IIT Guwahati Hosts MC²+ Ignite, Unveils New Innovation Hub for the Northeast

Hon'ble Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma was chief guest at MC²+ Ignite, held at IIT Guwahati's Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Auditorium on 10 Sept 2026, where he spoke to a gathering of over 200 start-ups, 1,500 registrants, and nearly a thousand students about the growing promise of entrepreneurship and technology-led innovation in the Northeast. The event brought together policymakers, PSU leaders, academics and young innovators, to build a strong and collaborative innovation ecosystem for the region.

Published 11 Sept 2026 | Category Meetings and Conferences | Office Technology Innovation Hub

Calling for a stronger and more collaborative innovation ecosystem in the Northeast, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the growing potential of entrepreneurship and technology-led innovation to drive economic growth and create new opportunities for the region. He was speaking at the MC2 + Ignite Outreach Programme, hosted by the Technology Incubation Centre, IIT Guwahati, on Thursday at the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Auditorium, IIT Guwahati.

200+ Start-ups, 1,500 Registrations: Northeast's Start-up Ecosystem at the Center Stage

The programme, centred on the theme "Start-Up Ecosystem in the Northeast Region," brought together start-ups, students, entrepreneurs, policymakers, industry leaders and academic institutions to explore pathways for strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

The event witnessed more than 200 start-ups, over 1,500 registrations and approximately 1,000 students, underscoring the growing interest in the start-up ecosystem among young innovators and entrepreneurs. Oil India Limited served as the anchor PSU for the programme.

The event provided a platform for emerging enterprises from the Northeast to engage with leading public-sector organisations and ecosystem stakeholders, with discussions focusing on technology development, industry collaboration, funding, deployment and opportunities for scaling innovative solutions.

Inside MC²: India's First PSU-Backed Energy Innovation Platform, Backed by ₹455 Crore

MC² Foundation is conceived under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum C Natural Gas (MoPNG) to create a dedicated national platform for taking indigenous energy technologies from the laboratory to the field.

Backed by a consortium of Oil C Gas CPSEs comprising ONGC, Oil India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, GAIL and Petronet LNG, MC2 has a committed corpus of ₹455 crore over five years. It is India's first PSU-backed energy innovation platform and is chaired by Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

MC² Moves Ideas From the Lab to the Field

MC² seeks to bridge the gap between technology innovation and commercial deployment by providing an integrated pathway covering discovery through national Grand Challenges, milestone-linked grant funding, co-development with academic and CPSE research centres, field pilots within live PSU installations, regulatory support through a sector sandbox and a defined procurement pathway into CPSE demand.

For instance, the event saw the inauguration of a dedicated MC2+ Co-Working Space and Innovation Node at the NRL Centre, Guwahati by Hon'ble CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with more than 50 workstations, 16 cabins, and dedicated rooms for investors and technical consultants, is designed to provide start-ups with the infrastructure, expertise and industry connections needed to accelerate innovation and growth.

The facility will also serve as an important platform for start-ups in the Northeast, enabling them to connect their indigenous innovations with the requirements, expertise and capabilities of major public-sector enterprises.

The initiative also seeks to foster closer collaboration among government, academia, industry and entrepreneurs, creating a more integrated and sustainable innovation ecosystem in the region.

Collaboration and Connection

The strong participation at IIT Guwahati reflected the emergence of the Northeast as a promising hub for entrepreneurship and technology innovation. The programme reaffirmed the commitment of IIT Guwahati, Oil India Limited and other stakeholders towards creating greater opportunities for regional start-ups to develop, scale and contribute to India's technology-driven growth.

The programme featured participation from several distinguished leaders, including Dr Ravi Kota IAS Chief Secretary, Government of Assam; Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati; Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor IIT Madras; Dr Ranjit Rath Chairman C Managing Director, Oil India Limited; Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Phukan, Managing Director, Numaligarh Refinery Limited; Shri Sandeep Maheshwari, CEO MC2 Foundation and Dr Jeevan Basavaraj IAS Secretary, Department of Innovation and Startups, Government of Assam.