Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC)

Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC) was set up in 2017 under the State Innovation Policy with a vision to build and nurture the culture of Innovation in the State of Telangana. TSIC acts as the first response of the State Government for identified innovators, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and innovation catalysts to foster an inclusive innovation ecosystem with a state-as-a-whole approach.

TSIC is driven by three mandates:

• To build a culture of innovation from the school age.
• To foster innovation in the government and administration.
• To promote the culture of innovation in the state.

Collaborations

• Agri Innovation Hub (AgHub) of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) has entered an MoU with TSIC to provide technical backstopping to grassroots entrepreneurs and students in the State of Telangana.
• TSIC has entered an MoU with Bala Vikasa International Center (BVIC) where the latter would provide incubation support for Startups, as a part of the Impact Labs program. TSIC has collaborated with BVIC as a Knowledge Partner in conducting the Telangana’s first Social Entrepreneurship Summit “Impulse 2022”.
• TSIC has collaborated with WaterAid to conduct the “Innovate 4 Menstrual Waste Hackathon” for students, working professionals, SHGs, and innovators across India.

Programs and Initiatives

Intinta Innovator Exhibition

The 3rd edition of Intinta Innovator exhibition saw the participation of 500+ innovative ideas across 33 districts and 108 innovative solutions were exhibited in various districts across the State.

Intinta Innovator Grameena Awards

• First-of-its-kind Intinta Innovator Grameena Awards was started as a part of Republic Day celebrations at 4 Gram Panchayats under the State-wide campaign Intinta innovator, to enable recognition for the local innovators. The recognition of the four innovators was done by the Sarpanch and Village Secretaries of the Gram Panchayat.
• As part of Telangana State Innovations with Rural Impact (TSIRI) Incentives executed, six startups and twelve innovators have received incentives under the grants: Prototype, Seed, and Pilot. The incentives are a first-of- its-kind support mechanism by the Government of Telangana for grassroots innovations.
• TSIC has supported 12 Social Startups to present their innovation at Dubai Expo 2021-22, and pitch at the Elevate event to a group of impact investors.
• TSIC facilitated 11 top Telangana startups in the sustainability space to showcase their products, services, journey to an international audience, and social entrepreneurs in the TiE Sustainability Summit 2021.
• Close to 30 rural innovators are currently being supported in Intellectual Patent Rights, Mentorship, Prototype/Product Development, and Market Access.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

• The 75 years of India’s independence, the Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav–Telangana edition, is celebrated with a focus on Innovation & Social Impact in the presence of 100+ State ecosystem stakeholders.
• Impact Labs, a convergence of 9 NGOs and Social Telangana edition of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, was celebrated with a focus on Innovation & Social Impact startups to co-develop solutions for identified problems was launched in November, 2021. The selected cohort startups were provided with an opportunity to work on a proof-of-concept and an eventual pilot, enabling them to work hand-in-hand with the NGO partners.
• Data for Social Good Hackathon, a collaboration between the Government of Telangana and the University of Massachusetts, saw over 2000 participants. The winning teams present their findings at the Annual UMass Homecoming Research Symposium and also get featured on the DACSS research website.
• Telangana Social Startups Network (TSSN), a network of Social Impact startups and other ecosystem players, currently has 297 social startups, 35 Incubators, 30 NGOs, 77 Mentors, and 23 Investors.

School Innovation Challenge

The second edition of School Innovation Challenge 2021-22 organized in collaboration with the State Education Department, UNICEF India, Inqui-Lab Foundation, and YuWaah witnessed over 25,000 school students from ZPHS, Welfare, and budget private schools undergo Design Thinking and Problem-Solving training. Twenty ideas were shortlisted from 11, 037 teams from across 33 districts of the state for the Grand Finale. The top 5 winning teams were felicitated with cash prizes, which will be useful for scale the ideas.

I2E Lab: Innovation to Entrepreneurship Lab

TSIC in collaboration with Make Room India, with about 12 partners, has enabled 14 teams to work on solving air pollution, traffic, agriculture, farm mechanization, and mental health. While TSIC enabled government access for these startups, Make Room India connected them with capacity building, funding, and market access. Together, 5 teams of i2E Lab have raised over Rs. 1 Cr in funds and market access to build in Telangana and for India.

Social Entrepreneurship Summit Impulse 2022

Over 800 social entrepreneurship enthusiasts, including impact investors, incubators, and mentors, took part in a day-long event, Impulse 2022 on April 8th, at the Bala Vikasa International Center (BVIC) Campus. The first-of-its-kind event focused on various panels, knowledge sessions, and interactive workshops on nurturing social entrepreneurship. 87 social startups, including that of rural innovators, showcased their products and services.

T-Innovation Mahotsavam

T-Innovation Mahotsavam marked World Creativity & Innovation Day and brought together the Telangana innovation ecosystem. Aimed at celebrating the state’s inclusive innovation ecosystem, Telangana Government organized T- Innovation Mahotsavam on April 21st, 2022. The event brought together Telangana innovation enablers and featured inspiring keynotes, entrepreneur talks by startups, grassroots innovators, and women entrepreneurs. It was also organised in engineering colleges and incubators/accelerators across Telangana. Alongside 120 degree and 60 polytechnic colleges held “Hour for Innovation” sessions.

Teacher Innovations Repository

TSIC spearheaded Teacher Innovations Repository (TIR), in collaboration with Telangana Education Dept and Grassroot Innovations Augmented Network (GIAN). The TIR portal envisions nurturing and celebrating innovations by educators in teaching/non-teaching methodologies that would translate into effective & innovative pedagogical skills.

Village Innovation Challenge

The second pilot of Village Innovation Challenge, an attempt to enable rural youth and the villagers to innovate to solve their problems, was launched in Marikal Mandal of Narayanpet District. Currently, the first phase of the program is concluded that sensitised 17 villages on the concept of innovation.

Youth for Social Impact

India’s first innovation hub for youth & adolescence Youth for Social Impact (YFSI) program in collaboration with UNICEF India and YuWaah, for college students of Telangana, was launched to up-skill the youth to become problem solvers; validate their ideas & innovation and challenge their perspectives through grassroots immersion.

Health Tech

The second edition of Government Startup Connect was conducted for Health Tech startups. Eleven startups were given an opportunity to pitch their unique propositions to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of ITE&C and Health Departments, along with other Government officials. TSIC is supporting the startups to buy piloting opportunities with the Government of Telangana.