DST’s Nidhi Program plays a pivotal role in strengthening Startup Ecosystem: Dr. Jitendra Singh

The i-TBIs are a three-year initiative supported by DST, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within educational institutions and their surrounding communities.

Union Minister of State (I/C) Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized today that women-led startups will play a pivotal role in establishing India on the global innovation stage. Speaking virtually, Dr. Singh inaugurated eight new NIDHI Inclusive Technology Business Incubators (i-TBIs) across India and launched the new DST-NIDHI website at IIT Delhi, marking the eighth anniversary of the Department of Science and Technology's (DST) initiative. The eight newly established i-TBIs are located at:

Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab

BLDE University, Bijapur, Karnataka

Aligarh Muslim University

Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur

GSSS Institute of Engineering and Technology for Women, Mysore, Karnataka

University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun

The i-TBIs are a three-year initiative supported by DST, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within educational institutions and their surrounding communities.

Dr. Singh also launched the DST-GDC IIT Madras INCUBATE Program for Deep Tech Startups, funded by grants from IIT Madras alumni Dr. Gururaj Deshpande, Mrs. Jaishree Deshpande, and Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan. This program is designed to support innovators from Tier II and Tier III cities and provide targeted assistance to startups at critical stages of growth.

During his address, Dr. Singh recalled Prime Minister Modi's guidance for the Startup India Stand Up India initiative, which led to the launch of the NIDHI program in 2016. He highlighted the need for bridging the gap between academic research and market-ready products and emphasized the importance of early-industry linkages for startup success.

Dr. Singh reflected on NIDHI's journey since its inception, noting its crucial role in nurturing technology startups, many of which are led by women entrepreneurs. He praised the program for creating jobs, fostering a culture of innovation, and generating substantial intellectual property.

Dr. Singh also pointed out the program's economic success and its contribution to India's growth and self-reliance. He underscored Prime Minister Modi's vision of a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) by 2047, with startups, particularly women-led ones, driving global innovation.

Reiterating the Prime Minister's belief that successful Indian startups will also succeed globally, Dr. Singh encouraged all innovators to work together to make significant contributions towards realizing this vision.