Gangtok: Travel startup ‘Our Guest’ earns venture capital worth Rs 1 crore from North East Venture Capital Limited under NEDFI. This is the first time a startup from Sikkim has received a venture capital as high as the Gangtok-based travel startup, running across North East India.
Our Guest co-founders Pintso Gyatso and Karma Thutob were awarded the cheque by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay on the occasion of third edition of Entrepreneurs Meet at AIC -SMUTBI at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology.
The duo has registered their company under the name Topview Infolabs Private Limited and provide assisted travelling to tourists not just in Sikkim but in various parts of North East India.
Speaking with EastMojo, Pintso Gyatso shared, “This is a seed fund and we had pitched it to the North East Venture Capital Limited. This is not a loan but a venture capital wing, through which we earned Rs 1 crore for ‘Our Guest’. The deal was closed 10 -15 days ago. We had started operations in 2017, battling the pandemic in between when tourism had been really hit. We deal with homestays, off-beat properties, and the tours and travels around them.”
“We have plans to promote off-beat locations, not only in Sikkim but in North Bengal and other parts of North East India. North East Venture Capital believed in our plans, business and ideas, among many other venture capitals we tried to get in touch with,” Gyatso added. They extended their gratitude to AIC SMUTBI in helping them close the deal.
The event also saw 9 business ventures under AIC-SMUTBI being awarded their graduation certificates, including Topview Infolabs Private Limited, among others.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay, in his address at the event, extended his arms for support to entrepreneurs and business ventures in the state. He particularly targeted developing Sikkim’s own non-alcoholic beverages.
He said, “We end up promoting non-alcoholic drinks like Soju from Japan and others, but there is massive room for developing our own non-alcoholic beverages in Sikkim. From locally-developed Chaang to even Raksi (alcoholic), or even Moi (butter milk), along with various varieties of fruit wines and juices in Sikkim. This has for long been part of our tradition and the right way ahead would be to promote them,” the chief minister said.
The CM also asserted on investment in unorthodox ventures and sub-regional ventures. He suggested entrepreneurs in attendance to venture into businesses related to spices, bamboo, traditional or organic medicines, slow food, and naturopathy, among others.
He also welcomed the idea of mountain ports in Sikkim, urging the entrepreneurs to take advantage of the unique topography of Sikkim.
Golay urged the entrepreneurs in Sikkim to work in accordance with the North East Region Vision 2035, while promoting Make In India and Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiatives launched by the Government of India.
The event had addresses from Sikkim Manipal University Vice Chancellor Lieutenant General Dr. Rajen S Grewal, AIC SMUTBI CEO Tej Chingtham, NEDFI CMD PVSLN Murthy, and Anjani Bansal from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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