PNS|Vijayawada
In a move aimed at strengthening the startup ecosystem and promoting entrepreneurial skills among youth, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cyient Foundation and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The agreement was signed in the presence of Shri Nara Lokesh, Minister for Education and IT, at his residence in Undavalli. Senior officials from the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), Cyient Foundation, and AICTE were present on the occasion.
This collaboration will see the establishment of urban innovation clusters, the first of which will be launched in Visakhapatnam. These clusters are designed to foster entrepreneurial thinking in educational institutions, encourage intellectual property (IP) generation, and promote a culture of startups across the state. The initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of students, faculty, and academic institutions alike.
The MoU also envisions stronger partnerships between educational institutions, industry, and investors, creating a vibrant and innovation-driven ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh.
As part of the initiative, dedicated centres titled i-CARE (Innovation Creation and Research for Entrepreneurship) and i-CAFE (Idea Creation and Auxiliary Facilities for Entrepreneurship) will be set up. Engineering colleges, particularly in and around Visakhapatnam, will also host IPR and Technology Transfer (IPR-TT) cells.
A series of activities including boot camps, hackathons, innovation fairs, and entrepreneurship competitions will be conducted. Cluster-level conclaves and expert mentorship sessions with industry leaders are also planned to cultivate innovation and enterprise among students and educators.
The APSSDC will act as the nodal agency to coordinate among various state departments and implementation partners.
