Women-led start-ups will place India in the global arena in the years to come, Union minister Jitendra Singh said here Friday.

The minister was speaking after virtually inaugurating 8 new NIDHI i-TBIs across India along with a new DST-NIDHI Website at IIT Delhi celebrating eight years of the Department of Science and Technology’s initiative (DST-NIDHI).

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The 8 new NIDHI Inclusive TBI’s (i-TBIs0 have been set up at different locations across the country ie.1. Central University of Rajasthan Ajmer.2. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Ludhiana, Punjab 3. BLDE Bijapur, Karnataka 4. Aligarh Muslim University 5. Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 6. Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (Central University) Bilaspur, 7. GSSS Institute of Engineering and Technology for Women Mysore, Karnataka 8. University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES) Dehradun,)

i-TBIs (Inclusive TBI) is a three years duration initiative Supported by DST for educational institutions who are likely to foster innovation and entrepreneurship culture among the students, faculties, entrepreneurs, and nearby communities.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the launch of the NIDHI initiative by his ministry in 2016. “The NIDHI initiative was in response to a critical need identified within India’s innovation ecosystem to bridge the gap between our academic institutions and industry. As institutes were producing world-class research there was a need to translate these ideas into market-ready products,” he said.

The minister traced back its journey since its inception in 2016 and remarked that the NIDHI program plays a pivotal role in strengthening Startup Ecosystem and plays a crucial role in nurturing a vast number of technology StartUps, of which a substantial proportion is led by women entrepreneurs.

Mentioning the details Dr. Singh said that the program offers a comprehensive stage-wise support structure that is tailored to the unique dynamics of academic environments. Through initiatives like the NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) and NIDHI PRAYAS programs.

Dr. Jitendra Singh shared that these ventures have created numerous jobs and have led to a thriving culture of innovation, resulting in the generation of a substantial number of intellectual properties.

Highlighting the substantial economic success achieved reflecting the program’s impact on India’s growth and self-reliance, he said, “Celebration of 8 years of the NIDHI underscores Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to empower Women entrepreneurs and extend financial inclusion”.