AIM–Hitachi Partner to Launch MStar Global AI Connect for Innovation Ecosystem

The collaboration will drive the development of MStar™ Global AI Connect, a unified, AI-powered innovation platform designed to nurture innovators, support startups, and build future-ready talent across the country.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and Hitachi MGRM Net Ltd. (HMN) signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on 1 December 2025, establishing a landmark partnership to strengthen India’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The collaboration will drive the development of MStar™ Global AI Connect, a unified, AI-powered innovation platform designed to nurture innovators, support startups, and build future-ready talent across the country.

The SoI was formally signed by Dr. Deepak Bagla, AIM Mission Director, NITI Aayog, and Dr. Bharat Kaushal, Executive Chairman, Hitachi India and Managing Director, Hitachi MGRM Net Ltd.

This partnership supports the vision of a Viksit Bharat by creating a digital backbone that connects India’s schools, colleges, startups, research institutions, and industry players through a federated national innovation network.

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A Nationwide Innovation Network for a School-to-Startup Pipeline

The AIM–Hitachi partnership will establish a seamless innovation ecosystem, integrating:

• Schools across rural, suburban and urban regions

• Mentors and subject experts

• Research and academic institutions

• Incubators and accelerators

• Industry and international innovation partners

The platform aims to strengthen the school-to-startup pipeline, accelerate lab-to-market translation, and ensure export readiness for Indian innovations.

The initiative positions India to cultivate a generation of young innovators, problem-solvers and entrepreneurs backed by AI-driven tools, mentorship and market linkages.

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Leaders Highlight the Vision for Inclusive, Scalable Innovation

AIM Mission Director Dr. Deepak Bagla

“Atal Innovation Mission has always believed that every child is a potential innovator,” he said. He emphasised that the platform will:

• Identify and nurture student innovators

• Create a structured and scalable innovation pipeline

• Support inclusive and nationwide participation

• Strengthen the Prime Minister’s vision of innovation-led national development

He added that the initiative transforms isolated success stories into a unified, vibrant innovation movement across India.

Dr. Bharat Kaushal, Executive Chairman, Hitachi India

He described MStar™ Global AI Connect as an accessible platform designed to empower every willing child with the tools, mentors and networks needed to innovate. He highlighted that the platform is:

• Multilingual

• Inclusive by design

• Aligned with India’s long-term development goals

• Built to support future technologies and innovation culture

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Key Objectives of the MStar™ Global AI Connect Platform

1. Universal Reach

• Nationwide onboarding of schools, students, mentors and institutions

• Low-friction, multilingual access

• Special focus on rural and underserved regions

2. Virtual-Physical Fusion

• Creation of virtual Atal Tinkering Labs (vATLs)

• Integration of virtual AI-enhanced incubation spaces (vAICs/vACICs)

• Remote access to labs, tools, experiments and mentors

3. End-to-End Innovation Lifecycle

• Ideation-to-pilot workflows

• Technology/Innovation Readiness Level (TRL/IRL) tracking

• Milestone reviews and challenge-based funding

• Procurement and commercialisation pathways

4. Talent Pathways

• Identification of gifted and skill-ready learners

• Design thinking, problem-solving tasks, hackathons and projects

5. Intellectual Property and Market Linkages

• IP creation and filing support

• Ethical research frameworks

• Investor connects and CSR/grant integration

• Export facilitation and global market access

6. Public-Value Analytics

• Data-driven insights for policymaking

• Monitoring inclusion, skills, IP generation, jobs and startup outcomes

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A Shared Commitment to Innovation-Led National Development

The AIM–Hitachi collaboration is set to:

• Strengthen innovation resources nationwide

• Enhance teacher capability and mentorship networks

• Promote frontier-technology skilling

• Catalyse IP creation and technology adoption

• Build a unified innovation public infrastructure

This initiative aligns with India’s larger goals of digital transformation, economic self-reliance, and global innovation leadership.

The SoI reaffirms AIM’s mission of democratising access to innovation and entrepreneurship, and Hitachi MGRM Net’s commitment to building public-value digital platforms that serve broad national interests.