Inaugurated in 2020, the Centre of Entrepreneurship at STPI IoT Open Lab has onboarded 103 startups, each benefiting from the state-of-the-art facilities at the centre.
Founded in 2020 by Prabhu Stavarmath, Savitri Patil, and Naveen Gopalkrishna, Bengaluru-based IoT development board startup, Bharat Pi recently collaborated with technology giant, Arrow Electronics and its global suppliers, to launch RedPill STM32G0 series-based development board.
The startup has ambitious plans to accelerate IoT development by building cost-effective development boards to help developers, startups, and innovators to convert their idea into a quick pre-sales demo in hours. Supported by Arrow in design, component sourcing, and supply chain management, the startup could be going places. But how did a small development board startup get here and could this be a story for others as well?
EFY spoke to co-founder Prabhu Stavarmath who revealed the secret sauce behind the startup’s successful endeveours. “Our boards have been designed and tested at STPI IoT Open Lab. Arrow supported us with design, component sourcing and availability, and supply chain management. We’ve partnered with Arrow Electronics on numerous global press releases, significantly enhancing our market access. This entire collaboration with STPI IoT Open Labs means a lot of branding and marketing for us, along with enterprise customer connects,” said Stavarmath.
Launched in September 2020 by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), the Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE) for IoT and Electronics in Bengaluru, is the second of its kind globally after Hong Kong. It provides startups with a platform, resources, and support to create IoT-based applications, products, and solutions for domestic and global markets. It is one of the 24 CoEs planned for emerging technologies nationwide.
Shooting for an IoT Revolution
The revised IoT draft policy issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) 2016 envisioned CoEs like this one as innovation hubs. These centres would house advanced tools such as 3D manufacturing equipment, PCB manufacturing and assembly facilities, rapid prototyping tools, wireless development kits, software tools, sensors, and industry-specific training. These facilities, often prohibitively expensive for startups, aim to democratise innovation. Industry partners ensure these centres remain closely aligned with market needs.
The Bengaluru CoE aims to support over 500 startups over five years, hosting around 10 startups physically each year while allowing others (industry as well as academia) to access facilities virtually. The CoE’s operational budget for five years is ₹11.47 crore, with MeitY providing a grant-in-aid of ₹1 crore, STPI contributing ₹3.52 crore, and industry partner Arrow Electronics investing ₹6.95 crore. Since its inauguration, 103 startups have registered with STPI IoT Open Lab.
Spread across 4,200 square feet, the STPI IoT Open Lab is equipped with comprehensive IoT incubation infrastructure. It caters to startups, SMEs, students, and innovators, offering membership-based access to facilities that support the entire journey from design to prototyping. Registered startups benefit from the chief mentor’s mentorship (Arvind Keskar, CEO, Arvind Consultancy) on product and business development. Additionally, STPI offers fully-equipped co-working spaces for these startups.
The lab’s resources range from essential tools like screwdrivers and soldering stations to advanced instruments for system-level testing, including oscilloscopes. It also assists startups in procuring specialised components and equipment when needed.
The lab has partnered with ten leading technology companies, including Analog Devices, STMicroelectronics, ON Semiconductor, Littelfuse, NXP Semiconductors, Infineon, Kyocera, Silicon Labs, Microchip, and Kemet, which have collectively contributed to equipment and infrastructure.
Arrow Electronics plays a pivotal role in the lab’s operations. A five-member Arrow team, each specialising in different domains, works on-site to assist startups, understand their problems and provide first-level support. The company leverages its connections with electronics players, to bring additional expertise to help startups.
Boarding the Ship
The STPI IoT Open Lab offers four enrollment models: the complete membership model, associate membership model, internship model, and technology-led industry model. Startups apply via the STPI website, submitting relevant details verified by the Project Management Group (PMG), a body of over 20 industry experts. Approved startups pay a one-time registration fee of ₹10,000 plus taxes for unlimited access under the complete membership model and pledge 3% equity to STPI.
For those unwilling to pledge equity, the associate membership model offers limited access to lab facilities for the same registration fee of ₹10,000, valid upto January 2025.
India’s ambitious Smart City initiative heavily relies on IoT applications for traffic management, energy harvesting, and smart water metering. The deployment of 5G networks is poised to amplify IoT’s role in home automation, security, and industrial solutions. As the country progresses toward intelligent solutions, facilities like STPI IoT Open Lab play a critical role in indigenising, inspiring, and incentivising innovation in the IoT sector.
