FUNDAMENTAL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Hairunnisa Maharani (EFB 1st Semester)

What is Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
?
• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) was established
in 2016 as the Government of India’s flagship program to
encourage a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
across the country. To this aim, AIM has taken a
comprehensive strategy. This strategy ensures the
development of a problem-solving, inventive mindset in
schools and the building of an entrepreneurial environment
in universities, research institutions, the commercial
sector, and the MSME sector. All of AIM’s efforts are now
systematically monitored and controlled using real-time
MIS systems and dynamic dashboards. Third-party
agencies are currently reviewing AIM’s programs in order
to ensure ongoing development.

Objectives of Atal Innovation Mission
• The focus is on innovation. Thus
policies and plans for numerous
industries will be built around that
concept.
• Provides a forum for multiple
parties to collaborate and provides
collaboration opportunities.
• To serve as an umbrella
organization that encompasses and
oversees the country’s whole
innovation ecosystem.

Atal Incubation Centres – “An ecosystem
of Startups and Entrepreneurs”
• AIM has been constructing world-class
incubators called Atal Incubation Centres (AICs).
The AICa at universities to foster an ever-
evolving ecosystem of start-ups and
entrepreneurs. Institutions and corporations, for
example. These centers are dedicated to
fostering and supporting world-class innovation
and dynamic entrepreneurs who seek to create
scalable and long-term businesses.
• AIM has successfully operationalized 68+ Atal
Incubation Centres in collaboration with
universities, institutions, and business entities.
Each AIC aims to encourage the creation and
nurture of 50+ world-class startups every four
years. The AIC provides technical facilities,
resource-based support, mentorships, finance
support, partnerships and networking, co-
working spaces, and lab facilities, among other
things, to the incubated entrepreneurs. These
AICs have helped 1800+ operational businesses,
500+ of which are led by women, and have
produced 15,000+ jobs in the ecosystem.

Atal Community Innovation Centres –
serving Unserved and Under-Served
regions of India
• To bring the benefits of technology-led innovation to India’s
unserved or underserved regions, such as Tier 2 and Tier 3
cities, aspirational districts, tribal, hilly, and coastal areas. AIM
is establishing Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs)
under a unique partnership-driven model in which AIM will
provide up to Rs 2.5 crores to an ACIC in exchange for a partner
providing equal or greater matching funding. Within 650
applications have been submitted from throughout the country,
with 50 ACICs set to open over the next two years. Currently, 24
ACIC applications are undergoing due diligence and will be
operational by March 2021 if approved.

Atal New India Challenges – Product and
Service Innovations with National Impact
• AIM has organized over 24 Atal New India Challenges in
collaboration with five different ministries and agencies of the
central government. The AIM will generate product and service
innovations with national socioeconomic effect. Out of the 950+
applications received, 52 applicants were shortlisted for grant in
aid support and handholding by AIM Incubators / Mentors. To
date, 13 innovations have received grant-in-aid funding, while
others are undertaking due diligence.

Challenges of Atal Innovation Mission
• India is the world’s largest democracy. With
over a billion people, 33 states, eight union
territories, and various languages, each with its
own set of difficulties and problems to address,
both in terms of economic growth and societal
demands. It is critical to educate future
innovators on the scope and significance of
these issues.
• As a result, there is a pressing need to
incentivize relevant problem solving and
innovations at local, regional, and national
levels across the country – in schools,
universities, industry, and even at the global
level.
• The Atal Tinkering Challenges at the school
level. The Atal New India Challenges at the
start-up and university levels, and the Atal
Grand Challenges at the national level will
incentivize. Such an incentive involves relevant
problem solving, innovations, and
entrepreneurships that can have ready markets
for them while also allowing for the creation of
new markets. 24 Atal New India is a fictional
character created by Atal New India.

Achievements of Atal Innovation
Mission
• More than 350 collaborations have been established to help the
country’s innovation ecosystem grow.
• Nearly 5000 Atal Tinkering Labs have been established in 660
districts in India, providing access to over 2.5 million kids.
• More than 10,000 mentors have signed up, with at least half of
them having direct experience with ATLs and startups.
• In conjunction with the AIM, the National Association of
Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has produced
an Artificial Intelligence-based teaching module for school-aged
pupils.
• Mentor India, one of India’s largest mentoring networks, was
founded by AIM.

What are Atal Tinkering Labs under Atal
Innovation Mission?
• AIM, NITI Aayog, NITI Aayog, Government of
India’s flagship effort to foster a creative attitude
among high school students across the country
is the Atal Tinkering Lab. Students in an ATL are
free to think and explore, to attempt and fail, and
even to come up with something novel. Design
thinking, critical thinking, computational thinking,
digital manufacturing, collaboration, and other
21st-century skills are among the talents taught in
the curriculum.
• It will allow India to make a dent in the global
maker movement (Dougherty, 2012) and establish
itself as a worldwide hub for world-class
innovation. ATL empowers students and teachers
to think differently about challenges and produce
unique solutions by enabling them to experiment,
investigate, and follow a self-learning path. ATL is
also assisting other members of the community,
such as parents, mentors, and those interested in
innovation, in bringing their ideas to reality.
Grant-in-aid of up to Rs 20,00,000/- (Rupees
Twenty Lakhs Only) is awarded to schools
selected for setting up the ATL system under the
ATL plan.

Atal Tinkering Labs Selection Process
• Schools in India (with at least Grade/Class VI to X) that are
recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development
(MHRD) and managed by the State/Union Territory/Central
Government, Local body (Municipality/Nagar Nigam), Private
Trusts/Societies, or Tribal/Social Welfare Department can apply
for ATL Grant-in-Aid funding. Interested schools can apply for
ATLs by visiting the AIM website and submitting an online
application to the NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission. The ATL
online application portal is a user-friendly platform. The platform
allows schools to submit ATL applications online.