New Delhi, Jan 17 : The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has reiterated its dedication to foster entrepreneurship, innovation in Ayurveda through its startup incubation centre, Incubation Centre for Ayurveda Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIIA-iCAINE), the Ministry of Ayush said on Saturday.

Through AIIA-iCAINE, the Institute supports new-age ventures that contribute to evidence-based, sustainable, and inclusive health solutions.

â??AIIA-iCAINE continues to empower innovators by providing a structured platform to transform ideas into impactful enterprises,â?? the Ministry said.

The Institute also successfully organised an awareness programme on MSME opportunities for Ayurveda-based startups on the occasion of National Startup Day 2026 on Friday.

The programme was conducted in collaboration with the MSMEâ??Development and Facilitation Office in the national capital.

â??The event reaffirmed AIIA-iCAINEâ??s commitment to nurturing a robust, innovation-driven startup ecosystem rooted in Ayurveda, aligned with national priorities for entrepreneurship, MSME growth, and sustainable healthcare solutions,â?? the Ministry said.

It brought together policymakers, academic leaders, startup enablers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to deliberate on strengthening the MSME and startup ecosystem, with a special focus on Ayurveda and integrative health innovations.

â??The sessions highlighted government support schemes, institutional mechanisms for innovation, intellectual property protection, certification and standardisation requirements, and financial mechanisms essential for early-stage startups,â?? the Ministry said.

During the event, Dr Arun Kumar spoke about innovation-driven entrepreneurship in Ayurveda, while Sunil Kumar, Deputy Director, MSME, provided an overview of MSME initiatives and government schemes relevant to Ayurveda-based enterprises.

Prof Manjusha Rajagopala shared the academic and institutional perspective on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within Ayurveda institutions.

Dr R K Bharti, Joint Director, MSME, emphasised the need for a strong policy-supported ecosystem to promote startups and MSMEs, particularly in the traditional medicine and wellness sectors.

The technical sessions featured expert talks by Sangeeta Nagar, former Senior Scientist, DPIIT, on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and their importance for startups, and Jyoti Neeraj, Senior Manager, SIDBI, who elaborated on financial support mechanisms and funding opportunities available for startups and MSMEs.

/IANS