New wave of Startup: Big forces join hands to kick-start hardware startups in the country

For some time now, the perception and observation has been that India is driving a lot of software related startups and the venture capitalists were more keen on Software projects. Well, we are not surprised as hardware startups come with a huge amount of challenges compared to the software startups, a hardware startup can be a lot more time consuming, it involves heavy investment and it needs a great deal of research and mentoring. So to take on all these challenges, the government, industry and academia have come together to put in their strength to get the ball rolling for hardware startups in India.

In order to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd (“Intel India”), and Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay have come together to start a program to support hardware and systems-based start-ups in the country through mentoring, training, lab facilities, hardware kits, prototyping, business services, funding, etc.

The one year program will look at turning prototypes into products for 20 chosen startups (with proof of concept). The program aims to address gaps in the hardware and systems start-up ecosystem that companies are facing in product design, development, commercialization, and creating scale for their solutions. Not only will the startups get to use the incubation centers of SINE and Intel, they will also be guided by industry experts on every level including ideation, design thinking, prototyping workshops and manufacturing.

So if you are a hardware engineer with a great concept and its proof, this is how you can have your product in the market in one year

DST, Intel India and SINE aim to support up to 20 start-ups under this Program, and the call for applications for the first batch will be announced in early August 2016.

During the year-long Program, start-ups will be supported for six months on-site at SINE, IIT, Bombay or Intel India, Bengaluru. After a period of six months, the start-ups’ solutions will be showcased to investors and industry players at a demo day, post which, the Program will extend virtual support for another six months.

Participating start-ups will be incubated through intensive training periods, one-on-one mentoring, technology related support from Intel experts, business service support from SINE, as well as prototyping and manufacturing support.


While DST, Intel India and SINE have been individually supporting startups but this first of its kind collaboration between the three forces to push hardware startup in the country could very well be the start of a new wave of startups.