IIT-K launches Mission Bharat O2
LUCKNOW: The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K), on Tuesday launched Mission Bharat O2 to meet the oxygen demand in the country with indigenous solutions. SIIC IIT-K has invited manufacturers for a 45-day Open Challenge for developing Indigenous Bedside Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Plants for COVID-19 Emergency Response.
Prof Abhay Karandikar, director, IIT-K urged eligible entrepreneurs to apply for the challenge. He said the online applications are live at https://www.bharato2.in/ and any eligible Indian SME manufacturer can apply to participate. The initiative will help bridge an availability gap for oxygen concentrators and oxygen plant which will ease the pressure on the hospitals system to serve citizens and save precious lives.
Director said, “IIT-K carries a legacy of serving the nation in times of urgent need. As the second wave hits India, IIT-K and SIIC have decided to support more indigenous innovators, this time to address the oxygen crisis in the country. I urge all eligible entrepreneurs to participate in Mission Bharat O2.”
He said, “When the first wave of COVID-19 hit India, SIIC incubated companies stepped up to deliver Swasa N-95 masks, which have become the household name for protection against COVID-19 and the Noccarc V310 ICU ventilator. Both products, developed locally, were testament to India’s capability to innovate at par with global standards.”
The team led by Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, professor Incharge of innovation and incubation and Srikant Sastri of SIIC has released a call for MSME manufacturers for rapid execution of the project.
Prof Bandyopadhyay said, “SIIC and IIT-K have a history of bracing themselves and delivering quality in times of country’s needs. We did it with the Noccarc ventilator; we will do it again with Mission Bharat O2. We urge the young innovators to show support in large numbers in India’s time of need.”
He said, “The challenge comes at a time of emergency and will not be limited to a single manufacturer for delivering the product. The Oxygen concentrator is an invasive medical device with limited scope for product innovation, and hence SIIC plans to decentralise the manufacturing process by engaging quality SMEs across states. An ideal case scenario would be to work with a set of manufacturers in different regions of India with the target production capacity of 100 units per day with scale up.”
Srikant Sastri said, “Entrepreneurs usually get carried away by a big idea without acknowledging whether the problem it solves is as big. With Mission Bharat O2, SIIC IIT-K has taken a step toward solving a major crisis the country is grappling with today. We believe that the team will make a mark through its combined entrepreneurial experience and vision.”