The collaboration will initially focus on defence, aerospace and allied dual-use technologies through SCALE Catapult.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) and NSRCEL, the flagship business incubator of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, have signed an MoU to help deep-tech startups take emerging technologies from research to market.
The partnership brings together IIT Kanpur’s research and engineering capabilities with NSRCEL’s expertise in entrepreneurship and business development. It will initially support SCALE Catapult, IIT Kanpur’s deep-tech startup accelerator, with a focus on defence, aerospace and allied dual-use technologies.
The initiative will combine access to technical expertise and research infrastructure with customer discovery, market validation and venture-building support. The institutions will also explore joint incubation programmes, co-incubation opportunities, knowledge exchange and engagement with industry and investors.
The MoU was signed by Prof. Jayandharan Giridhara Rao, Dean of Research and Development, IIT Kanpur, and Ms Rasika Prashant, CEO, NSRCEL, IIM Bangalore.
Prof. Rao said, “IIT Kanpur has a strong pipeline of deep-tech innovation, and creating pathways for these technologies to reach the market is an important institutional priority. Our collaboration with IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL brings together complementary strengths in technology and entrepreneurship. We see this as an important step towards building a stronger ecosystem for technology-led ventures emerging from academic and research institutions.”
Ms Prashant said, “This one-of-a-kind partnership is a vital nation-building strategy that aligns directly with our country’s agenda of building robust defence and aerospace capabilities. By combining IIT Kanpur’s deep-tech capabilities with NSRCEL’s experience in scaling market-ready ventures, this partnership can create meaningful pathways to identify and nurture the next generation of deep-tech innovators in strategic sectors of national importance.”
The collaboration aims to strengthen links between research institutions, startups and industry, supporting technology commercialisation and innovation-led growth in India.
