Jamshedpur, July 15: XCITE, 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 , 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.