National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) is an umbrella program conceived and developed by National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, for nurturing knowledge-based and technology-driven ideas and innovations into successful startups. Inclusive-TBI (i-TBI) at CSVTU Bhilai is an initiative supported by the DST-NIDHI to foster innovation and entrepreneurship culture among the students, faculties, innovators, entrepreneurs and nearby communities through incubation.
It is expected that students, innovators and entrepreneurs will take up innovative ideas/projects and with mentoring support from CSVTU and startup ecosystem, try to build a startup around the innovative idea/project. The outcome of the i-TBI shall be converting ideas into startups. i-TBI would also create a culture of innovation & entrepreneurship in CSVTU and nearby geographies. i-TBI will be equipped with grants-in-aid funding support to innovators to convert ideas to prototype and prototype to startups.
i-TBI CSVTU Bhilai will provide Ignition grant (grants-in-aid), a funding support to innovators/ start-ups to convert their ideas into prototype/products that have potential for commercialization. The maximum funding support to an innovator/start-ups under this scheme will be up to Rs. 10 lakhs, however the final amount is subject to the approval of the selection committee. As an expected outcome, around 30 startups would be nurtured and supported by i-TBI in a span of three years of its operation.
The i-TBI shall invite the proposal from Innovators / start-ups through open call for providing ignition grant. i-TBI CSVTU Bhilai will constitute a Screening and Monitoring committee to select the innovators / start-ups on the basis of certain parameters. This committee will ensure the smooth implementation of the program including the selection of innovators for ignition grant and monitoring their progress. The i-TBI would evolve a transparent system for selection of incubatees. The incubatees will be admitted fulfilling the required criteria. i-TBI will execute appropriate agreements with the incubatees.
Following General and Eligibility Criteria may be follow for selecting the Innovators / start-ups for ignition grant:-
An individual innovator without having a startup or founder of a startup can apply for ignition grant.
(A) In case of an applicant being an individual innovator without having a startup applying for grant
(B) In case of an applicant being a co-founder of a Startup applying for grant:
The CSVTU Foundation for Rural Technology and Entrepreneurship (CSVTU-FORTE) is a Section-8 Company under the aegis of CSVTU Bhilai. Its mission is to incubate start-ups and support entrepreneurs aspiring to evolve social inclusive business models leveraging grass-root level Technologies and Innovations. CSVTU-FORTE will serve as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to implement the i-TBI at the university. CSVTU has leased a dedicated space of 20,000 square feet to CSVTU-FORTE for incubation which will be housing the common facilities, Fab lab, Prototyping laboratory, meeting rooms, video conferencing facility, computer lab and server room, co-working space with high bandwidth net/WIFI, recreational facilities, etc. as per the guidelines of NIDHI i-TBI.
The i-TBI, CSVTU Bhilai would have a dedicated staff including a Head/CEO & an incubation manager with domain knowledge and required expertise, working full time for i-TBI.
The Governing Body of i-TBI, CSVTU Bhilai has following composition:-
The Governing Body will be chaired by Head of the Institute (Vice Chancellor, CSVTU Bhilai). The composition of the Governing Body of i-TBI, CSVTU Bhilai can be found here: http://www.csvtuforte.com/governing.php
The Governing Body of the i-TBI, CSVTU Bhilai would meet at least every quarter to review progress of the i-TBI and provide policy guidelines for the operations of i-TBI to attain projected milestones. The Governing Body would provide adequate autonomy and flexibility to the Head/CEO of the i-TBI for making speedy & transparent decisions.