1M1B And Microsoft Partner With MeitY Startup Hub To Power India’s AI-Driven Climate Workforce & Innovation Pipeline

In a significant step towards building India’s future-ready workforce for the green and digital economy, Microsoft in collaboration with 1M1B Foundation, has partnered with the MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) to launch the Green Skills and Applied AI for Climate Action Centres of Excellence (CoEs), aligned with India’s sustainability and innovation priorities on Wednesday.

The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) in the presence of Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Shri Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub, along with Manju Dhasmana, Sr Director, Microsoft Elevate-CSR, India, Sandeep Aurora, Government Affairs Lead, Microsoft India, Dhawal Gupta, Director- Govt Affairs, Microsoft India and Manav Subodh, Founder, 1M1B Foundation.

Under this collaboration, five Centres of Excellence will be established across Bengaluru, Noida, Lucknow, Shillong and Hyderabad, creating a distributed network of innovation hubs focused on climate-tech solutions and job-linked skilling.

These centres will enable students to work on real-world problem statements using AI, data, and emerging technologies, with access to government datasets, digital platforms, and industry mentorship.

The CoEs will also act as pre-incubation and innovation feeder nodes for Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) and MeitY’s startup ecosystem.

In its first year in 2026, the initiative aims to:

• Engage 20,000 youth, scaling to 100,000 by 2030.

• Enable 50+ AI-powered climate innovation use cases.

• Provide 10,000 youth access to jobs, internships and livelihood opportunities.

The first Centre of Excellence has already been launched in Bengaluru, setting the foundation for a scalable national model.

A key feature of the program is the creation of a National Problem Solvers Registry, a curated pool of top-performing youth innovators. This registry will enable governments and ecosystem partners to connect with emerging climate talent capable of addressing state-level and national problem statements aligned with India’s sustainability and development priorities, creating pathways for deployment, incubation, and scale.

Through this collaboration, the top 100 high-potential youth innovations developed through the program will receive support through the MeitY Startup Hub ecosystem, including mentorship, incubation exposure, startup internship opportunities, and pathways to grant-linked support to help scale promising solutions.

Manju Dhasmana, Sr. Director, Microsoft Elevate-CSR, India said, “At Microsoft, we believe that when technology is combined with purpose, it can drive scalable impact for both people and the planet. Through this initiative, we are focused on building the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers by equipping young people with the skills, tools, and opportunities to apply AI to real-world climate challenges.”

S. Krishnan, IAS – Secretary, MeitY, said, “These Centres of Excellence mark a significant step forward in building a strong, future-ready talent ecosystem across India. We are pleased to be associated with this initiative led by 1M1B and Microsoft, and look forward to the meaningful impact it can create. The Ministry remains committed to supporting such efforts that align with India’s innovation and skilling priorities.”

Panneerselvam Madanagopal – CEO, MeitY Startup Hub said, “Through the Centres of Excellence and the National Problem Solvers Registry, we are building a nationwide pipeline that connects India’s youth talent to real-world challenges, with the registry serving as a powerful bridge between innovation, government, and industry.”

Manav Subodh, Founder, 1M1B, said: “This initiative reflects a shift from skilling to solving. By enabling youth to work on real-world climate challenges through applied AI, we are building not just skills, but pathways to innovation, livelihoods, and entrepreneurship. Our vision is to convert India’s youth dividend into a climate and AI dividend”

From Learning to Earning: A New Model for Youth Skilling

The CoEs are designed to move beyond traditional training by creating a “learning → innovation → employment” pipeline, where students build solutions through live projects and real-world use cases and engage with climate-tech startups, EV companies, and renewable energy firms. 10,000 youth shall be provided access to livelihood opportunities via job melas and hiring drives.

The COEs will be implemented and managed by 1M1B Foundation with Microsoft supporting as a CSR partner providing technology enablement, technical mentorship via employee volunteers and support for innovation challenges. MSH shall strengthen the program by connecting young innovators to startup networks, incubators and Technology Business Incubators, enabling access to platforms such as GENESIS and My Bharat and facilitating internships, incubation pathways and national showcases.

About 1M1B (One Million for One Billion),

1M1B (One Million for One Billion) is a United Nations–accredited non-profit founded by Manav Subodh, focused on mobilizing and skilling youth to drive large-scale social, economic, and climate impact.

Over the past decade, 1M1B has built one of India’s most expansive youth-driven ecosystems, with programs across 5,000+ schools and colleges, 25,000+ teachers trained, and 800,000+ youth skilled with a strong focus on Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural India. Through its job melas and placement initiatives, over 10,000 youth have accessed job opportunities, achieving an industry-leading 70% employment conversion rate.

1M1B is now building India’s AI and Green Skills talent pipeline, enabling youth not just to learn, but to solve real-world challenges and participate in the emerging climate and digital economy.

At the global level, 1M1B is positioning India’s youth as a powerful force for change transforming the country’s youth dividend into a climate and AI dividend. Through its flagship 1M1B Impact Summits, the organization has hosted 9 global summits at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and Geneva, creating platforms for young innovators to engage with global leaders, policymakers, and institutions.

Through its Youth Diplomacy and Climate Fellowship programs, including the “1.5 Matters” movement, 1M1B is nurturing a new generation of climate leaders advocating for keeping global warming below 1.5°C.

From grassroots skilling to global advocacy, 1M1B is building a generation of leaders who can act, innovate, and influence driving a more sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready world.

More on: https://activate1m1b.org/