Empowering Tomorrow's Innovators: SGT University Launches New Atal Community Innovation Centre

SGT University held the official inauguration ceremony for the launch of their Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC-SGTU) on November 22, 2023. The grand event witnessed the presence of distinguished government representatives and esteemed dignitaries, marking a significant milestone in the universitys commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), Government of India; inaugurating the "Startup Store" initiative at the Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC-SGTU) at SGT University

ACIC-SGTU, established with the support of NITI Aayog, is envisioned as a pivotal support system aimed at nurturing the problem-solving and creative abilities of young entrepreneurs. The center will provide essential resources such as financial support, physical space, and mentorship through grants and partnership programs. Its aim is to identify and scale up grassroots innovations by providing skill development training, capacity-building programs, and linking innovators with the startup ecosystem.

One of the highlights of the inauguration was the launch of the "Startup Store," a unique concept designed to serve as a true "marketplace for ideas." This platform allows individuals to explore innovations and engage with the creators emerging from ACIC-SGTU.

At the ceremony itself, Dr. Chintan Vaidhnav, an academician and researcher of the highest standards who is currently chairing GoI's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) project, welcomed SGT into the ACIC fold and shared his vision for what the centre is supposed to be. "The main focus of ACIC is to be a community facing centre that closes the gaps in innovation output between major cities and other parts of India."

"The community facing aspect is important, as interacting with them can help collect critical data and help you in fine tuning your innovations," he wisely quipped.

The Guest of Honour for the ceremony was the former Senior Director of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and a thought leader in digital innovation, Mr. Ajai Garg. In his address to the attendees, he praised SGT Universitys multidisciplinary focus and emphasised that this is "Indias time to innovate," while thanking ACIC for assisting the nation in capitalising on this moment.

The ceremony also featured visits to various startup stalls, showcasing the remarkable work already undertaken by the center. ACIC-SGTU focuses on key sectors such as Agriculture & Allied Fields, Green & Clean Energy, Healthcare, and IoT/IT. The center has successfully reached out to local areas such as Jhajjar, Sultanpur, Dhankot, Chandu, Bahadurgarh, Gurugram, Sadhrana, Farukh Nagar, providing startups with essential benefits, including co-working spaces, high-speed internet facilities, mentor connections, peer-to-peer learning, and networking opportunities.

Several startups incubated at ACIC-SGTU have already achieved notable success. Medico Albatross received a grant of 4 lakhs from the MeitY Start-up hub under the TIDE 2.0 Scheme, while Sumiom Innovation secured the 1st position and a cash prize of Rs. 30,000 in the National Innovation Challenge at Panipat Institute of Engineering and Technology.

SGT University, with its broad ambitions to promote research, innovation, and multidisciplinary education, views ACIC-SGTU as just the beginning of its grand plans. The institution, which began as SGT Dental College in 2002, has now grown to offer more than 180 programs across a range of disciplines in commerce, art, and science.

About SGT University

SGT University, Gurugram, one of Indias top universities, offers courses across 18 faculties, including a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs. It has a noble mission of providing opportunities for higher education to all sections of society and a vision of bridging the existing skill gap and developing world-class industry professionals.

SGT University is a research and innovation powerhouse, as well as the home of Asias only National Reference Simulation Centre for Nursing & Medical Sciences, which was founded in collaboration with Jhpiego, Laerdal Medical India. The university also has a multi-specialty SGT Hospital that is NABL and NABH accredited. The hospital serves the surrounding communities as well as providing practical experience to medical students.

The university ensures that its focus is on the community and takes pride in forging connections between its researchers and local businesses in need of research collaboration. Furthermore, SGT University is known for its advancements in medicine, dentistry, environmental science, engineering, and data science. Additionally, it has won a number of honors for its contributions to higher education, including the "Diamond Rating" from QS I-GAUGE and a "Diamond Band" from R World Institutional Ranking in the "Mental Health & Wellbeing" category. Because of the universitys strong industry connections, cutting-edge labs have been established in partnership with well-known international organizations like Apple, IBM, SAP, Oracle, SMC India, UNESCO Bioethics, Laerdal-Jhpiego, and many others.

SGT University has established a name for itself in the academic community by consistently producing highly skilled and employable professionals. The university has also partnered with world leaders to establish a number of Centers of Excellence, laboratories, incubation cells, and industry-academia associations. These Centers of Excellence support SGT Universitys efforts to conduct cutting-edge research and academic excellence.