India becoming a case study for world’s fastest growing innovation ecosystem: Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Bengaluru, India 17th August 2023: The G-20 Digital Innovation Alliance Programme, under India’s G20 Presidency, launched by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Govt of India, unveiled the Digital Innovation Alliance Summit that will continue from 17- 19 August at the Palace Grounds, Bengaluru. This prestigious initiative saw participation of start-ups from 29 countries, showcasing their potential to revolutionise industries and transform societies.
The inauguration was graced by Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt of India, Shri. Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary – MeitY, Govt of India, Shri. Akash Tripathi, Joint Secretary – MeitY, Govt of India, and Ms. Debjani Ghosh, President – NASSCOM.
Addressing the summit, MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “Until recently, the centre of gravity of technology used to be in a few countries and few corporates. However, it is now moving to opensource technologies. Our young start-ups are catalysing innovation and will be shaping the future of technology.”
“Today, India is becoming a case study for the rest of the world in how we have created a Digital Public infrastructure like IndiaStack and the world’s fastest growing innovation ecosystem. India has emerged as a pre-eminent nation in the use of technology for transforming lives, governance, and democracy in our country,” he emphasized.
Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, emphasized the significance of the G-20 DIA, stated Having almost 107 unicorns and over 100,000 startups, India is now one of the fastest growing start-up ecosystems in the world.
He also added, Digital India has become a transformative journey for India. It has been an inclusive program that has reached the last mile, bridging the digital divide.
Ms. Debjani Ghosh, President – NASSCOM, stated “With the global alliance, we can collectively build a world of doers, problem solvers, and young achievers. The spirit of entrepreneurship is what the world needs to move forward.”
The summit featured enlightening sessions with Indian unicorn founders, experts from the industry, policymakers, investors, and influential thinkers. These sessions facilitated and enabled the formation of strategic partnerships and played a pivotal role in influencing the global course of startups.
Over the course of this event, startups showcased their solutions across six pivotal themes: Education, AgriTech, FinTech, Healthcare, Digital Infrastructure, and Circular Economy. Further, the startups G20 countries and the nine invited guest countries had an opportunity to engage in investor pitches, mentoring sessions, and network with industry professionals.
Mr. Hari Menon, India Country Director and Lead South and Southeast Asia, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said, ‘The Gates Foundation is excited to partner with the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) under the leadership of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to support innovators from the G20 and non-member nations to provide digital solutions for solving tough health and development challenges, especially in the lower- and middle-income countries. India is fast emerging as a Start Up hub for the world and we are enthused at the prospect of cutting-edge digital solutions that G20 DIA can spur in various sectors, including Agri-tech, Health- tech and Fin-tech, among others, to improve lives of millions across the world, under India’s G20 Presidency.’
The summit recognises startups as key catalysts for both economic advancement and positive collaborative framework among G-20 countries. By nurturing an atmosphere that fosters innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, the G-20 Digital Innovation Alliance summit unlocks the boundless capacities of startups to drive the digital innovations for the global economies.
