New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) India’s first state-level Centre of Excellence (CoE) in space technology in Karnataka is all set to incubate and accelerate startups in the space sector.
The CoE — the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) — in collaboration with SIA-India, a leading space industry association, will accelerate India’s space innovation ecosystem.
The Centre in Bengaluru will work with targeted interventions in capacity building, research and development, and startup acceleration over a five-year roadmap (2025-2030).
Karnataka is already home to premier institutions such as ISRO, IISc, DRDO, and several leading PSUs.
“This Centre of Excellence is not just an institution; it is a strategic nucleus that will consolidate Karnataka’s leadership in the global space economy,” said Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India.
The CoE will serve as a transformative hub to incubate and accelerate space-tech startups, providing prototype funding to help convert concepts into market-ready products.
In addition, it will upskill professionals through short-term, industry-aligned programmes and certify students through advanced, long-duration courses.
The CoE aims to publish peer-reviewed research in international journals and commercialise innovative products and solutions spanning satellite components, data analytics, and AI-based tools.
The Centre will also drive several strategic partnerships with domestic and international organisations to facilitate technology transfer, joint ventures, and collaborative missions.
“The initiative will incubate startups, support R&D in satellite manufacturing, launch systems, and downstream applications, and connect innovators with ISRO and IN-SPACe resources for real-world deployment,” Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India.
“It also introduces India’s first State Space Innovation Index to evaluate policy readiness and investment climate. By creating a model for public–private collaboration, this Centre positions Karnataka as the launchpad for India’s next generation of space enterprises and strengthens the state’s global leadership in the space economy,” Prakash added.
The Centre will be headed by D. S. Govindrajan, Board Member, SIA-India, who will lead its development and implementation in close coordination with state and industry stakeholders.
–IANS
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