Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog organised the Regional AIM Sumvaad, Central India edition at the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The convening brought together stakeholders from government, industry, academia, incubators and startups to strengthen State–Centre collaboration. The initiative aimed to build a robust incubator network across the region and to deepen engagement with innovation ecosystem partners.

Representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh participated along with startup councils, industry leaders, corporate social responsibility partners and ecosystem enablers. Sessions covered strengthening incubation ecosystems, scaling state-led innovation initiatives and enhancing collaboration between governments, academia, incubators and industry. The programme focused on enabling innovation-driven economic growth and unlocking opportunities for startups in emerging sectors.

The Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, Deepak Bagla, noted that incubators were the cornerstone of a thriving startup ecosystem. He explained that AIM was collaborating with the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade to provide world-class infrastructure, mentorship and market access. These collaborative platforms, including AIM Sumvaad, were intended to foster entrepreneurship and to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat. The director of IIM Indore observed that the startup evolution was shifting from a service mindset to a science mindset and that DeepTech would require patient capital and a culture that prioritised deep research over quick returns.

Viraj Bhanage of RRCAT and chairman of AIC ?-Hub underlined the role of incubators in handholding and supporting new startups and said the Sumvaad strengthened ties among entrepreneurs, institutions and ecosystem enablers. Dr Abha Rishi, Executive Head of the Madhya Pradesh Startup Centre, described incubators as the beating heart of the startup ecosystem and urged recognition of their strategic importance. A special session led by Manish Verma addressed building effective people and culture in incubation centres to create a sustainable engine for entrepreneurship. The event also saw the launch of state incubator chapters as the Madhya Pradesh Incubation Consortium and the Thar Incubation Alliance.