Extracted Data Points

  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India launched 'Navachar Mantra' initiative
  • Program focused on strengthening grassroots entrepreneurship and expanding opportunities for innovators across emerging India
  • Implemented by National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD)
  • Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi serving as Technical Knowledge Partner
  • Applications open until July 5, 2026
  • Targets innovators from Tier 2, Tier 3 towns, aspirational districts, and underserved geographies
  • Focus sectors: Agritech, HealthTech, EdTech and Skilling, Climate and Sustainability, Rural Commerce, and MSME Enablement
  • Program includes year-long engagement with mentorship roundtables, thematic webinars, innovation showcases, investor interactions
  • Provides tailored guidance on business development, market access, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, fundraising, and scaling strategies
  • Facilitates opportunities for pilot projects, partnerships, and market linkages
  • Features ministerial podcasts, innovation showcases, digital campaigns, and ecosystem events for visibility
  • Multi-stage evaluation process involving experts from academia, industry, investment firms, and government institutions
  • Launch event attended by Shri Dilip Kumar (Director General, Directorate General of Training), Ms. Hena Usman (Joint Secretary, MSDE), Ms. Archana Mayaram (Economic Adviser, MSDE), Prof. Rangan Banerjee (Director, IIT Delhi), Dr. Poonam Sinha (Director General, NIESBUD), Dr. Nikhil Agarwal (MD, FITT - IIT Delhi)
  • Fireside chat featured moderators and panelists: Shri Rajat Vardhan (Founder & CEO, Scanxt Scientific Technologies), Shri Sandeep Agarwal (Founder, Droom), Shri Bipin Preet Singh (Founder & CEO, MobiKwik), Dr. Jagadis Gupta Kapuganti (Founder, Fruvetech Pvt. Ltd.), Ms. Meenal Gupta (Founder, Easiofy Solutions Pvt. Ltd.)