NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India, established on 1 January 2015 to replace the Planning Commission. Headquartered in New Delhi, NITI Aayog operates as the Government's premier strategic and policy advisory body, tasked with catalysing economic development and fostering cooperative federalism.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

NITI Aayog's most direct engagement with the startup ecosystem comes through the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), launched in 2016 as India's flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

1. Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs): AIM has established 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in schools across India, equipping students from Grade 6 to Grade 12 with IoT kits, 3D printers, robotics, and electronics.

2. Atal Incubation Centres (AICs): AIM has operationalised 72 AICs at universities, research institutions, and corporates across India. These incubators have supported 3,500+ startups, created 32,000+ jobs, and nurtured 1,000+ women-led startups. AICs support sectors including HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech, Space & Drone Tech, and Food Processing.

3. Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs): 14 ACICs reach Tier 2/3 cities, aspirational districts, and tribal/hilly/coastal regions with up to ₹2.5 crore grant per ACIC.

4. Atal New India Challenge (ANIC): A grants programme providing up to ₹1 crore in grant-in-aid per startup for technology solutions to national sectoral challenges, plus 12–18 months of mentorship.

5. Mentor India: A mentorship network with 6,200+ Mentors of Change drawn from industry, academia, and civil society.

AIM 2.0 Programs

Next-generation AIM initiatives include the Frontier Region Program (FRP), Deeptech Reactor Program (DRP), State Innovation Mission (SIM), and Industrial Accelerators Program (AACESS).

Who Should Apply

Founders seeking to apply to an AIC should visit aim.gov.in. The Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) accepts startups and companies with technology-based solutions to national sectoral challenges — up to ₹1 crore in grant-in-aid is available for selected ventures.