NEW DELHI: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), under the auspices of NITI Aayog, launched ‘AIM-ICDK Water Challenge 4.0’ and the fifth edition of the ‘Innovations for You’ handbook, two groundbreaking initiatives that aimed at fostering innovation and sustainability in India.
AIM-ICDK Water Challenge 4.0 has been initiated in collaboration with the Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK) at the Royal Danish Embassy in India.
This initiative, a cornerstone of the Indo-Danish bilateral green strategic partnership, aims to tackle crucial water-related issues by implementing innovative solutions. The chosen teams will constitute the Indian cohort, taking part in the worldwide Next Generation Digital Action program and collaborating with emerging talents from top universities and innovation centers in nine nations.
Selected teams’ participants can expect to be involved in a hybrid innovation journey that comprises group work, bootcamp sessions, keynotes, and personalized mentoring. The programme encourages exploration of sustainability, digital solutions, inclusion, and universal design principles. Participants will also be able to present their innovations at the Digital Tech Summit, which is set to take place in Copenhagen on October 30 and 31, 2024, with the funding of the Government of Denmark.
The competition welcomes submissions in two categories: one for students and the other for young entrepreneurs, with an age limit of 35 years. Early-stage startups, researchers, and young innovators committed to driving positive environmental change are encouraged to apply.
The student journey focuses on digital action for social impact, brought forward by external partners through sustainability challenges with a specific focus on digitization. The Young Entrepreneurs track presents an exciting opportunity for Indian technology startups in the early stages to accelerate their ideas and form global partnerships.
About AIM
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country. Its objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platforms and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, and create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of the country.
Speaking during the launch, Mission Director AIM, NITI Aayog, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, said, “These initiatives epitomize our relentless pursuit of innovation and sustainability, propelling India towards a brighter, more resilient future. Through collaborative efforts with partners like ICDK and the Royal Danish Embassy in India, we aim to address pressing challenges and empower young innovators to drive positive change in both countries.”
Minister Counsellor, Head of Trade Council in New Delhi and Regional Coordinator South Asia, Royal Danish Embassy, Soren Norrelund Kannik-Marquardsen, expressed his delight, stating, “This challenge aims to combine the skills of Danish and Indian entrepreneurs to solve global challenges that not only affect India and Denmark but the whole world.”
The call for applications commences on June 10th, 2024, with the deadline set for June 20th, 2024. Interested applicants can access the application link here.
In addition to the ICDK water challenge, AIM introduced the fifth edition of ‘Innovations for You’, a coffee table book series spotlighting the endeavors of SDG entrepreneurs in India. This edition features 60 entrepreneurs from diverse corners of India, each contributing to societal betterment through sustainable innovations.
These startups focus on recyclable and renewable materials, green energy, inclusive education, and advocacy for underrepresented communities and local artisans. The book can be accessed here.
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