UDIT VANI Jamshedpur : XLRI Jamshedpur, India’s oldest management school, has announced the establishment of a dedicated Rural Business Incubation Centre titled XLRI Centre for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (XCITE). The Centre has been set up with a significant grant from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and aims to catalyse sustainable, innovation-led entrepreneurship in rural and semi-rural regions of the country.
XCITE has been envisioned as a structured incubation platform to support early-stage enterprises in agribusiness and allied non-farm sectors. The initiative seeks to drive employment generation, regional economic development, and inclusive growth. The Centre will extend support to entrepreneurs from 12 states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and all eight North-Eastern states—regions that are resource-rich yet underrepresented in formal entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the project will be formally signed on December 19, 2025, marking a significant milestone in XLRI’s long-standing engagement with rural development initiatives.
Speaking on the occasion, Fr. S. George SJ, Director, XLRI Jamshedpur, said that the launch of XCITE reflects the institution’s core philosophy of “Excellence with Integrity” and its commitment to creating meaningful impact beyond urban centres. He emphasized that the Centre aligns with XLRI’s mission of fostering responsible leadership and inclusive growth.
Prof. Saurav Snehvrat, Faculty In-charge of XCITE, stated that the Centre aspires to emerge as one of India’s leading rural business incubators by integrating rigorous management practices, grassroots insights, and technology-driven innovation to help rural enterprises scale sustainably.
Co-lead Prof. Tata L. Raghu Ram added that with NABARD’s support, XCITE will provide a robust incubation ecosystem comprising mentorship, business development assistance, market access, and financial linkages. He noted that the Centre would act as a bridge between promising rural ideas and viable, scalable enterprises capable of transforming local livelihoods and regional economies.
NABARD, India’s apex development financial institution for agriculture and rural development, supports eligible institutions nationwide in establishing Rural Business Incubation Centres. Through such initiatives, NABARD aims to strengthen entrepreneurial capacity in agriculture and allied sectors, enabling rural startups to transition from early-stage concepts to commercially viable ventures. XLRI and NABARD envision XCITE as a centre of excellence for nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Eastern and North-Eastern India.
