GUWAHATI: The India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) 2.0, aimed at developing entrepreneurship and accelerating indigenous innovations through incubation of affordable, accessible and acceptable solutions, was launched in the Northeast on Tuesday.
Established by the department of science and technology, government of India, Lockheed Martin Corporation and Tata Trusts, the programme was launched in the country in 2017.
Speaking at the launch here, Anita Gupta, adviser and associate programme head of innovation, entrepreneurship, department of science and technology, government of India, said, “A conducive ecosystem that not only nurtures creativity and innovation but also provides market opportunities to a new genre of entrepreneurs was the need of the hour for Northeast.”
A public-private partnership, IIGP 2.0 offers an opportunity for innovators across India to bring breakthrough ideas to market in areas such as technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, healthcare, water, energy, life sciences, civic issues, infrastructure, biotechnology, communications including automotive, enterprise and space technology.
“The IIGP 2.0 is one of its kind collaborative initiatives in the country that provides the much needed handholding, business development and funding support to budding start-ups,” she added.
Start-ups from the Northeast, including Assam, Meghalaya, entrepreneurs and researchers among others took part in the interaction programme following the launch.
Gupta also said the department would contemplate setting up facilities to empower incubators in the Northeast.
“Under PRAYAS programme, we have been promoting and developing innovative start-ups and empowering our incubators to have facilities like fabrication labs. We will think about such infrastructure support to promote incubators in the Northeast,” she said.