States » NorthPosted at: Sep 19 2026 11:41PM


Punjab seeks to keep young entrepreneurs within the state with startup push, Mann says

Chandigarh, Sep 19 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday said his government wanted young people to be able to build businesses and create jobs within the state rather than leave in search of opportunities abroad, as he pitched Punjab as a destination for startups and new investment.
Speaking at the Indian School of Business Leadership Summit 2026 in Mohali, Mann said the government was seeking to combine early-stage funding, incubation and institutional support to encourage entrepreneurship.
“Our objective is clear: Punjab's youth should not have to leave the state and go abroad in search of opportunities,” Mann said. “We want to create an environment where young people can dream, innovate, start businesses and generate employment in Punjab itself.”
Mann said the government had established a Startup Centre to help turn business ideas into viable ventures and was encouraging entrepreneurship among school students through its “Business Blasters” programme.
Under the programme, students are provided seed money to develop business ideas, he said.
“Our youth have no shortage of talent. What they need are the right wings to fly,” Mann said.
The chief minister said some ideas developed by students at the state's Schools of Eminence were innovative and commercially useful and that the government was helping secure patents for them.
Mann also used the summit to make a broader investment pitch, saying Punjab needed to expand its industrial base while retaining agriculture as a central part of its economy.
“Punjab may be an agriculture-dominated state, but new industries must come to Punjab for the next phase of development,” he said. “Agriculture and industry will have to move forward together.”
He said Mohali was developing as a centre for technology, entrepreneurship and innovation and cited the startup incubator at Kalkat Bhawan as part of the state's support infrastructure for emerging businesses.
Mann invited industrialists and investors to expand their presence in Punjab, saying the government was trying to create a transparent and investor-friendly policy environment.
“When government policy, private investment, entrepreneurial energy and institutions such as ISB work together, Punjab can have immense possibilities,” he said.
Addressing students, Mann said leadership should not be viewed merely in terms of holding positions.
“Leadership is about taking initiative, bringing people together, solving problems and creating opportunities for others,” he said.
He urged students to identify problems they could solve and institutions they could build rather than restricting themselves to conventional career paths.
“Think about the problems you can solve, the institutions you can build and the opportunities you can create for others,” Mann said.
Mann said Punjab's agricultural strength alone would not be sufficient to meet future employment needs and argued that entrepreneurship and industrialisation would be crucial to generating jobs.
He also called on ISB alumni to invest in Punjab, mentor young entrepreneurs and help develop new businesses.
“Punjab is ready to partner with industry, academia, entrepreneurs and investors to build a stronger and more prosperous future,” Mann said.
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