Hyundai Foundation Launches ₹75 Lakh Assistive Tech Grant

Hyundai Motor India Foundation has launched Samarth UnnATi, a ₹75 lakh programme to help assistive technology start-ups scale innovative accessibility solutions through grants, mentorship, investor support, and market access.

Samarth UnnATi is an AT startup scale-up program that has been initiated by the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), which is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited. This program has received support worth INR 75 lakh from the HMIF in collaboration with AssisTech Foundation. The purpose of this program is to scale up startups in the field of AT by providing them with financial assistance and mentoring along with access to the market.

The program is part of Hyundai’s 'Samarth by Hyundai' program and aims to identify startups which can be used for practical purposes and have the potential to earn money. Besides offering grants, the selected startups will also benefit from mentoring, connections with investors, business development assistance, and industry information networks.

Also read: India, Myanmar Strengthen Rare Earth Mining Partnership

With the funding of ₹75 lakhs, these start-ups will be able to scale up their assistive technology solutions, deploy them effectively, and cover more beneficiaries. Another aspect of this program involves building institutional collaborations with disability welfare organizations and other organizations for ensuring the sustainability of the program and promoting assistive technologies. Through such efforts to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, Hyundai aims at making sure that the innovative solutions become accessible to people in need of them.

As per Hyundai Motor India Foundation, the program demonstrates the corporation’s vision of building an inclusive society. As Gopalakrishnan C. S., who serves as a Trustee at Hyundai Motor India Foundation, said that innovation and accessibility are strong drivers of inclusiveness, and through this program, innovators will be able to create innovative solutions for people with disabilities. In addition to this, he highlighted that the collaboration with AssisTech Foundation is aimed at accelerating the use of assistive technology and providing equal opportunities to all communities.

The AssisTech Foundation, with its vast ecosystem of innovative entrepreneurs in India, will offer its expertise and connections to assist the start-ups involved. The organisation expects that the program will contribute to meeting the rising global need for assistive products through the scaling-up of innovations. Collaborating with various investors, organizations and experts, it is anticipated that Samarth UnnATi will develop a robust pipeline of accessible technologies to improve the lives of persons with disabilities.

Also read: Unlocking Manufacturing Growth with Innovation

Samarth UnnATi is in sync with the overall mission of Hyundai Motor India that has defined “Progress for Humanity” as its overarching motto. The mission underscores the themes of inclusive mobility, accessibility, and social innovation. With its focus on assistive technology entrepreneurship, the corporation strives to ensure innovation-driven inclusion through support to the thriving start-up community in India.