India Nutrition Collaborative announces launch of Nutrition Innovation Platform

The India Nutrition Collaborative has unveiled the Nutrition Innovation Platform (PIP) in partnership with the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, with a focus on bolstering nutrition delivery services. The initiative aims to elevate the nutritional well-being of terminally ill mothers and children under five years old. PIP will serve as a forum for educational institutions, startups, university incubators, civil society networks, and businesses in India to showcase innovative solutions, complete with proof of concept. The platform will extend guidance, seed funding, and investment opportunities to facilitate the scalable implementation of these innovations.

The launch of PIP is attributed to The Catalyst 2030, India Nutrition Collaborative, a growing consortium spanning academia, business, government, and civil society, dedicated to advancing health, care, and alleviating hunger. Recognized as knowledge partners, the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and INC member organizations such as Vitamin Angels, JHPIEGO, Transform Rural India (TRI), UNICEF India, and public health nutrition experts Dr. Rajan Shankar and Dr. Smriti Pahwa collaborate on PIP's mission.

Addressing issues of extreme nutrition faced by mothers and children, PIP aims to reduce levels of stunting and wasting among youth and instances of anemia among women of reproductive age. The platform is poised to accelerate innovations that promote gender equality, digital equality, market equality, and nurturing behavior in India. These multifaceted efforts are designed to break the cycle of generational poverty and offer equal opportunities to rural Indians.

PIP will select eight innovations from a pool of submissions, evaluated by a diverse jury from various fields. Those with proof of concept, implementation, sustainability, impact, and last-mile delivery will have access to financial support and guidance through the PIP Grant Challenge Trust Fund of Rs 3 crore. Innovations not selected for the grant will receive guidance and learning programs through the Nutrition Innovators Network (PIN) to prepare them for the next phase.

The esteemed panel of judges, mentors, and partners, hailing from academia, government, media, private sector, and NGOs, will impart training to refine the winning innovations. Following this transformational process, collaborative efforts will be initiated with grassroots organizations, ministries, and state governments to pilot and scale up successful innovations at district, state, and national levels. The goal is to align these innovations with ongoing national nutrition initiatives. After a 24-month cycle, the selected innovations will receive long-term funding from the corporate sector to scale up further.

Dr. Sapna Poti, Director, Strategic Alliances at the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, expressed optimism about the Poshan Innovation Platform, emphasizing its unique approach to driving innovation. Dr. Rajan Shankar, Chief Advisor and Mentor for PIP, highlighted the initiative's goal to foster collaboration between various stakeholders, leveraging India's technological talent to combat persistent challenges and strive towards making India malnutrition-free.