Cyient Foundation, the CSR arm of Cyient Ltd., and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an innovation cluster in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed in the august presence of Hon'ble Minister for Human Resources Development, IT Electronics and Communication, Shri Nara Lokesh here today.
This landmark partnership is aimed at strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem by empowering educational institutions to become epicentres of innovation, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property creation. Under the MoU, the pilot program will focus on transforming higher education institutions in and around Visakhapatnam into vibrant hubs of innovation by fostering collaboration between academia, industry, startups, and investors.
The initiative will deploy a structured ecosystem comprising iCARE (Innovation Creation and Research for Entrepreneurship) centres, iCAFE (Idea Creation and Auxiliary Facilities for Entrepreneurship) centres, and IPR-TT (Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Transfer) cells across mentor and mentee institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman of Cyient and Chief Patron, Cyient Foundation, said, “The partnership with AICTE is a significant step towards realizing India’s potential as a global innovation powerhouse. By nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and building institutional capacities, we are creating a self-sustaining model that empowers youth, encourages IP creation, and promotes meaningful collaboration between academia and industry.”
The collaboration will also include boot camps, innovation fairs, hackathons, and mentoring programs, all designed to equip students and faculty with the skills and resources necessary for real-world innovation and start-up development. Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman, AICTE, added, “At AICTE, we are committed to building a robust and inclusive innovation culture across the country.
This partnership with Cyient Foundation exemplifies the kind of industry-academia collaboration that can transform the way educational institutions contribute to India’s innovation economy. By strategically leveraging the collective strengths of educational institutions, industry, and the creative youth talent, these innovation clusters aim to generate a broad and lasting impact on regional innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.
The city innovation cluster in Visakhapatnam will serve as a model for future clusters across the nation.” AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell implement a variety of national-level initiatives, such as organizing the Smart India Hackathon—the world’s largest open innovation model—and establishing Institution’s Innovation Councils (IICs) in more than 15,700 higher education institutions (HEIs) across India.
These efforts are significantly reshaping the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within HEIs. In Andhra Pradesh alone, over 1,137 IICs have been established in both technical and non-technical institutions, actively driving campus innovation ecosystems.
Cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Kakinada, Nellore, and Anantapur have a high concentration of these institutions, giving them substantial potential to develop into city-level innovation clusters. The MoU envisions a three-year roadmap, with Cyient Foundation providing CSR grant support and infrastructure for the initiative.
This initiative also aligns with the Government of India’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, emphasizing innovation-led growth and regional empowerment.