohort and fellowship platform that will aim at addressing these challenges. YLC team has therefore designed the concept of North East Entrepreneurship Fellowship (NEEF) in partnership with local state leaders, entrepreneurs, academicians and knowledge experts and partners.

During the YLC 6 a total of 21 YLC’s North East Entrepreneurship Fellows got graduated accordingly after successfully completing the fellowship.

ABHIMANYU DHAKAL

FOUNDING PARTNER, SHOTEN GROUP

Abhimanyu Dhakal and his brother Abhinandan run the Shoten Group – a venture based on a ‘Contractual Buy Back Guarantee model’ for producers, so the entrepreneur siblings can understand supply capabilities, keep a fixed price for both producers and buyers and control the quality of the product from sowing to processing. Abhinandan has been an agri-enthusiast for long, and truly believes in the power of partnering with communities. When he started his venture in 2013, Abhimanyu christened it ‘Shoten Group’ one of the Japanese names of Lord Ganesha. And, two years down, in 2015 he joined his brother.

ARINDOM HAZARIKA

CO-FOUNDER, AROHAN FOODS

Arindom Hazarika is a banker turned agriculturist. After heading Kotak Mahindra Bank in Guwahati, he left as a Chief Manager in 2013 to co found Arohan Foods, a premier food and livestock start up from the North East. Arindom grew up in Shillong where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry, before moving to Hyderabad to complete his Management degree. He loves to paint, cook and explore the NorthEast. He drives the marketlinkage, research and Agri sciences functions of Arohan Foods. Arindom is associated with Nedfi, IIE, NERAMAC, Wagneniegen University, GTES and various management colleges and works towards creating a holistic entrepreneurial ecosystem in the North East. New initiatives include a biomass composite development with NRL for use in local livestock rearing systems and probiotic development for use in local feeding systems.

BEN IMCHEN

CO-FOUNDER, COLOSSEUMTECH SOLUTIONS

Ben Imchen is the proprietor of Elysium Enterprise, a Nagaland based IT business entity involved in providing customized software solutions to various Government entities within the state. He completed his B. Tech and M. Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi in 2005. Elysium Enterprise works to provide efficient, relevant and innovative solutions that meet the local needs of the Government while incorporating the latest in technology. He is also a Director and one of the Founders of Colosseum Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., registered in Hyderabad. With offices in Hyderabad, Nagaland, Pune, Noida, Bangalore and Chennai, and about 7 years of experience in Global Positioning System (GPS) based Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management, itis one of India’s oldest players in this arena. Colosseum Tech, with its proprietary Falcon AVL Platform (www.falconavl.com), has clients such as Microsoft, Deloitte, Mahindra Satyam, Dell, Cyient, Novartis, Tech Mahindra, P&G etc.

BETHEL TSUZU

DIRECTOR, MOUNTAIN MUSIC ACADEMY

Bethel Tsuzu, Director, Mountain Music Academy, from Nagaland started Mountain Music Academy in 2010. The Academy offers music education and conducts sale of musical instruments. 32 people are employed in her venture at present. She aspires to become a full-fledged music conservatory. She derives her motivation from building and moulding talents, legacy, control over the decisions, money, teamwork and the fact that she is earning from something that she loves so much –music.

BJORN NOEL DENIESE

ADVISOR, MAYFAIR HOTELS & RESORTS

Bjorn Noel DeNiese, Advisor with over a decade in the hospitality industry and experience in hotel and resort planning, set ups, operations, manpower management and training, travel technology and sales & marketing, Bjorn brings the essential ingredients to ensure your establishment is setup in the right direction. He has been involved with Mayfair Hotels & Resorts and also first generation hoteliers, village tourism entrepreneurs and home stay operators. He has been recognized as ‘The Face of The Future’ at the India Hospitality Awards, 2015-16. The vision Bjorn has for Right Clique Hospitality is to help establishment owners get involved in the business themselves with the right help, support and backing of professional services and products the company has to offer. Bjorn holds a degree from the Business School Chardonne under the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

BOBBY HANO

CO-FOUNDER, ZIRO FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

Bobby Hano is an event organiser and promoter based in Arunachal Pradesh. He is best known as the co-founder of Ziro Festival of Music. His company Phoenix Rising specializes in consultations for setting up festivals in the northeast, runs an artist residency, manages artists, produces audio/visual content for TV/web and does tour management for noted international artists. In 2017, Conde Nast Traveller rated him as one of the "50 people to know in the Himalayas".

DAVID LALMUANPUIA FANAI

PROPRIETOR, F. HRANGVELA GROUP OF INDUSTRIES

The enterprise in the name of F.Hrangvela Industry was start-up under the proprietorship of David Lalmuanpuia Fanai, a grandson of F.Hrangvela. This industry started with only 4 employees. The industry imported roof truss and began its operations. Given the dire need of Mizoram in the field of this venture, it (The Industry) thought it could also produce the raw materials instead of importing them. Taking advice from various technicians and engineers, it began manufacturing Roof Truss with its own technical know-how and initiatives. Today, F.Hrangvela Industry has constructed more than 100 churches, community halls and private houses across various parts of the state of Mizoram.

GAURAV PAL

OWNER, NE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS PVT LTD

Gaurav Pal is the owner of NE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED and also an authorized dealer of TATA HITACHI construction machinery. Year of establishment of his current venture is 2013 and since then, has successfully scaled it up. He began by joining business in 1991 and also has an experience of managing RCC Hume pipe manufacturing industry. He started roads and railways construction business in 1999 which continued till 2012. Presently he is successfully running the Dealership business along with the RCC Hume Pipe industry. Gaurav is a Charter Member of Rotary Club of Silchar, joined in 1995 and is also A Paul Harris Fellow. Besides, he is also a Life member of Indian Red Cross Society (Silchar Chapter).

K.KRISHNAN SINGH

FOUNDER & OWNER, NEST ADVERTISING & MARKETING PVT.LTD

Khuraijam Krishnan Singh is the founder and owner of Nest Advertising & Marketing Pvt. Ltd. – Advertising (Outdoor)- Printing & Publishing. He established his venture in 1998 with primary focus on Advertising & marketing campaign for Companies and Govt. After the incorporation of the Company, the Company focused more on the printing requirement as well as Outdoor requirement for the various Govt as well as Private organisation. The Company then brought the first Outdoor Digital Signage printing Infrastructure in the year 2006 thereby providing the Outdoor Printing requirement locally which was earlier outsourced from Guwahati. Considering the huge demand of Quality Printing works, Nest venture into Quality printing with the installation of Four Colour Offset Machine and State of the Pre-Press Machines and various Post Press Machineries bringing in a sea change in the Printing Industry of Manipur. With the changing environment and the requirement of the State in terms of Quality Printing Solutions, Nest endeavors to provide Quality.

LAIRENJAM NIRANJAN SINGH

DIRECTOR, JCRE SKILL SOLUTIONS

Lairenjam Niranjan Singh, with an MBA from ENPC, Paris and PGDM in Retail Managementfrom the University of Surrey, UK, a graduate from the University of Kolkata and a gold medalist in ‘Principles in Retail Management’ from City & Guilds, London, Niranjan Singh has more than 15 years of fashion retail experience in the markets of the UK, Middle-East and India with prestigious international brands like House of Fraser, Paper Chase, Marks & Spencer, Calvin Klein Jeans and French Connection. He possesses expertise in scientific mall management and consultancy with some ofthe well known malls in the world. He was involved in teaching Retail management in well-known institutes and conducted retail training for retail companies in India. Currently he serves as the Director of JCRE Skill Solutions, an initiative by Big Concepts Foundation Pvt. Ltd., driving job-linked skill development training in the North-East India. He is also the founder of Imphal Business Incubation centre (IBIC) in Imphal, Manipur. He intends to do work which has a positive impact on the society. In his leisure, he loves watching sports, studying maps, reading facts and understanding spirituality.

MARK LAITFLANG STONE

FOUNDER & MD, AVENUES

Mark Laitflang Stone, Founder & MD, Avenues, is from Meghalaya and he started Avenues in 2003 when he was still a student. Avenues provides Life Skills, Personal Development, Communication and Career Readiness Coaching and Training Interventions. At present, he provides employment to 52 people and is working towards establishing a coaching presence on high school and college campuses across India and South East Asia through a range of interventions that build capacities to tackle the challenges of life. To be able to offer his team a life where they can work and live their passion is what keeps him motivated.

MEGHANATH SINGH

CO-FOUNDER & CEO, GISKAA

Although Meghanath Singh has been living outside of Manipur for the past 23 years, he has always had a continuous yearning to contribute something to his home state and the Northeast region. www.giskaa.com is an outcome of that yearning. He is the driving force behind the GISKAA team and is the torch bearer defining and shaping organizational strategies and team direction. Meghanath comes with more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry. He excels in providing technology leadership, product development, growing key customer accounts and leading offshore delivery organizations. He has extensive project and consulting experience, spearheading and delivering technology solutions globally across US, Europe and Japan. Prior to founding Catena Technologies, Meghanath worked with IMS Health, a global leader in healthcare data and technology solutions provider. He is originally from Manipur and is based in our Bangalore office. Meghanath spends his personal time with his family and pet dogs. He loves playing the guitar and is also a guitarist in a Heavy Metal band.

NEINGULIE NAKHRO

MANAGING DIRECTOR, UNITEX

Unitex Inc, in Kohima is the first of its kind in the North East, the music outlet has translated the vision of many musicians and artists into reality. Started in 2008, the showroom is a multi-brand outlet, with a unique demo-room facility, helping the musicians to synchronize the instrument before they buy it. Starting this venture at a time when many misconceptions about the North-east was common, the musical instrument shop is an attempt to change the image of the state. Unitex Inc is the reflection of the state's love for music and the growing craze among the youngsters of Nagaland to choose music as a profession ever since the state has given music the status of industry.

REWAJ CHETTRI

FOUNDER, NE TAXI

Rewaj Chettri, 23 Founder and CEO of NE Taxi completed graduation in Forestry from North-East Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Arunachal Pradesh. Started his ventures right from the college days in 2013 is now setting to become first tourist taxi aggregator. Other than NE Taxi he was previously engaged in numerous startups like Cisum- The Music App, Washer-On Demand Laundry and also runs Startup Harbour-Entrepreneurs Community and Feature Blog. He is listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 - Asia – Consumer Technology 2018.

RK VIJAY BYRSAT

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, COLKS

RK Vijay Byrsat, a zoologist by education, a banker by experience and an entrepreneur by passion, Vijay co-founded COLKS with the aim of establishing a Centre that would make a powerful impact towards society. He saw an opportunity in bringing about the farmers together, to impart knowledge to them and subsequently helping them in increasing their market share. However anyone with an experience will know to look for start-up capital and if you are from the North east. No one will believe in your vision. We at COLKS, form partnerships to open more roads for the farmers and within three months we made the amount that we borrow from the bank. Itis this partnership with Govt. Of Meghalaya and SAP. That we have been named one of the top 5 enterprises in the country. We continue to grow and are looking for bright minds to spread our vision both public and private. Each and every day we are learning new things and exploring new avenues to contribute and realize the dream of a developed north east region. Today, COLKS is a progressive and dynamic ecosystem. Creating Change, Changing Lives, that is the mantra we live by. We are not a social enterprise but more at making an Impact for our farmers.

TANUSHREE HAZARIKA

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ECLECTIC GROUP

A business management graduate from Boston University’s, School of Management, Tanushree Hazarika is a young entrepreneur based out of Assam, focusing on media & communications. She has worked previously in MNCs like Fidelity and Morgan Stanley in the US. Tanushree is known for her media brand, Eclectic Northeast through which she has been highlighting lesser known stories from Northeast India for more than a decade now. True to her entrepreneurial spirit, Tanushree soon started her 2nd venture, Tattva Creations in 2010, an agency, which provides brand & communication solutions to corporate and government. Tattva is into events, PR & advertising and digital marketing. One of her popular initiatives is the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival, which has become a landmark event in promoting Cinema from Northeast India and budding talents. Her latest venture is a not-for-profit organisation, Brahmaputra Foundation which is focusing on talent development from the region.

Meet The First Cohort of NEEF (North East Entrepreneurship Fellowship)

Meet the first Graduating Batch of North East Entrepreneurship Fellowship, class of 2017-18.