Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh commended the consortium-driven innovation model at IIT Madras Research Park for facilitating swift and suitable technology commercialization. This approach is now being embraced by various academic institutions and universities nationwide. Dr. Singh, overseeing the Science and Technology and Earth Sciences ministries, as well as serving in the Prime Minister’s Office, shared his appreciation during a visit to the Immersive Technology and Entrepreneurship Labs (ITEL) Foundation and other advanced research facilities at Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
“This model is now being keenly picked up by other academic institutions and universities as well,” he mentioned. Dr. Singh also assessed ongoing projects in diverse fields such as urban mobility, space technology, medical devices, and brain research. He highlighted the significance of involving industry partners early in the research and development stages through a consortium approach to ensure that innovations meet practical needs.
The integrated model allows research outcomes to be swiftly translated into market-ready solutions, Dr. Singh emphasized. The ITEL Foundation, established in July 2024 as a not-for-profit Section 8 company and endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology, aims to position India as a global technology leader. It fosters collaboration among academic institutions, industry leaders, and investors to collectively develop deep-tech innovations and transfer them directly to the commercial sector.
One of the notable initiatives showcased during the visit was the HASHTIC mobility project, designed to address traffic congestion in Indian cities. The project proposes AI-enabled small electric vehicles operating on elevated tracks above existing roads, with the objective of reducing a 15-kilometer commute to approximately 20 minutes. Dr. Singh also examined the endeavors of Agnikul Cosmos, a private space startup nurtured within the IIT Madras ecosystem.
The company specializes in developing launch vehicles for flexible, on-demand satellite launches and recently accomplished its inaugural mission in May 2024 with support from the Indian Space Research Organisation and IN-SPACe. Agnikul Cosmos is now gearing up for a commercial mission involving its reusable rocket later this year, underscoring the increasing involvement of private entities in India’s space domain.
