Grassroot Innovations for the startups in Karnataka

Grassroot Innovation or Innovation with Rural Impact is defined as :

Startups who qualify to be part of Grassroot or Rural Innovations are defined as those Startups that lead bottom-up solutions for sustainable development; solutions that respond to local situation/interest/values of rural communities and are aimed at improving the socio-economic condition / ease of living and standard of living of the rural communities

While the department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and science & technology being the Nodal Department. emphasises on creating a platform lot constantly innovating, encouraging newer ideas and emerging technologies. thrust has to be laid down on conceptualizing elementary / grassroot-level innovation

There is a need to strengthen the various aspects of rural innovations in Karnataka invluding the characteristics of innovation ecosystem, the conditions for the local business sectors, industrial diversity, access to physical and digital infrastructure, relations with urban counterparts and more.

The focus should be on designing Innovation support mechanisms that are adapted to rural needs.Innovations coming up with products, like solar powered freezers for farmers to zero-electricity water purifiers, have the potential to dramatically impact the way people live in rural areas.

It is felt that there is a need to promote and recognize innovative start-ups from the urban areas working on products/services/solutions impacting rural areas as well as innovative start-ups from the rural areas developing product/services/solutions addressing the pain areas of rural communities.