Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launches start-up challenge contest to create new software products, apps

New Delhi: With an aim to identify around 300 startups working in identified areas and provide them seed fund of up to Rs 25 Lakh and other facilities, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday (August 28) launched “Chunauti”- Next Generation Startup challenge contest, said an official statement. 

The move is to further boost startups and software products with a special focus on Tier-II towns of India. The government has earmarked a budget of Rs 95.03 crore over a period of three years for this programme. 

Under this challenge, the ministry will invite startups in the following areas of work:

-Edu-Tech, Agri-Tech & Fin-Tech Solutions for masses
-Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation Management
-Infrastructure and Remote monitoring
-Medical Healthcare, Diagnostic, Preventive and Psychological Care
-Jobs & Skilling, Linguistic tools and technologies
 
Accordingly, the startups selected through Chunauti will be provided various support from the government through the Software Technology Parks of India centers across India. They will get incubation facilities, mentorship, security testing facilities, access to venture capitalist funding, industry connect as well as advisories in legal, Human Resource (HR), IPR, and Patent matters. 

The startups will also be provided cloud credits from leading cloud service providers besides a seed fund of up to Rs 25 Lakh. Start-ups that are in the ideation stage may be selected under the pre-incubation programme and mentored for up-to six months to evolve their business plan and solution around the proposed idea. Each intern (start-up under pre-incubation) will be paid Rs 10,000/- per month up to a period of 6 months.

Startups can apply by visiting the website of STPI or by clicking at the link https://innovate.stpinext.in/

Notably, the minister also laid the foundation stone of the digital training and skilling center of the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) at Muzaffarpur in Bihar. 

This center will be developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology at a cost of Rs 9.17 crore. The government of Bihar has allocated one acre of land for this institution. This center will be equipped with a state of the art training facility with a digital laboratory. Different courses such as O level, CCC, BCC, Programming, and multimedia training will be offered from this center.

Speaking at a virtual event in presence of Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “I urge the young, talented innovators of India to come forward and avail benefits of Chunauti challenge of Government and create new software products and app. This launch is a bold initiative under the clarion call for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.