**Executive Summary**
On April 4, 2026, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, launched the ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy in Telangana to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across 379 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs). The initiative aims to transition from providing lab access to ensuring sustained engagement by clustering schools under nodal institutions to foster a "School-to-Startup" pipeline. This rollout supports the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by providing structured mentorship, teacher training, and pathways for incubation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Objectives and Strategic Vision**
* **School-to-Startup Pipeline:** Focuses on enabling young innovators to move from ideation to impact, creating a talent pipeline for national growth and self-reliance.
* **Viksit Bharat 2047:** Aligns school-level innovation with the national goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
* **Sustained Engagement:** Shifts the focus of ATLs from providing equipment access to deepening impact through continuous mentorship and institutional support.
**Operational Framework**
* **Regional Clustering:** Organizes 379 ATLs in Telangana into regional clusters to ensure localized support and collaboration.
* **Nodal Institutions:** Each cluster is anchored by a leading institution; Vardhaman College of Engineering has been onboarded as the state’s nodal institution to provide technical and entrepreneurial expertise.
* **Collaborative Model:** Leverages partnerships between government, academia, and industry to scale innovations.
**Core Programme Components**
* **Capacity Building:** Focuses on strengthening teacher capacity and providing students with structured problem-solving approaches.
* **Technological Exposure:** Provides hands-on exposure to emerging technologies to help students solve real-world problems.
* **Incubation Support:** Establishes clear pathways for students to scale their innovations and receive startup support.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students (Young Innovators)**
**Impact**
Students receive hands-on technology exposure and structured mentorship, allowing them to translate ideas into scalable solutions.
**Action Required**
Engage with the ATL ecosystem to develop creative solutions and utilize provided pathways for incubation and startup development.
**Teachers**
**Impact**
Teacher capacity is enhanced through dedicated training programs and institutional support from nodal colleges.
**Action Required**
Participate in training sessions and coordinate with nodal institutions to facilitate continuous innovation within schools.
**Vardhaman College of Engineering (Nodal Institution)**
**Impact**
Serves as the central anchor for the state's innovation clusters, sharing expertise in technical education and entrepreneurship.
**Action Required**
Provide institutional leadership, mentorship, and technical support to the 379 ATLs within the designated clusters.
**Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs)**
**Impact**
ATLs are integrated into a broader regional network, moving from isolated units to active nodes in a grassroots innovation ecosystem.
**Action Required**
Adhere to the new clustering model and collaborate with regional partners to enhance innovation outcomes.
Key Entities Referenced
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): The flagship initiative under NITI Aayog responsible for launching the program to foster a grassroots innovation ecosystem.
ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy: A specialized initiative providing structured mentorship, institutional support, and teacher training to bridge the gap between ideation and startup impact.
Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs): School-level workspaces targeted by this rollout to provide students with hands-on exposure to emerging technologies and problem-solving.
Telangana: The primary state of applicability where 379 labs are being organized into regional clusters for sustained engagement.
Vardhaman College of Engineering: The designated nodal institution for Telangana tasked with providing technical expertise and entrepreneurship support to ATL schools.
NITI Aayog
ATL Sarthi & Mentor India Academy launched in
Telangana to power School-to-Startup innovation
across 379 Atal Tinkering Labs
Such initiatives are critical in shaping a generation that is
confident, capable, and future-ready and Atal Innovation
Mission is making it happen”: Hon’ble Governor of Telangana
Posted On: 04 APR 2026 5:11PM by PIB Delhi
In line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the Atal Innovation Mission
(AIM), NITI Aayog, today launched the ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy in Telangana, reinforcing
its commitment to nurturing innovation from the school level. The initiative will extend structured
mentorship and institutional support to 379 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), enabling young innovators to
translate ideas into solutions that contribute to India’s development journey and position Telangana as a
key node in India’s expanding grassroots innovation ecosystem.
The launch was graced by His Excellency Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Hon’ble Governor of Telangana, and
Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Coal and Mines, in the presence of senior officials from
AIM and the Government of Telangana, underscoring a shared commitment to nurturing future-ready
innovators.
ATL Sarthi and Mentor India represents a focused effort to deepen the impact of ATLs by moving from
access to sustained engagement. The initiative clusters ATLs regionally and connects them with leading
local institutions to ensure continuous mentorship, teacher training, and pathways for incubation and
startup support. Under this model, 379 ATLs in Telangana will be organized into clusters, each anchored
by a nodal institution. Vardhaman College of Engineering has been onboarded as the nodal institution for
the state, bringing its expertise in technical education, innovation, and entrepreneurship to support ATL
schools and strengthen the local innovation ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Hon’ble Governor of Telangana, said, “The ATL Sarthi
and Mentor India Academy initiative strengthens the foundation of innovation in our schools by creating
meaningful linkages between young learners and institutions of excellence. It will empower students to
think creatively, solve real-world problems, and contribute to nation-building. Such initiatives are critical
in shaping a generation that is confident, capable, and future-ready and AIM is making it happen.”
The ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy initiative is designed to empower students with hands-on
exposure to emerging technologies, structured problem-solving approaches, and opportunities to scale
their innovations. By strengthening teacher capacity and providing institutional support, the programme
ensures that innovation becomes a continuous and evolving process within schools.Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission Shri Deepak Bagla, said, “Guided by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat, ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy are important steps we have
taken towards building a culture where innovation begins early and is nurtured consistently. Our focus is
on enabling every young innovator to move from ideation to impact. By creating strong linkages between
schools, institutions, and the innovation ecosystem, we are building a robust pipeline of talent that will
drive India’s growth, competitiveness, and self-reliance in the years to come.”
The rollout of ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy in Telangana builds on AIM’s broader national
mission of establishing one of the world’s largest innovation ecosystems for students, with over 10,000
ATLs operational across the country. By leveraging local institutional partnerships and fostering
collaboration between government, academia, and industry, the initiative ensures that innovation is not
only introduced but continuously nurtured and scaled.
With strong institutional support and leadership, ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy is expected to
enhance innovation outcomes from ATLs, foster regional innovation hubs, and create a pipeline of young
innovators and entrepreneurs who will contribute meaningfully to India’s journey towards becoming a
developed nation.***
MJPS/PRK
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