Manthan was developed for fostering research, innovation and collaboration. Launched by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, on August 15, 2022, Manthan is a digital platform designed to facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement within India’s scientific research and development ecosystem. It serves as a catalyst for meeting India’s National targets and advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling partnerships in emerging technologies, scientific interventions, and social impact-driven initiatives. Manthan was recognized as one of the top eight global Government initiatives at the World Governments Summit 2024 in Dubai.
The platform is built on four key pillars:  
1. Opportunity creation, inviting early-stage innovations, market-ready solutions, and implementation projects, including Centers of Excellence and fellowships.  
2. Showcasing research proposals, allowing academia and startups to present market-ready innovations.  
3. Virtual exhibitions, providing a space for partners to showcase their innovations through events and expositions.  
4. Collaboration spaces, offering virtual meeting rooms for conferences, webinars, and stakeholder consultations.