Country’s first varsity Atal Incubation Centre launched in Sri Krishnadevaraya University
NITI Aayog senior consultant C Murali Krishna has formally launched the Atal Incubation Centre AIC at the Sri Krishnadevaraya University SKU campus here on Friday
Anantapur: NITI Aayog senior consultant C Murali Krishna has formally launched the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) campus here on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, Murali Krishna said that a grant-in-aid of Rs 10 crore will be provided for a maximum period of 5 years to cover the capital and operational expenditures to establish the AIC. The applicant would have to provide at least 10,000 square feet of ready-to-use space for the exclusive use of the incubation centre.
Out of 3,658 applicants for the year 2016-17, 1,719 were academic institutions and 1,939 non-academic applicants. There were three stages of screening where the applicants were put through various levels of filters which checked the eligibility conditions, weak research/innovation system and weak plans.
This filtering process was done automatically by the system based on the data filled in the online application forms by the applicants. In the fourth stage, the selection committee which is an inter-ministerial committee conducted interviews with the applicants.
These interviews were done in two different phases. In the phase-I, 63 applicants were called for remote interviews during February 2017 and selected 10 applicants. In the phase-II, 30 applicants with the highest scores were invited for repeat presentations during the first week of June 2017 and selected 3.
The AIC established in the university campus is the only such centre given to a government institution in the country. The NITI Aayog consultant further said that the AIC in the campus has made excellent arrangements and is also accredited with multiple personnel having PhDs and research-oriented. By 2020, Murali Krishna said he expected the centre to launch 20 incubation centres.
Prospective entrepreneurs should learn from failures and should not get upset with failures. Out of the 100 identified incubation centres for establishment, 30 are functioning in the country. AIC Director K Nagabhushanam Raju in his welcome address said that agriculture, new and renewable energy and ICT will be the thrust areas of the centre for promoting start-up companies.
SKU former Vice-Chancellor Raja Gopal said that the centre would surely emerge as the best one in the country. SKU Vice-Chancellor Subha, Registrar Sudhakar Babu and other officials were also present.
