SAP, NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission to promote entrepreneurship

Global software firm SAP SE on Tuesday said it has signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with NITI Aayog for the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship programme of the Indian government to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.

As part of the SOI, SAP would adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among secondary school students in the country in 2018, a company statement said.

"Collaborating with governments and academia will allow us to ignite innovation in India's large student population through right guidance, knowledge and infrastructure," Bernd Leukert, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, Products and Innovation, said in the statement.

The programme aims to teach students advanced technology topics relevant to digital transformation and the Internet of Things (IoT).

"India's growth for the next few decades will depend on the innovations coming out of these tinkering labs," said Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog.

"This is possible only through effective public-private partnership and we are delighted to have SAP partner with us on AIM to nurture the future talent of our country," Kant added.

SAP employee-volunteers will coach and mentor students, and the company would also provide CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) grants through non-profit partners for a holistic learning experiences of students.