Tamil Nadu Celebrates Innovation: ₹12.73 Crore in Grants Awarded to Young Inventors and Entrepreneurs

In a grand function held on July 16, 2025, at Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Mr. T.M. Anbarasan, awarded financial grants to budding inventors and entrepreneurs under the state’s flagship EDII (Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute) programs. The state government distributed ₹12.73 crore in innovation funding to support 65 new inventions developed by young minds and startups.

As part of this initiative, 15 individual inventors and 50 school innovation clubs received financial support under the “Innovation Voucher Scheme” and “School Innovation Development Program” respectively. This event marks a milestone for Tamil Nadu’s EDII program, which has now completed 25 years of promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

Among the awarded inventions were a marine safety suit for seafarers, a sound gun, a multipurpose fruit harvester, a solar-powered plastic shredder, and many other novel ideas. These creations were displayed at an exhibition and garnered praise from the minister, who encouraged the inventors to continue pursuing excellence.

Minister Anbarasan highlighted that Tamil Nadu ranks among India’s leading states in promoting entrepreneurship through strategic government-backed programs. He lauded Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s vision of placing the state at the forefront of technological innovation and startup development. The state’s EDII model has provided over 71,735 people with entrepreneurship training over the past four years alone, with plans to train 19,000 more individuals in the coming year.

Particularly notable is the outreach to students. Over the last three years, EDII has trained 21.86 lakh school students across 8,074 government and aided schools, offering workshops and awareness sessions on innovation and entrepreneurship. The “School Innovation Development Program” alone has granted awards ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh to student teams. So far, 130 student teams have received ₹63.25 lakh in awards for their innovative projects.

The EDII has also reached 7.85 lakh youth through its entrepreneurship awareness programs in colleges and skill development centers. In government colleges, 124 Incubation Centres have been set up, with 39 of them receiving ₹21 crore in government funding to improve infrastructure and mentoring facilities. These centres have supported 961 students and youth in transforming their ideas into viable enterprises.

Looking ahead, the Tamil Nadu government aims to shape 10,000 student entrepreneurs in the next five years under the ₹19.57 crore “Nimirndhu Nil” scheme. Additionally, 9,000 youth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will receive training under the ₹2.07 crore Rural Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Scheme, focusing on emerging fields like digital marketing, precision electronics, food processing, and artificial intelligence.

Tamil Nadu’s Startup ecosystem also continues to expand under the TANSEED (Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Fund) initiative. The government has invested ₹69.99 crore in 205 startups in the past four years, including ₹20 crore specifically earmarked for SC/ST entrepreneurs.

Thanks to these comprehensive policies and programs, Tamil Nadu has made significant strides in becoming a hub for innovation. Over ₹2,220.96 crore in entrepreneurial assistance and ₹5,180.18 crore in industrial subsidies have been disbursed over the last four years, enabling 59,584 individuals to become first-generation entrepreneurs.

In his closing remarks, Minister Anbarasan urged the youth to keep pace with the rapid advancement of 2G, 3G, and 5G technologies by transforming their innovative ideas into real-world products and contributing to Tamil Nadu’s industrial growth. “The government is here to support your dreams with funding, mentoring, and training. Take Tamil Nadu’s name forward with pride,” he concluded.

Earlier in the event, the minister inaugurated an exhibition of the inventions developed by students, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The event was attended by key officials including Dr. Atul Anand, IAS (Principal Secretary), R. Ambalavanan, IAAS (Director of EDII), and Mayowa Osunkoya (COO, Villgro Foundation), along with educators and award recipients.

Issued by:
Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Chennai-9.