Voice of Tenkasi Foundation (VoTF) and ACIC-Kalasalingam Innovation Foundation (ACIC-KIF) have joined hands to foster innovation, skill development of rural youth and rural entrepreneurship in Tenkasi region.
In a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, the two organisations outlined their commitment to empowering rural communities through collaborative initiatives. The MoU aims to establish a robust partnership between VoTF and ACIC-KIF, focusing on career guidance, skill development, and support for rural startups.
VoTF will facilitate community outreach while ACIC-KIF will provide infrastructure, technological support, and academic expertise.
Director of ACIC-KIF Vasudevan, and founder of Voice of Tenkasi Foundation Ananthan Ayyasamy signed the MoU, which is effective from March 26, 2024, to March 26, 2032, with provisions for mutual amendments.
Voice of Tenkasi Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded by Mr. Ananthan Ayyasamy of Tenkasi district, formerly chip engineering director with Intel, USA, with the aim of developing rural Tenkasi, particularly to equip the younger generation with employable skills and qualities.
ACIC-Kalasalingam Innovation Foundation is a non-profit community innovation centre established with the support of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and Goverment of India. The ACIC - Kalasalingam Innovation foundation is located at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE) in Krishnankoil near Sriviliputtur in Virudhunagar district.
The aim of ACIC is to promote economy, employment, and enable community-oriented innovations. It encourages innovative projects from all stages starting from ideation, early traction, validation, and scaling. The ACIC-KIF provides community innovation space at subscription charges to innovators and startups, handholding, prototyping, validation, POC (Proof of Concept), pre-commercial versions, software development and other services required for startups.
It also conducts extensive training on different technological aspects, patenting and other services required for startups and innovators. Once the POC is developed, it provides scaling services to convert POC to pre-commercial and commercial versions.
