AIM SUMVAAD 2026: Dr Jitendra Singh Links AIM to Innovation-Led Growth and Startup Expansion

Dr Singh said the Union Budget 2026–27 provides a significant push to India’s startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, with focused support for innovation, incubation and women-led economic participation.

 

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh, today linked the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) with the Modi Government’s broader thrust on innovation-led economic growth, scalable startups and ease of doing business.

Addressing the Annual Atal Innovation Incubator Conclave – AIM SUMVAAD in New Delhi, the Minister said the government’s innovation agenda has been further reinforced by the Union Budget 2026–27, which places strong emphasis on incubation, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth.

Budget 2026–27 and the Startup Ecosystem

Dr Singh said the Union Budget 2026–27 provides a significant push to India’s startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, with focused support for innovation, incubation and women-led economic participation.

He noted that new enabling frameworks for startups, biomanufacturing and women-centric entrepreneurship, including the concept of Self-Help Entrepreneurs, reflect the government’s evolving approach towards inclusive, sustainable and innovation-driven growth.

AIM SUMVAAD as a National Innovation Platform

The Minister was delivering the keynote address at AIM SUMVAAD, the flagship annual incubator conclave of the Atal Innovation Mission, held at the Bhim Auditorium, Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

The conclave brought together representatives from over 150 Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs) from across the country, alongside policymakers, industry leaders, CSR heads, mentors and key ecosystem stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening India’s innovation and incubation landscape.

The inaugural session was attended by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Prof. Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India; Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; Ms Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India; and Shri Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, among others.

Evolution of India’s Innovation Ecosystem

Tracing the evolution of India’s innovation journey, Dr Jitendra Singh said structured innovation received decisive political backing after 2014, enabling large-scale initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) and startup-focused policy reforms.

He said nearly 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs are now operational across the country, ensuring that innovation infrastructure reaches almost every district, including smaller towns and rural areas. The growing participation of schools and non-government stakeholders, he added, reflects a deep and lasting shift in national mindset towards innovation and problem-solving.

Rapid Expansion of the Startup Landscape

Highlighting India’s startup growth story, the Minister said the ecosystem has expanded from a few hundred startups a decade ago to over two lakh startups today. This rapid expansion has generated large-scale employment and provided alternatives to conventional salaried careers.

He said this shift has encouraged young Indians to view entrepreneurship as a credible, aspirational and impactful career path, aligned with national development priorities.

Biomanufacturing and Emerging Innovation Frontiers

Referring to the Union Budget 2026–27, Dr Singh said initiatives such as the Biomanufacturing Shakti Mission align closely with India’s strengths in biotechnology, biopharma, natural resources and human capital.

He noted that India is already among the leading global players in biomanufacturing, and upcoming focus areas such as deep-sea resources, the ocean economy and Himalayan bio-resources further expand the country’s innovation horizon.

National Incubator Assessment Framework

The Minister also highlighted the National Incubator Assessment Framework, describing it as a centralised digital platform that brings together data and performance insights of incubators across India.

He said the framework will function as:

• A national repository of incubator data

• A benchmarking and performance assessment tool

• A confidence-building mechanism for investors, policymakers and ecosystem partners

By encouraging collaboration, healthy competition and capacity building, the framework is expected to strengthen engagement among public, private and non-government stakeholders.

Women-Centric and Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Dr Jitendra Singh said platforms like AIM SUMVAAD enable meaningful interaction between startups, incubators, mentors, industry and policymakers across diverse sectors including health, agriculture, energy and artificial intelligence.

He emphasised that the integration of startups, incubation and women-centric economic initiatives reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship. The evolution from Lakhpati Didi and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to Self-Help Entrepreneurs (SHE), he said, positions women at the centre of India’s innovation-led growth story.

The Minister concluded by reaffirming that innovation, supported by enabling policy frameworks and strong institutional platforms like AIM, will remain a key driver of India’s journey towards sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness.