Jamshedpur
(Jharkhand) [India], July 15: XCITE (XLRI Council for Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship), the
Rural Business Incubator
established at
XLRI – Xavier School of Management
with the support of
NABARD
, has announced the launch of applications for its
first incubation cohort
, inviting aspiring entrepreneurs from across
12 Eastern and North-Eastern states of India
to build
sustainable, high-impact rural enterprises
.
The incubation programme is open to entrepreneurs from
Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura
. XCITE seeks to identify and nurture
innovative ventures
that address
rural challenges
while creating
sustainable livelihoods
and contributing to
inclusive economic growth
.
The incubator places
special emphasis on women-led and tribal-led enterprises
, as well as ventures operating in sectors such as
agriculture, off-farm livelihoods, Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), handicrafts, rural services, sustainability, green energy, circular economy
, and other
rural livelihood domains
. The programme aims to support enterprises that are
market-driven, scalable
, and capable of generating
long-term social and economic impact
within rural communities.
Selected entrepreneurs will participate in a
six-month hybrid incubation programme
, comprising
virtual mentoring sessions
and
immersive on-campus bootcamps
at
XLRI, Jamshedpur
. Participants will receive
grant support of up to ₹5 lakh
, along with
structured mentorship
from domain experts,
business model development support
,
market access guidance
,
investor and ecosystem linkages
,
peer learning opportunities
, and access to the extensive networks of
XLRI and NABARD
.
Speaking on the launch,
Mr. Ravish Vasan, CEO, XCITE
, said:
“XCITE aims to nurture enterprises that combine commercial viability with social impact, enabling rural communities to become active participants in India’s growth story.”
Applications for the inaugural cohort are open until 25th July 2026.
Entrepreneurs may submit their applications online at:
https://xcite.accubate.app/ext/form/23776/1/apply
For further information, interested entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners may connect with
XCITE, XLRI – Xavier School of Management
.
For more details:
https://xlri.ac.in/xcite
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