Vizag Sets Up District Entrepreneurship Mission to Nurture Grassroots Innovation

Visakhapatnam (Vizag) has taken a major step toward inclusive growth with the launch of the District Entrepreneurship Mission (DEM). Spearheaded by the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME), this initiative aims to foster grassroots innovation and support communities that often remain outside the traditional startup ecosystem.

Unlike many entrepreneurship programs that focus primarily on urban centres, the DEM places special emphasis on tribal groups, women, farmers, and micro and small enterprises, helping them find sustainable pathways to growth. By widening its scope beyond cities, the mission seeks to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of local communities.

The program is built on a collaborative framework that unites government agencies, academic institutions, industry leaders, incubators, and civil society organizations. Together, these stakeholders will work in thematic areas such as youth development, women’s entrepreneurship, agriculture, rural growth, and aquaculture, tailoring solutions to local needs.

A detailed roadmap has been drawn up for the next two to three years. It includes plans to scale pilot projects that can empower more than 200 entrepreneurs in the region, alongside campaigns to highlight local entrepreneurial role models. The action plan also sets clear targets in job creation, business expansion, and investment mobilization, ensuring the initiative remains both impactful and measurable.

Looking ahead, the vision is for the Vizag District Entrepreneurship Mission to become a replicable success story. By proving its effectiveness locally, the model can be adapted in other districts of Andhra Pradesh and, eventually, across India, creating a broader movement for grassroots entrepreneurship.

Also read: 4 Upcoming Mega Road Projects That Will Redefine The Landscape of Vizag

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