BENGALURU: In a major boost to regional entrepreneurship and local industry, the Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC) was officially inaugurated at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT), a constituent college of Nitte (Deemed to be University). Established with joint financial backing from NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Nitte (Deemed to be University), the centre aims to empower grassroots innovators, MSMEs, and rural entrepreneurs across Karnataka.
The centre was inaugurated by Shobha Karandlaje, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for MSME, Labour and Employment, Government of India. Addressing the gathering, the Minister emphasized the need to foster an entrepreneurial mindset early in life. "We must focus on training our students for nation-building starting as early as the sixth standard, which is why initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs and these community innovation centres have been introduced across the nation," Karandlaje stated.
Highlighting the pivotal role of the MSME sector, Karandlaje noted that small businesses serve as the backbone of the Indian economy, contributing 31% to the national GDP and nearly 50% to total exports. She revealed that the Government’s Udyam Portal currently accounts for 9.7 crore registered MSMEs employing over 43 crore people nationwide.
"We must bridge the gap from 'Lab to Land' by ensuring that the innovations created in our universities and technical colleges actually reach the fields and small-scale industries," she added, encouraging students to transition from job seekers into "job givers" who build sustainable enterprises. She also stressed that the ACIC will play a vital role in supporting local artisans and traditional craftspeople included under the Vishwakarma Yojana.
The Guests of Honor, Kiran Kumar M, Regional Talent Acquisition Head at Tata Consultancy Services (Bengaluru), and Pramit Dash, Program Director at AIM, NITI Aayog, highlighted the strategic importance of building future-ready talent. They urged the centre to bridge regional imbalances by promoting innovation in vernacular languages, engaging local communities, and facilitating grassroots problem scouting.
Operating under the ACIC NMIT Foundation, the facility is supported by up to ₹2.5 crore in financial aid over five years from AIM, matched equally by Nitte (Deemed to be University). The foundation will actively focus its outreach on Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, Kolar, and the unorganized sector in Bengaluru.
To catalyze targeted development, the center has identified seven core focus areas: Agri-tech & Rural Livelihoods, Health & Wellness, Education & Skilling, MSMEs & Informal Sector, Clean Energy & Environment, Women Entrepreneurship, and IT & Digital Inclusion. It offers a complete startup support ecosystem, including state-of-the-art prototyping facilities, pre-incubation programs, expert mentorship, market linkages, and custom skilling initiatives.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Dr. H.C. Nagaraj, Principal of NMIT, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Vice Principal Dr. J. Sudheer Reddy. Other key dignitaries in attendance included Rohit Punja, Trustee of Nitte Education Trust; Dr. Sandeep Shastri, Vice President of Nitte (Deemed to be University); Dr. Shiv Pratap Singh Yadav, Head of the Centre of Incubation at ACIC Foundation; and Dr. Karunakara Rai B, Head of the Samsung Innovation Campus.
Post a Comment