AIM and NITI Aayog Launch 2025 Youth Co:Lab Challenge to Promote Innovation for the Disabled
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New Delhi, Dec 23 (NationPress) The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and NITI Aayog officially kicked off the seventh iteration of the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge for 2024-2025 on Monday, focusing on fostering innovation for people with disabilities.
This year, the challenge, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will be executed in collaboration with the AssisTech Foundation (ATF). It invites aspiring young entrepreneurs, including those with disabilities, to create innovative solutions that “improve access to opportunities and enhance well-being for Persons with Disabilities” (PwDs).
The initiative is designed to promote social entrepreneurship and facilitate sustainable development.
“Youth Co:Lab, co-created in 2017 by UNDP and Citi Foundation, seeks to empower and invest in youth to hasten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship,” stated NITI Aayog.
The challenge was first introduced in India in 2019 in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.
To date, Youth Co:Lab has organized six national theme-specific dialogues on youth social innovation and entrepreneurship in India. It has impacted over 19,000 individuals and assisted in the formation or enhancement of 2,600 youth-led social innovation and entrepreneurship teams.
The Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2024-2025 emphasizes the creation of innovative solutions for inclusive and accessible Assistive Technology (AT), inclusive educational technology, and skilling solutions, as well as accessible and inclusive care models.
“We are convinced that young individuals are not only the leaders of tomorrow—they are the changemakers of today. This conviction is reflected in Youth Co:Lab, now entering its seventh edition. For the first time, it emphasizes startups created by and for individuals with disabilities. We understand that fostering disability-inclusive development is not merely the right action; it is crucial for realizing the SDGs,” remarked Dr. Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative, India.
“Imagine AI empowering individuals with visual impairments to navigate independently or AR/VR revolutionizing learning for those with autism. As supporters of the Assistive Technology ecosystem, we are eager to collaborate with UNDP and AIM for this year’s Youth Co:Lab to enhance the lives of PwDs,” stated Prateek Madhav, CEO and Co-Founder of ATF.
The 2025 program aims to support 30-35 early-stage startups through a springboard initiative, providing seed grants to the top-performing startups for scaling their projects.
Young founders aged 18-32 who are passionate about addressing real-world challenges or fostering significant co-innovation opportunities for disability inclusion are encouraged to apply.
