Hyderabad, June 22 (INB) Cyient Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Cyient Ltd,on Monday announced a major multi-stakeholder initiative in partnership with the Telangana government and leading state universities to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, employability and future-ready skills across the state.
The initiative was formalised through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed with Osmania University, Kakatiya University, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, Palamuru University and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, along with the Commissionerate of Collegiate Education (CCE) and the Commissionerate of Technical Education (CTE).
Under the initiative, Cyient Foundation has proposed an investment of approximately Rs 7.50 crore over a three-year period, subject to approvals and implementation milestones, to create a scalable model for innovation-led development, entrepreneurship promotion and employability enhancement.
The programme aims to strengthen industry-academia-government collaboration across Telangana through entrepreneurship development, faculty capability building, innovation ecosystems, mentorship programmes and large-scale employability interventions.
Speaking on the initiative, B. V. R. Mohan Reddy said India’s growth story depends on unlocking the potential of its youth through ecosystems that foster innovation, entrepreneurship and real-world skills. He said the collaboration would help transform aspirations into opportunities while creating future innovators, job creators and nation-builders.
Through partnerships with CCE and CTE, the initiative will be scaled across nearly 152 Government Degree Colleges and 59 Government Polytechnics, extending access to industry exposure, skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities in both urban and rural regions. A key focus area will be future skills aligned with emerging industry requirements, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI, data analytics, robotics and automation, Internet of Things (IoT), drone technology, GIS and geospatial technologies, Industry 4.0, cloud technologies and certification-based learning pathways.
As part of the Rural Skill Development Initiative, three training centres will be established through Palamuru University and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University in Narayanpet, Mahabubnagar and Warangal. These centres are expected to train around 600 youth annually, or nearly 2,000 over three years, in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, electronics manufacturing and digital commerce. The programme targets more than 50 per cent participation by women while focusing on strong employment outcomes.
The Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) under the initiative will reach over 4,000 students every year. Around 400 students will undergo structured entrepreneurship training annually, generating nearly 200 business ideas and about 40 startup teams each year.
To strengthen the state’s innovation ecosystem, the programme will support 20-25 startups annually through incubation and mentorship, with 5-10 ventures expected to progress towards commercialisation. More than 200 faculty members will receive training, while over 50 industry experts will be engaged as mentors.
According to the Foundation, the combined interventions are expected to create a robust pipeline of skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators and job creators, positioning Telangana’s higher education institutions as key drivers of inclusive growth, economic development and innovation-led nation building.
Highlighting its previous achievements, Cyient Foundation said it has digitised more than 120 government schools, benefiting over 35,000 students through digital literacy programmes. Through its Adopt-a-School initiative, more than 21,000 children are currently receiving quality education support. The Foundation also trains over 2,000 rural women annually to enhance sustainable employment opportunities and promote women’s empowerment.
