Entrepreneurs Association Innovation Fund Award launched

Three innovators from the state conferred with EAIF
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 26 (EMN): With entrepreneurship becoming the latest trend across the world and considered as an asset for creating wealth of any given society, the Entrepreneurs Associates with an objective to encourage and support young entrepreneurs of the state, has constituted the ‘Entrepreneurs Associations Innovation Fund’ (EAIF) Award.
The first edition of EAIF 2018 was launched by the state chief minister, Neiphiu Rio at a grand programme held on Friday, Oct. 26 at RCEMPA, Jotsoma. The first edition of EAIF award 2018 recognises the innovations of three young innovators from Nagaland.
Having a strong belief that an innovative mind will address the ever-changing market demands and catalyst change for economic growth, EA through this award expressed hope to ignite the innovative and scientific temper in the society and open doors, which were inaccessible before.
Pioneering the global movement of innovation in Nagaland, EA through this award acknowledge ideas developed by innovators using innovative processes that have the potential to change the course of history, industry, business and economy.
The Entrepreneurs Associations Innovation Fund (EAIF) Award is conferred to innovators not only from Nagaland, but from the Northeast Region on innovations along the themes of technology; clean energy, education, health, environment, livelihoods and research.
This award, it stated was conceptualized with the main objective to support innovators to prototype, experiment and realize their innovations, and EA was optimistic that this initiative will go a long way to make Nagaland ‘The Hub’ for innovation in the Northeast of India.
Meanwhile, EAIF award 2018 carries a cash award of INR 2 lakh spread over a period three years, including mentoring and incubation support by EA and experts in the field connected through EA network.

The Feast of Merit Entrepreneurship (FoME) Award
Also striving to uplift and carry the society forward as a part of its own success through the ‘Feast of Merit’ practice by our forefather, the Entrepreneurs Associates started the ‘Feast of Merit Entrepreneurship’ (FoME) Award
FoME Award, it informed is channelled through Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST), a 200 hours rigorous training on entrepreneurship. FoME award is an interest free loan upto INR 1 lakh to best trainees who are adjudged on various parameters.
The 11 awardees of FoME award 2018 are Munosang from Pungro Town under Kiphire district with a business plan for furniture production unit and store; Chezhuto Yeptho has a plan for a ‘Tea House Cafe’ specialising in varieties of finest quality tea; Moajungla Pongen for poultry farming; Sentinaro for home delivery service for vegetables; Kupto Assumi, a student for expansion and diversification of stationery shop; Davis Tungoe for fruit shop; Sungjemmar Jamir for fast food restaurant; Chonben Shitio for fast food home delivery service; Vikai Jimo for selling organic food produce and Kewipunlu Chewang for retail clothing store.

The 3 recipient of the first edition of EAIF award 2018
Zenwang Konyak: Inventor of ‘U-Harvest or Umbrella Harvest’, Konyak, a young scientist hails from the remote village of Nangtan in Mon district and is a B.Sc student from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma.
Konyak is said to have come up with the invention to address water scarcity in Nagaland during the dry seasons, despite the abundant monsoon rains. U-Harvest is a simple technology designed to harvest rain water by installing it at homes, offices or any buildings, jhum fields and even during outdoor trips.
He has to his credit the ‘Ashoka Youth Venturer’ 2018 for his book ‘Grow your plants’, awarded 5th position at the Tech Expo IIT, Guwahati 2016 for his ‘Tea leaves cutting machine’ and has other innovations like the Hydrowingen to his name.
Peihauding Zeliang: Described as a diligent M.Sc student from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, and a notable innovator, Zeliang is the inventor of ‘Organic healing paste’ and ‘Bio-enhancer’.
Zeliang, who hails from Benreu village, Jalukie is said to have a strong zeal to uplift the economy of his community through his innovations. He is also the inventor of a ‘plant organic absorbing device’ (POAD), a technology that extracts minerals from plants without harming it and also topped the IIT Tech Expo, Guwahati, and declared the ‘Best Northeast project’.
Tsenshithung Yanthan: Yanthan from Wokha district is the inventor of the ‘Band Saw’, a portable sawmill assembled with discarded scrap materials, except the cutting blades. Successfully tested, the portable sawmill was said to have cut more than 500 cubic feet of timber.
Out of sheer desperation to build a good house for his family to live in, Yanthan invented the portable sawmill out. His innovation is set to bridge the gap in rural areas where people continue to use manual lumbering and also put an end to the use of elephants for hauling timber.