Startups to tackle governance challenges at Goa’s market access expo

Panaji: From waste management and agri-fintech tools to govt recruitment and tourism experiences, startups are being offered a testbed to help the state transition to tech-enabled governance. The department of information technology, electronics and communications has brought on board the Goa Public Service Commission, Nabard, the tourism department, and the Goa Waste Management Corporation for a one-day market access expo where govt officials and industry representatives will sit face-to-face with startups to solve governance challenges.

According to officials with the Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC), over 350 startups will participate in the Goa Market Access Expo 2025, which is expected to be held this month.

“The whole idea is to allow startups to interact with industry and govt allowing them to solve problems that govt departments face. There were 18-20 problems that were listed, but then there was a discussion that there are technologies and products beyond the problem statements that we identified but may be beneficial for the industry or other departments,” said D S Prashant, the chief executive officer of SITPC.

He said that startups and student innovators who registered for the Goa Open Innovation Challenge were invited to work with govt agencies, departments, and the tourism sector to solve problems. Currently, 65 Goan startups have registered for the market access expo. According to Prashant, the participating departments, including Nabard, will present specific problems such as complexities in public service recruitment processes, inefficient waste tracking systems, and outdated rural credit mechanisms, for which startups are expected to design and present targeted solutions.

In the agri-finance sector, Nabard is seeking tech interventions to modernise cooperative credit compliance. For Nabard, the focus areas include the development of agri-fintech tools for rural lending, the digitisation of cooperative banks, and improving access to finance. Prashant said that the expo is a step to demonstrate Goa’s larger ambitions of becoming a technology-driven governance state. The startup promotion cell has stated that successful prototypes will be considered for piloting opportunities post-event, with potential for long-term integration into govt service delivery systems.