Sabitlenmiş Tweet
my piece on how Startups are helping the artisan community in J&K! For @Inc42
inc42.com/resources/how-…
English
Irtif Lone
1.8K posts
Irtif Lone
@IrtifLone
Startup Ecosystem Specialist. Mentor. Investment Advisor.Avid Reader. Casual Traveller. Occasional Writer. Building Startup Ecosystem in J&K.
Jammu And Kashmir Katılım Ocak 2010
263 Takip Edilen644 Takipçiler
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Can India's next unicorn grow on an apple tree?
I keep thinking about Kashmir. Not just the orchards stretching for miles, the smell of earth and apples, but a question that has hovered over the Valley's startup ecosystem for years: can it produce a unicorn?
@OrchardlyApp might just have an answer.
"Farmers do not resist innovation," co-founder Ehsan Quddusi told me when we met in Srinagar last week. "They resist complexity."
Most people blame Kashmir's apple troubles on climate or cheap imports. Ehsan says that diagnoses the wrong problem. The real one is the thousands of decisions made every season without data.
His solution isn't just an app. It's an operating system for Kashmir's orchards: soil testing, AI advisories, physical stores, genetics. They have even helped enable the first commercial cherry exports to Singapore and Dubai.
Bootstrapped. $2M revenue. 15,000+ growers. EBITDA-positive from day one.
Can a model built this deep in Kashmir scale beyond the Valley? The software can travel across India. The trust, the relationships and the local intelligence are much harder to replicate.
This is what gives us the most joy at YourStory: spotlighting founders building real, resilient businesses where it matters most.
Read on. yourstory.com/2026/07/orchar…
Cc: @PremManukonda @AdithCharlie
New Delhi, India 🇮🇳 English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Whether you're a student, startup founder, Join an inspiring Half-Day Startup Orientation Session with Prof. Sunil Handa- one of India's most respected entrepreneurship mentors.
🗓️6th August
🕥10:00 AM
📍JKEDI Pampore
🎯Register
forms.gle/5xJcECcdhVqAeY…
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
A kilo of apples: ₹80 in September, ₹220 by January.
India produced a record apple crop, yet spent $418 million importing 5.6 lakh tonnes in 2024-25.
Why?
Because India owns the harvest, but not the year.
For four months, domestic apples flood the market. For the next eight, gaps in storage, grading and processing allow imports to fill the shelves.
The opportunity is not simply to grow more. It is to keep premium fruit sellable longer, turn lower-grade apples into juice and concentrate and build a supply chain that earns throughout the year.
In my latest deep dive with @AdithCharlie and @PremManukonda, we explore a billion-dollar opportunity hiding in plain sight for entrepreneurs. Read the full story on @YourStoryCo and tell me what you think! yourstory.com/2026/07/india-…
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Honestly, I'll take a builder over a commentator any day.
That's exactly what India is getting right in education now.
Aadhaar. UPI. FASTag. Nandan Nilekani didn't just show up; he showed how.
Now he will bring that same get-it-done mindset to exam reform.
Millions of futures on the line.
Great move by PM @narendramodi for the youth of our country.
Right builder. Right time.
Btw, here's my 2-year-old chat with @NandanNilekani on the future of learning.
English
Thank you, @SharmaShradha for being a part of ASCEND J&K 2026 and for capturing the spirit of Jammu & Kashmir's startup ecosystem so beautifully.
Your words reflect the resilience, ambition, and potential of our entrepreneurs. Together we can build a thriving startup ecosystem.
Shradha Sharma@SharmaShradha
Jammu & Kashmir has over 3.5 million young people. And please go to Kashmir to see the hope and the spirit and the “drive to bring change” residing in the young hearts. One thing I heard repeatedly: private industry never really took off in a big way. We know the last few decades have been difficult. But instead of giving in to those circumstances, a new generation of founders is choosing to change the trajectory. Entrepreneurs like Manik Bandral (CLMRAT), Sheikh Yameen (E-Curve), Aquil Rasool (Halal Nation), Rahul Bhola (Studio Agama), Ayush Divyansh (MAC Fly), Syed Ashfaq (CRED), and Atul Vinod Duggal (AVD) are building companies that create jobs, inspire confidence, and give young people a reason to stay and build. They are not just building startups. They are helping write a new economic story for Kashmir. Kashmir’s next chapter won’t be written by conflict. It will be written by its young people and their startups.) Kudos to @IrtifLone and team for organising the biggest startup event in Srinagar. For inspiration, please go to Kashmir 💗💗
Chadoora, Jammu & Kashmir 🇮🇳 English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
भविष्य पर विश्वास किसी आँकड़े से नहीं, भारत के युवाओं से मिलता है।
और जब कश्मीर की बेटियों से मिलती हूँ, तो यह भरोसा और गहरा हो जाता है।
कश्मीर का भविष्य बहसों से नहीं, इस नई पीढ़ी के सपनों से लिखा जाएगा। 🇮🇳
#KashmirStories #startups
हिन्दी
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Visionaries. Innovators. Changemakers.
Welcome Kanchana KV, CEO, NICE, to ASCEND J&K 2026—where the future of entrepreneurship takes shape.
📍 SKICC, Srinagar | 📅 23–24 July 2026
#ASCENDJK2026 #JKEDI #StartupEcosystem #Innovation
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Irtif Lone retweetledi
The momentum continues!
We are delighted to announce Vijay Vir Singh, Senior Vice President – Incubation, Amity Innovation Incubator & Portfolio Management Lead, Amity Capital Ventures, as a distinguished delegate at #ASCEND J&K 2026 – J&K's Biggest-ever Startup Ecosystem Summit
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Another inspiring voice joins #ASCENDJK2026!
Welcoming Shraddha Sharma, Founder of YourStory, to J&K's biggest-ever Startup Ecosystem Summit.
The countdown has begun. More visionaries.More opportunities.More momentum.
#ASCENDJK2026 #JKEDI #YourStory #StartupEcosystem #Innovation
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
One more leader. One more perspective. One step closer to an unforgettable summit.
Kuldeep Mirani, CEO of Beyond Seed, joins the growing community of delegates at ASCEND J&K 2026.
The countdown continues.
#AscendJK2026 #JKEDI #StartupEcosystem #BeyondSeed #StartupIndia
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Delegate Spotlight | ASCEND J&K 2026
We're pleased to announce Sanya Kalani, Accelerator & Investments at Build3,as one of our distinguished delegates at ASCEND J&K 2026 – Startup Ecosystem Summit
📅 July 23–24, 2026
📍 SKICC, Srinagar
See you at J&K's biggest ever startup summit
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Innovation. Collaboration. Opportunity
welcome Dr. Sunil K. Shekhawat, CEO & Co-Founder, Sanchiconnect, to ASCEND J&K 2026, where innovators, founders, investors, & changemakers will converge to accelerate the next wave of entrepreneurship.
📅 23–24 July 2026
📍 SKICC, Srinagar
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Funding fuels innovation. Vision drives change.
Joining #ASCENDJK2026 is Stanley Stephen, Managing Director, Small Ticket Funding.
Get ready for inspiring conversations on startup investments, founder journeys, & building next generation of high-impact ventures.
📢Stay tuned!
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Startup ecosystem is built on shared knowledge, meaningful connections, & visionary leadership.
We are pleased to welcome Komal Nailwal,Consultant at Northern Trust Corporation & Angel Investor as a delegate at ASCEND J&K 2026
📅 July 23–24, 2026
📍 SKICC, Srinagar
Register Here!
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
The biggest-ever #Startup Summit of J&K is almost here!. J&K’s startup ecosystem is ready to rise, connect and accelerate.
Stay tuned for more updates. The momentum has just begun!
@OfficeOfLGJandK @CM_JnK @OmarAbdullah @OfficeofDYCMJK @startupindia @DoIC_JK @diprjk
English
strong story telling and brilliant video quality!
Mussarat Zia@mussarat_zia
From a modest beginning in 2025, to aggressive marketing in 2026. We will take you through a memorable journey from the Glamour of Art to the Toil of the Artisan, a media blitzkrieg to remember. Join us, in support of #KashmirHandicrafts. @diprjk @dohhkmr @TexMinIndia @GreaterKashmir @RisingKashmir
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
From #Doda to #Poonch - talent from remote districts takes the spotlight at #JKEDI Startup Idea Challenge Final Pitch!
#Innovation #JKStartupPolicy
@OfficeOfLGJandK @CM_JnK @OmarAbdullah @OfficeofDYCMJK @DullooAtal @DoIC_JK @mandeep082 @startupindia @diprjk
English
Irtif Lone retweetledi
Day 2of JK Startups at Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025! With impactful ideas, our startups are ready to connect, collaborate, and create the future. #JKEDI #BengaluruTechSummit2025 #Innovation #StartupIndia
@GreaterKashmir
@DailyExcelsior1
@RisingKashmir
English