India needs disruptive innovation to tackle challenges in sectors such as health, education and agriculture, said NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.
Speaking after inaugurating a start-up incubation centre built by Sandbox Startups, a Central government recognised technology business incubator in Hubballi, Kant said, “We have to take a big leap in social innovation to make over 60 per cent of the India’s population living in rural areas a part of our growth story. Real solutions for the country’s problems should come from tier-II and III cities.”
According to him, the country can become a role model for the world if it can find solutions to the challenges faced by its 1.3 billion population. “We can lead the world with our innovations,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of inclusive growth, Kant said India cannot achieve a GDP growth rate of 8-10 percent a year if a vast percentage of the population living in non-metro regions is excluded from the growth cycle.
Appreciating the efforts of the Deshpande Foundation which established the Sandbox Startups incubation centre in Hubballi, the NITI Aayog CEO said the government recognises the importance of nurturing entrepreneurs in tier-II and III cities. The government is supporting 25 incubation centres and handholding them to find solutions to many challenges facing the country.
As part of its inclusive growth strategy, the government has identified 115 most backward districts which are being monitored with real-time data to improve social indicators. Kant said the government needs to work collaboratively with many non-profit organisations to deliver impact at the ground level.
Location
Founder of Deshpande Foundation Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande, Foundation’s trustee Srinivas Deshpande, CEO Vivek Pawar, CEO of Sandbox Startups CM Patil and other dignitaries were present at the inauguration of the 1 lakh sq ft incubation facility. Spread over 6.09 acres on Gokul Road near the Hubballi airport, the new facility has full-fledged labs. It also has all amenities needed for a robust start-up ecosystem to flourish.
Over the last eight years, Sandbox Startups has supported over 80 ventures with sustainable, scalable and resilient business models and created wealth of over ₹70 crore in the local economy.
Several associated start-ups have filed more than 50 patents in technological space. The companies span the areas of technology, image processing, agricultural technology, Internet of Things (IoT), logistics, E-commerce, healthcare and service sectors. A dedicated team of “Sandbox Samvidha” is supporting not-for profit ventures and high social impact start-ups.