Why in news?

Tamil Nadu Start-up and Innovation Mission, popularly known as TANSIM among entrepreneurs, has launched an initiative called ‘S2G Buy Day’ to link start-ups and the government.

Highlights:

• An announcement regarding this was made during the 2022-23 Tamil Nadu Budget, that government departments and public sector undertakings would be allowed to directly procure innovative products and services valued at up to ₹50 lakh from start-ups in the State.
• “The ‘S2G Buy Day’ would be a series of events focusing on two departments every month.
• TANSIM will put forward challenges and key areas where government departments are looking for solutions. The requirements of the department will be uploaded on the StartupTN website and the shortlisted start-ups would be informed to make the pre-final pitch before senior officials from the department.
• The first ‘S2G Buy Day’ series would be conducted for the Department of Social Defence, functioning under the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, on June 14.
• According to details shared by TANSIM, the department is looking for start-ups that can work with nearly 44,000 underprivileged children from distressed and deprived backgrounds.

• The key areas where the department is looking for start-ups to pitch in are education, skill development, counselling and career guidance for the children and following up their progress in the long run. The Tamil Nadu government will pay for the start-ups that qualify.