The Delhi government has approved the setting up of the Go-Delhi Foundation, an initiative aimed at promoting startups, innovation and entrepreneurship in the capital. The foundation will provide young people, researchers and entrepreneurs with integrated support to turn their ideas into practical products and successful enterprises, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement on Sunday. It will have an initial budgetary outlay of ₹50 crore.

The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, recently approved the foundation and sanctioned funds to help turn ideas into products and bring them to market.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative is an important step towards bringing together Delhi’s existing entrepreneurial capabilities, educational institutions and research facilities. “Delhi has nearly 21,000 start-ups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Through the Go-Delhi Foundation, these resources will be brought together on a common platform, with a focus on developing new enterprises, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities,” she said.

The foundation will help startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access product engineering, prototyping, laboratory and testing facilities. It will also offer mentorship and support entrepreneurs at different stages, from product development and testing to certification preparation and market access, Ms. Gupta said.

The foundation will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, and function under the Delhi government’s Department of Industries.

Real-world solutions

Government departments will be able to bring their real-world challenges to Delhi’s innovators through the foundation, Ms. Gupta said. Products and technologies developed to address these challenges could be tested through pilot projects, with successful solutions taken forward for adoption.

“This would give government departments an opportunity to access new technologies and practical solutions, while allowing startups to demonstrate the usefulness of their products. The initiative would seek to strengthen collaboration among the government, industry, educational institutions and innovators,” the CMO statement said.

To empower early-stage innovators, researchers and start-ups, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) launched Future Networks Empowerment through Mentorship (FNEM) – Powering CTU (Connecting the Unconnected) at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB).

The FNEM programme aims to mentor innovators who work to find sustainable solutions for rural connectivity challenges and bridge the digital divide. The launch also marked the commencement of the inaugural cohort of the FNEM Powering CTU programme in India. 

A release from IIITB said through the programme’s 1,000-Day LAMP (Learning, Action, Mentorship & Practice) journey, participants will receive structured mentorship, technical guidance, and entrepreneurial support to transform innovative ideas into scalable, real-world solutions for rural and underserved communities.

Ruolin Zhou, co-chair of IEEE CTU, said, “By pairing CTU innovators with experienced mentors at the FNEM, the programme is helping transform promising ideas into practical and scalable solutions. Through this 1,000-day mentorship journey, we aim to empower innovators to develop sustainable technologies that expand connectivity, bridge the global digital divide, and connect the unconnected. The day-long programme also provided a brief overview of five modules designed exclusively as part of LAMP curriculum and covering topics such as technological entrepreneurship, technology skill development, business skill development, community and user engagement, and local context and regulatory navigation.”