Atal Innovation Mission: Key Activities, Achievements, Focus & Proposed Areas

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is an initiative by the Government of India to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation across the nation. Atal Innovation Mission is set up by the National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog to promote entrepreneurial requirements for the future years. AIM works for the establishment and development of an ecosystem of entrepreneurship at various levels that include SMEs, MSMEs, corporates, NGOs, higher secondary schools, and science and engineering institutions. AIM plans to establish and promotes Small Business Innovation Research and Development (SBIR) at a national scale for Startups, SMEs, and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Atal Innovation Mission’s start date is April 26th, 2018.

5 Key Activities of Atal Innovation Mission

• Atal Tinkering Labs
• Atal Incubation Centres
• Atal New India Challenges
• Mentor India Campaign
• Atal Community Innovation Centre

1) Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs)

AIM establishes Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools to develop creativity and imagination in the minds of children and enhances their skill sets related to computation thoughts, design, physical computing, and adaptive learning. ATLs provide tools and equipment for children to learn and understand the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM). ATLs also offer kits and equipment on various topics, including electronics, sensors, 3D printers, and computers.

ATLs are set up at schools that are managed by Government, local bodies, society, and private trusts and should be from grades 6 – 10. AIM provides financial support of Rs. 20 lakh to each school which includes a one-time establishment cost of Rs. 10 lakh and an operational cost of Rs. 10 lakh for a period of 5 years.

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2) Atal Incubation Centres (AICs)

AIM supports Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) that promote and help start-up enterprises to become more stable, scalable, and sustainable. AIM also encourages entrepreneurial Start-ups and Women-led incubators in every state and sector of the nation. The mission offers grants up to Rs. 10 crores to set up Greenfield incubators for successful applicants. AICs shall be established in various subject-specific areas, including agriculture, education, manufacturing, water, energy, health, transport, and sanitation.

Eligibility

To use AICs, applicants need to provide at least 10,000 sq. ft. of ready-to-use and built-up space to AIM. AICs can be applied by individuals, business accelerators, the corporate sector, higher educational institutions, R&D institutes, etc.

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3) Atal New India Challenge (ANIC)

AIM’s aim is to incentivize innovation in areas of energy, water, housing, health and hygiene. ANIC develops mechanism and structure for technologies and products from MSMEs and Start-ups on their own. ANIC helps in the creation of products from existing technologies for social causes.

Focus areas under ANIC include agriculture, mobility, health, education, railways, water and sanitation, food processing, electric mobility, housing, and power and energy.

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Additional focus areas of ANIC

• Alternate fuel-based transportation
• Cleaning of sewer and septic tanks
• Climate-smart agriculture
• Digital and Grey water management
• Fog vision system for road and rail
• Garbage composition devices
• Instant portable water quality testing
• Mixing blades for composting
• Predictive maintenance of Rolling Stock
• Sustaining drinking water sources
• Systems to identify, predict and recognize rail failure, using technologies
• Waste in public spaces

MSMEs, startups, R&D Organizations, Innovators, and Academicians can apply for Atal New India Challenge Scheme.

4) Mentor of Change Program

AIM has set up mentoring networks in India from the professional community to mentor students at ATL and ATC incubators and start-ups. Approximately 5000 mentors have been registered and are aligned with the operational ATL. Respective mentors are required to spend at least 1-2 hours every week in one or more labs. The mission also works with innovative entities and systems in other countries in Asia-pacific, the US, UK, Latin America, Europe, and African countries.

5) Atal Community Innovation Centre

Atal Community Innovation Centre focuses on un-served and underserved regions of the nation which currently do not have a start-up and innovation ecosystem.

Proposed Areas

Undeserved regions of Tier 1 metro cities, Tier 2 & Tier 3 cities, North East, Smart cities, J&K, and rural and tribal regions of India.

Funding

AIM has provided a maximum grant of up to Rs. 2.5 crore, following compliance with program guidelines.

Atal Innovation Mission Achievements

• AIM has shortlisted 102 incubators covering 23 states and from these incubators, 47 are already funded
• Under AICs and EICs, more than 600 start-ups incubated, and close to 100 were women-led start-ups
• Conducted 900 events and more than 350 training programs
• AIM has provided approximately Rs. 6 crores of seed fund
• Established more than 350 collaborations for the development of the ecosystem

National Innovation Initiative

Currently, AIM is promoting innovation initiatives across the nation with the help of various industries which are as follows:

IDEX: Innovation for defense excellence

Smart Cities Mission (SCM): Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

San-sadhan Hackathon: Ministry of Jalshakti and Department of Empowerment of persons with disabilities

Read Also: What is the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) under the Startup schemes by the Government of India?