The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is organising ‘Him-CONNECT’, as part of the The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS), from 25^th - 27^th February 2026 in New Delhi. ‘Him-CONNECT’ is a platform aimed at connecting researchers working in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) with start-ups, investors and policymakers to enable the scaling and on-ground application of their research outcomes. It will be open to visitors on 26.02.2026 and 27.02.2026.

More than 24 technologies, prototypes, patents and pilot projects developed for the fragile ecosystem of the Indian Himalayan Region under the Ministry’s National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) will be showcased during Him-CONNECT. The event will be attended by over 100 start-ups, incubators, investors and policymakers.

While NMHS has supported a wide range of locally relevant, science-based innovations, many of these technologies require structured pathways for commercialisation, deployment and adoption. Him-CONNECT serves as a link, creating a collaborative ecosystem where innovations meet enterprise.

The 24 innovators represent premier institutions, including IITs (Guwahati, Roorkee, Jodhpur, Jammu, Ropar and Mandi), CSIR institutions (CRRI and IHBT), Central Agricultural University, Imphal, NITs (Silchar and Arunachal Pradesh), SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir, TERI-Guwahati, Kumaon University and G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), among others.

Drawing on NMHS’s decade-long support to over 250+ action-oriented initiatives, Him-CONNECT will exhibit field-validated, market-ready solutions in crucial sectors including water security, climate adaptation, waste-to-wealth, sustainable building, renewable energy, and nature-based livelihoods. In order to facilitate collaborations, pilot deployments and funding channels, the platform will link start-ups, researchers, investors, industrial partners, development organisations, and government stakeholders.

Key innovations on display include eco-friendly road construction, treated wastewater use for hydroponic farming, conversion of sericulture waste into burn ointments, low-cost mineralised water purifiers, pine needle-based wastewater treatment systems, decentralised wastewater reuse solutions for the Himalayas and yak milk cottage cheese processing technologies, among others.

Him-CONNECT also reflects India’s commitment to solution-oriented climate leadership and South-South cooperation, offering pathways for partnership, co-financing, and replication across other mountain and fragile regions globally. By aligning science with finance and policy, Him-CONNECT seeks to accelerate climate resilience, green growth, and sustainable development—from the Himalaya to the world.

The Indian Himalayan Region, a highly complex and diverse mountain system with unique biological and physical attributes, is considered a life support system for millions of people living in the uplands and many more in the downstream regions of India. It plays a crucial role as a climate regulator for much of Asia and is globally recognised for its sacred, spiritual and philosophical significance.

In this context, the National Mission on Himalayan Studies seeks to provide targeted interventions in the IHR by supporting research and innovation addressing key issues related to conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. Over the last decade, the Mission has supported pioneering research, resulting in a wide range of technologies, patents, prototypes and innovative models addressing critical challenges such as water security, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods and waste management.

Website link (with brochure having contact details of innovators): https://wsds.teriin.org/2026/him-connect.php

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