DIPP is going to act as a facilitator to connect startups with various government ministries to solve unique problems

The match making idea took surfaced few months back when Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan asked commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s help in finding a startup that collects used oil at an industrial scale, which can be recycled and put to use again. Nirmala Sitharaman’s ministry administers the government’s Start-up India, Stand up India programme.

Mrinister Dharmendra tells Sitharaman that in UK there are companies that are into recycling of used oil from restaurants and homes, and he is seeking her help to find a startup that can do the same in India.

This ignited a thought into Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to become a facilitator to connect startups with ministries that are facing unique problems. There are more than 20,000 startups that our coming up with out of the box solutions.

DIPP is partnering with the biggest startup feast of India held in Hyderabad in August to facilitate the startup hunt. Ministries across the country are encouraged to share their department problems so that it could be put in front of the startups at this fest.

The hunt for startups at this event is named as Grand Challenge, where startups would be given couple of days time (may be 45 days) to come back and pitch their solutions for the existing department problems.

What is in it for startups?

• Recognition from government if they solve problems
• Chance to work with the government of Indian to test their idea and get paid as well
• Getting a heavy client reference that will give them enough marketing juice
• Government is open to working on private public partnership (seen in the past)

Downsides of working with government

• Government projects are known to take ages to complete
• Heavy penalty if the proposed solutions cannot be delivered in the committed time

On a lighter note, if you’re a startup and looking for a lifetime experience, work with the government!