Goa government offers new incentives for startups

Panaji: The government of Goa is supporting startups through new incentives and seed capital. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant led a meeting to discuss and approve various applications for funding and benefits. The empowered committee for startups evaluated requests for seed capital and salary reimbursements. They also looked at applications for co-working space subsidies. This committee is responsible for making decisions under the Goa Startup Policy. During the meeting, six startups presented their business ideas, which included healthcare services, an AI platform for skill development, and a logistics company. They requested funding from the Seed Capital grant scheme. Additionally, the committee received 11 applications for co-working space subsidies from companies like Blits Homeofarm and Rachane Engineering Solution. There were also four requests for the Rental Lease Scheme and two for the salary subsidy scheme. The government stated that Goa's startup scene is growing quickly, with nearly 600 recognized startups in fields like IT, tourism, and sustainability. So far, Rs 3.6 crore has been distributed to help 135 startups expand. The government is focused on improving policies and streamlining the application process.