12 start-ups from nine Indian states emerged as winners at Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue 2022
- Press Information Bureau
- June 28, 2023
At the 5th Edition of Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue India, 12 top start-ups from nine Indian states that operate in agriculture, ed tech, women's livelihood, circular economy, and biodiversity were announced as winners. The winning 12 start-ups received seed funding of up to US$ 5,000 to scale up their innovations.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation jointly founded Youth Co:Lab in 2017 with the aim of establishing a common agenda for nations in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth so they can hasten the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. In 2019, Youth Co:Lab was introduced in India in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog.
378 applications from 28 different states were submitted for the 2022-23 cycle. The Youth Co:Lab Springboard Programme shortlisted 47 short-listed start-ups from the applicants, and for two months, provided one-on-one mentoring and capacity-building sessions from experts. The 12 winners were chosen from these start-ups after they presented their concepts to a distinguished jury in May 2023.
Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM while announcing the winners stated, “Social startups are not just businesses; they are catalysts for social change. They address pressing social and environmental challenges, stimulate economic growth, inspire other businesses, leverage technology, and promote collaboration. Their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit drives us towards a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive future.”
Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India, said, "With 254 million young people between the ages of 15 and 24, India has a unique chance to lead innovation and social entrepreneurship and make the voices of young people matter.
Each theme area's winners received a seed grant of US$ 5,000, and the runners-up each received US$ 3,000. The winners' ideas will be scaled up into real products or services with the aid of this financing.
Youth Co:Lab India 2022-23 focused on six themes: Behavioural Nudges for LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment), Gender Equality and Women's Economic Empowerment, FinTech Solutions Focused on Biodiversity Conservation, Promoting Biodiversity-friendly Lifestyles through Technological Solutions in Finance, and Accelerating Circular Economy through Upcycling Innovations.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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