• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum’s fourth edition took place in New Delhi on March 19th, 2024.
• The initiative focused on broadening startup interactions among the SCO Member States, fostering an environment conducive to innovation, promoting job creation, and inspiring young talent to develop innovative solutions.
• India will host the second meeting of the SWG in November 2024 and the SCO Startup Forum 5.0 in January 2025.

HISTORY:

• In 2020, India proposed an initiative to create a new pillar of cooperation between the SCO Member States, recognizing the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving and diversifying an economy.
• During the SCO Heads of State Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 16th, 2022, all Member States agreed to establish a Special Working Group for Startups and Innovation (SWG).
• The Startup Working Group (SWG) was established to promote collaboration among SCO Member States, not only to benefit the startup ecosystem but also to accelerate regional economic development.
• After several rounds of meetings chaired by DPIIT, the Member States approved and adopted the Regulations of the SWG, making it a permanent entity to be chaired by India in SCO starting from 2023.

SPECIAL WORKING GROUP:

• The first Meeting of the SCO Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation (SWG), permanently chaired by India, was organised on the theme ‘Growing from Roots’ in 2023.
• 25 representatives from the 9 SCO Member States participated in the meeting and presented their respective startup ecosystems and prospective areas of collaboration related to the agriculture and animal husbandry sectors covered in the theme.

ABOUT SCO:

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a eight-member multilateral organisation, established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China. Its members are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.