The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI), an autonomous body and not-for-profit institution, set up in 1983, is sponsored by apex financial institutions, namely the IDBI Bank Ltd, IFCI Ltd. ICICI Ltd and State Bank of India (SBI).

The EDI has been selected as a member of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) network of Centres of Excellence for HRD Research and Training.

EDI’S mission is to become a catalyst in facilitating emergence of competent first generation entrepreneurs and transition of existing SMEs into growth-oriented enterprises through entrepreneurship education, training, research & institution building.

EDI has been spearheading entrepreneurship movement throughout the nation with a belief that entrepreneurs need not necessarily be born, but can be developed through well-conceived and well-directed activities.

In consonance with this belief, EDI aims at:

• - Creating a multiplier effect on opportunities for self-employment,
• - Augmenting the supply of competent entrepreneurs through training,
• - Augmenting the supply of entrepreneur trainer-motivators,
• - Participating in institution building efforts,
• - Inculcating the spirit of 'Entrepreneurship' in youth,
• - Promoting micro enterprises at rural level,
• - Developing and disseminating new knowledge and insights in entrepreneurial theory and practice through research,
• - Facilitating corporate excellence through creating intrapreneurs (entrepreneurial managers),
• - Improving managerial capabilities of small scale industries,
• - Sensitizing the support system to facilitate potential and existing entrepreneurs establish and manage their enterprises,
• - Collaborating with similar organisations in India and other developing countries to accomplish the above objectives.