Intel India, DST Partner on Digital India Challenge 2.0

In its bid to inspire grassroots innovation and harness local talent in the country, Intel India along with the Department of Science & Technology (DST) on Thursday launched "Digital India Challenge 2.0".

Presented in collaboration with MyGov, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) and Hyderabad-based T-Hub Foundation, this year's challenge invites innovators makers across India to build solutions to accelerate the digitisation and commercially develop their prototypes on Intel Architecture (iA).

(Also see: DST Launches Innovation Challenge to Help Realise 'Digital India' Dream)

"It is heartening to see public-private collaborations, such as the one between Intel India, MeITY, MyGov and T-Hub, driven towards building a long-term innovation culture in the nation," said Telangana Information and Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao.

This year, the challenge will roll out in five phases, with the final taking place in April 2017.

Shortlisted teams will receive Rs. 3 lakh grant each to create minimum-viable products (MVPs) based on Intel Architecture (iA) in an accelerator programme at the T-Hub incubator in Hyderabad.

The winning team will get Rs. 20 lakh to further their project development.

"Last year, there were six ideas under the challenge that completed the mind-to-market journey, and are already making their solutions available in the Indian health care and agriculture sectors," added Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, MyGov.

The Intel India initiative aims to enable technology innovation in the country for students, entrepreneurs and other innovators.

(Also see: Intel Unveils 3 New Initiatives to Support Digital India)

"Innovation is the key ingredient for making the Digital India vision a reality, and we need a local, sustainable innovation ecosystem, to address the country's challenges," said Debjani Ghosh, Managing Director and Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Intel South Asia.

"Through strong public-private collaboration, wherein MeITY, MyGov, T-Hub, and Intel India are working together to turn ideas to solutions, disruptive yet sustainable technology innovations are now a reality," she added.

In its recent collaboration with NITI Aayog, Intel India is working to establish Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) for "mini makers" in 10 schools across the country.