Him-CONNECT - 2026

Background:

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, in collaboration with TERI, organised Him-CONNECT, a three-day start-up mela and innovation showcase, on 25–27 February 2026 at Taj Palace, alongside the 25th Edition of World Sustainable Development Summit 2026 (WSDS) hosted by TERI. Him-CONNECT was inaugurated on 25 February 2026 by Honourable Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav.

The event was conceived as a unique platform to bring together innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to highlight technological solutions emerging from research conducted in the Himalayan region.

Him-CONNECT was conceptualized under the framework of the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), a flagship initiative of MoEFCC aimed at generating scientific knowledge and innovative solutions for the sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

Objectives:

The primary objectives of Him-CONNECT were to create a dynamic platform that connects scientific innovation with entrepreneurship, investment, and market opportunities in the Indian Himalayan Region. The key objectives included:

i) Showcasing innovative technologies and pilot projects developed under NMHS; 
ii) Promoting commercialization and scaling-up through industry and investor engagement; 
iii) Facilitating interaction among innovators, start-ups, incubators, and investors; 
iv) Strengthening lab-to-market linkages for Himalayan technologies; 
v) Encouraging entrepreneurship, incubation, and mentorship support; and 
vi) Fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable development in the Himalayan region.

Thematic Areas of Technology Showcase:

The technologies and pilots showcased during Him-CONNECT focused on eight thematic areas:

1. Waste-to-wealth innovations 
2. Climate-resilient infrastructure development 
3. Innovative water management and treatment technologies 
4. Agricultural innovations 
5. Innovations in processing techniques 
6. Sustainable utilisation of bio-resources 
7. Dairying innovations 
8. Harnessing green energy

Participation and Institutional Representation:

Him-CONNECT brought together a strong cohort of 30 organisations and initiatives representing research institutions, universities, NGOs, and innovation platforms across the Himalayan and North-Eastern regions. The event showcased technologies and innovations from leading institutions including IITs, NITs, Kumaon University, University of Kashmir, NEHU, and Central Agricultural University, Imphal. Key national research institutions such as CSIR–CRRI, CSIR–IHBT, G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), and TERI also participated. In addition, EIACP centres from Himalayan states contributed to the exhibition and knowledge-sharing activities.

Key Outcomes of Him-CONNECT:

Him-CONNECT achieved several important outcomes:

i) Showcased 30 innovative technologies and models developed under NMHS and related initiatives. 
ii) Facilitated direct interaction between innovators, investors, and incubators, strengthening commercialization pathways. 
iii) 19 angel investors, start-up founders and stakeholders showed their interest for scaling several showcased technologies. 
iv) Greater visibility of Himalayan innovations among more than 2,000 national and international stakeholders participating in the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS). 
v) Strengthened lab-to-market linkages, enabling researchers to explore entrepreneurship and industry collaboration opportunities.

URL: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/moefcc-to-organise-him-connect-during-wsds-2026-in-new-delhi/