PNN
Agartala (Tripura) [India], November 4: In a region celebrated for tea gardens and handicrafts rather than technological ambition, a quiet revolution is unfolding. Codonmind Nexus Private Limited, the Northeast's pioneering neurotechnology startup, is developing brain-computer interface devices and advanced neurological research tools positioned to compete with national players in a market projected to reach USD 164 million in India by 2030.
Leading this venture is Dr. Saikat Kar, a 31-year-old neuroscientist whose trajectory defies conventional expectations. From a ₹2,000 rented room in Agartala to prestigious research positions at Harvard Medical School and the University of Edinburgh, Kar has returned home with an audacious conviction: cutting-edge neuroscience and entrepreneurship can thrive in India's peripheral regions.
Unlike typical Indian startups clustered in Bangalore, Pune, and Gurgaon, Codonmind Nexus operates from Agartala, developing prototypes for both clinical healthcare and consumer wellness markets. The company's dual-focus strategy acknowledges a critical reality. Timing proves strategic. Tripura has recorded 66% growth in startup recognitions over five yearsthe highest among Northeastern states. The state's Tripura Startup Policy 2024, launched in January 2025, provides incubation support, operational funding, and access to national schemes nurturing entrepreneurs. "Tripura stands at an important inflection point," noted Jeya Ragul Geshan B, IFS, Director of IT for the Government of Tripura, at the Tamil Nadu Global Startup Summit 2025.
Dr. Kar's journeyknown to thousands of students as "Dr. SK Sir"challenges the narrative of necessity-driven migration. Son of a lower-division clerk earning below ₹12,000 monthly, he attended Khowai Government English Medium School initially where he confronted inadequate teaching resources. Despite these constraints, he became Tripura's AIPMT state topper in 2012 from Shishu Bihar Higher Secondary School. Limited knowledge about central counseling and financial constraints led him to AGMC rather than premiere medical institutions. What could have concluded as a story of missed chances became one of deliberate self-education and intellectual ambition.
His acceptance to Harvard Medical School's Global Clinical Research Scholar Program and a Neuroscience Research Masters at the University of Edinburgh in 2022 marked him as the first in his extended family to pursue STEM education abroad. At Edinburgh, he joined The Physiological Society, Royal Society of Biology, and Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), completed five research projects, published in top-tier scientific journals, and filed UK patentsall while maintaining full-time coursework.
In 2023, with secured job offers from UK institutions, Kar made a surprising choice: he would return to Agartala. Rather than leveraging international credentials for comfortable careers in Boston or Edinburgh, he rebuilt his educational institute, assembled a team of scientists and engineers, and began developing neurotech prototypes while publishing high-quality research. His platform, Dr. SK's Biology, transcends conventional entrance exam preparation. It serves as a proving ground for translating complex neuroscience concepts into accessible frameworksa skill directly transferable to designing user-centered neurotechnology products.
While India accounts for only 2.5% of the global brain-computer interface market, domestic demand surges due to increasing mental health awareness, and growing wearable adoption. Codonmind Nexus directly addresses this critical gap with research-backed solutions. Deep-tech ventures face familiar obstacles: prohibitive development costs, complex regulatory pathways, and sustained funding challenges. Yet Tripura's evolving ecosystem offers distinctive advantages. State government startup incentives, expanding AGMC medical infrastructure, and strengthening national research network connectivity provide crucial institutional backing.
In an era when "brain drain" dominates narratives about talent migration from smaller Indian states, Codonmind Nexus exemplifies "brain circulation"where knowledge flows homeward to create opportunities otherwise nonexistent. "I've taken many risks in my life," reflects Kar. "Maybe I will succeed, maybe not, but I will keep taking these risks, never settling anywhere when things look solid." If successful, this Northeast startup could catalyze a transformative model: how advanced scientific entrepreneurship flourishes beyond traditional innovation hubs, positioning Tripura as an emerging deep-tech ecosystem. The revolution unfolding in Agartala may ultimately reshape India's biotech landscape.
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