IIT KANPUR, IIM LUCKNOW LAUNCH JOINT ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME

LUCKNOW : With the intent of supporting early-stage, growthdriven companies working in the domain of DeepTech and IoT and accelerating their product development, IIM Lucknow Enterprise Incubation Centre (IIML EIC) and Technopark of IIT-Kanpur have jointly launched a 6-month accelerator programme.

Deeptech or hard tech is a classification of organization, or more typically startup company, with the expressed objective of providing technology solutions based on substantial scientific or engineering challenges while the Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.

It is one of the few occasions when the two premier institutes of higher education have joined hands to accelerate the startup ecosystem with each bringing its unique and unparalleled strengths to the joint accelerator programme, a press release said.

“The entrepreneurship and startups are quietly creating an economic revolution in India. Technopark@iitk and IIM Lucknow Enterprise Incubation Centre have entered into a strategic alliance to jointly launch an impactful accelerator programme for early to growthstage startups working in DeepTech and IoT,” said prof Anadi Pande, faculty-in-charge, IIML EIC.

The core offerings of the programme will enable the selected startups, a group of 6-10, to validate their technology, achieve better productmarket fit, become marketready ventures, design scalable and sustainable business models, streamline the fundraising approach, achieve market validation through pilots and access the market and investor network. Yamini Bhushan Pandey, MD, IIML EIC, said.

“Through the 6-month programme, IIML EIC will work closely with the onboarded startups to identify their challenges and gaps through a need assessment workshop. It will support the startups in commercializing their innovative ideas and tap market opportunities,” he said.

Technopark@iitk is the technology partner in the programme.

“Our primary responsibility is to provide technology support to the selected groups. This includes technology mentorship support, access to central research facilities, engagement with IITK students and co-working spaces,” said Dr Gopal Kamath, professor-incharge, Technopark@iitk.