Shillong, Oct 12: Meghalaya today launched the Chief Minister’s Innovation Contest 2026 offering Rs 5 lakh each to the top three winners and a government-backed digital marketplace for local service providers.
The announcements were made at the Chief Minister’s Youth and Innovation Summit 2026 organised by PRIME Meghalaya and MBMA in collaboration with IIM Shillong.
The PRIME Digital Service Provider Platform (DSPP) — billed as the State’s first government-backed marketplace, has onboarded 64 verified providers including electricians, plumbers, tailors and cleaners, with more registrations underway. The platform aims to connect households and businesses with skilled local workers.
Rs 80 lakh in grants was disbursed to 13 entrepreneurs under PRIME Grant — Small Support, InnoVenture and Kickstart categories.
Addressing the summit, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the aim is to make Meghalaya a destination for innovation and investment. “We can only be the catalyst, we can only provide you the platform but ultimately, it is you who’s going to take the idea and convert it into a viable business,” he said, assuring support to take local ventures global.
The Innovation Contest will identify and scale solutions for real-world challenges in Meghalaya and link innovators with government and technical experts.
The summit also showcased the Chief Minister’s Business Catalyst (CMBC) programme. Seventeen winners from MIT University, St Anthony’s, St Edmund’s, St Mary’s and Captain Williamson Sangma State University were awarded.
MBMA Executive Director Saloni Verma said 60 students from 15 colleges across five districts were mentored under CMBC by IIM Shillong.
