AIM is a flagship initiative to promote the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India. It is an umbrella structure that has been mandated to promote innovation and revolutionize the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. It develops new policies and programmes for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy and provides platform and collaboration opportunities to various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial space.
AIM intends to support the establishment of new greenfield incubation centres called Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) that would nurture innovative start-ups in their pursuit to become scalable and sustainable business enterprises.
AIM will support these AICs in creating world-class incubation facilities across the country with the state of the art physical infrastructure, in terms of capital equipment and operating facilities available to their incubatee start-ups, coupled with the availability of sectoral experts for mentoring. Apart from this, business planning support, access to seed capital, industry partnerships, training and other relevant components required for supporting innovative start-ups will be provided.
Moreover, most of the AICs established would be sector-specific in areas such as manufacturing, transport, energy, health, education, agriculture, water, sanitation, Internet of Things, Cyber Security, etc. to promote unprecedented technological innovation in these sectors.
Eligibility
Academic institutions such as higher educational institutes, R&D institutes, etc. as well as non-academic institutions such as corporate sector enterprises, alternative investment funds registered with SEBI, business accelerators, groups of individuals, and individuals, etc. are eligible to apply.
Financial Support
AIM will provide a grant-in-aid of up to Rs. 10 crores for a maximum period of 5 years to cover the capital and operational expenditures to establish the proposed AIC.Infrastructure Requirements
The applicant institution would have to provide at least 10,000 sq. ft. of ready-to-use, built-up space, for the exclusive use of the proposed AIC.
In recent years academia, industry, investors, entrepreneurs, government organizations, and non-governmental organizations have taken the initiative to set up incubation centres across the country. These are brownfield established startup incubators, who needs to be supported to augment, enhance and upgrade their incubation capacity manifold and develop a conducive ecosystem by strengthening linkages among these incubation centres, universities, and corporates.
AIM envisages to invigorate these Established Incubation Centres (EICs) in the country through the provision of financial scale-up support. The scheme would radically transform the start-up ecosystem in the country by upgrading EICs to world-class standards. These EICs would support innovative and high growth startups and help in developing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country.
Eligibility
The applicant institution must have been in operation for a minimum of three years. And applicant institution should be registered in India as a public, private, or public-private partnership enterprise.
Financial Support
AIM shall provide a grant-in-aid of up to Rs. 10 crores, in two or more annual instalments to the applicant institution.
Infrastructure Requirements
The applicant institution would have to provide at least 10,000 sq. ft. of ready-to-use, built-up space, for the exclusive use of the proposed EIC.
