Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) and NITI Aayog have announced a strategic partnership focused on building vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems across multiple states in India. The initiative will begin with pilot sites in Nagpur, Visakhapatnam, and Uttar Pradesh.
The collaboration aims to empower local entrepreneurs by bringing together regional stakeholders, including government bodies, corporates, educational institutions, financial institutions, champion entrepreneurs, and community organizations. By tailoring solutions to the unique challenges of each region, the project seeks to transform entrepreneurship into a movement that drives economic growth and job creation.
Focus on Local Empowerment
Ishtiyaque Ahmed, Programme Director – Industry/MSME vertical at NITI Aayog, emphasized the importance of a bottom-up approach:
“Our approach is rooted in end-to-end facilitation and collaboration across sectors. There is a need to work closely with local entrepreneurs and champions, understand their needs, and support them in addressing their challenges.”
The pilot sites will implement GAME’s methodologies focused on enabling entrepreneurs to start and scale businesses. The interventions will include access to finance, capacity-building programs, policy advocacy, and community-driven initiatives aimed at creating self-sustaining ecosystems.
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Building Sustainable, Inclusive Ecosystems
Ketul Acharya, President of GAME, highlighted the vision for the collaboration:
“At GAME, we believe that entrepreneurship has the power to transform lives and communities. Our partnership with NITI Aayog is a significant step toward enabling a movement of millions of people starting and growing businesses, using local inputs to serve local needs and other markets.”
Since its inception in 2018, GAME has worked across India to empower women entrepreneurs, strengthen MSME ecosystems, and promote sustainable business models, particularly in underserved regions.
Driving Innovation and Regional Impact
The collaboration is expected to drive innovative solutions addressing systemic barriers to entrepreneurship. By nurturing healthy local entrepreneurial ecosystems, the partnership aims to create an environment where entrepreneurs have better access to credit, markets, mentorship, and peer networks.
By focusing on regional contexts and fostering partnerships across multiple levels, the GAME-NITI Aayog initiative intends to build a culture of entrepreneurship rooted in local ownership, ensuring long-term economic impact across India.