Dr Jitendra Singh also said that the National Research Development Corporation has signed an MoU with APEDA for mentoring and monitoring export-oriented agri-based start-ups
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh recently stated that beginning from 1st January 2023, National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) will undertake technology commercialization for benefit of start-ups.
It is noteworthy that the minister recently presided over a meeting with the Secretary, DSIR and other senior officials of NRDC at the CSIR Centre in New Delhi. Dr Jitendra Singh remarked that since its inception, NRDC has concluded over 5000 license agreements representing technologies in almost all industry sectors.
He added that it has also facilitated the filing of over 2000 patents in India. “NRDC is also associated with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for implementation of their Start-up Scheme from identification of start-ups and hand-holding to product launch.”
During the meeting, he informed that NRDC has entered into an MoU with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for mentoring and monitoring export-oriented agri-based start-ups.
Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that Technology Development, Validation and Commercialization Program (TDVC) program is a Grant-in-Aid Scheme for providing financial support to start-ups, incubatees and MSMEs who focus on problem statements of the Indian society and manufacturing industry in the brick & mortar economy.
Secretary, DSIR Dr N. Kalaiselvi said that the technologies acquired by NRDC from various R&D sources get transformed through value addition and are offered to industries for commercial exploitation. She said that the technology transfer is facilitated by NRDC and the R&D organization to the industry for consideration, forming the core revenue stream of NRDC.
Chairman & Managing Director of NRDC, Commodore Amit Rastogi (Retd) remarked that NRDC provides seed funding against equity to eligible technology-based start-ups incubated in State/Central Government incubators. The start-ups, he added, have to demonstrate innovative and technology-intensive development with strong commercial value.
NRDC has taken up several initiatives to support and encourage the Start-Ups ecosystem in the Country. It has established a wide network of linkages with national and international scientific & technological agencies, industries, industrial associations, state & central Government Departments, STPs and incubators to nurture technology-driven start-ups for maturation into commercial ventures.
The Corporation has created NRDC Incubation Centre as a physical and virtual space for incubating eight start-ups each of which is working on novel solutions in the manufacturing industry space.
mach33.aero was established and inaugurated in December 2021. It is a highly specialized start-up incubation facility created at CSIR-NAL Campus in Bengaluru in collaboration with CSIR-NAL and Foundation for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurs (FISE), Bengaluru (An initiative supported by Tata Trust).
Notably, the Innovative Technology Enabling Center (InTEC) is a start-up incubation facility created at CSRI-IMMT Campus at Bhubaneswar, which is now managed by the Corporation.
Established in 1953, National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) is a PSE, Section 8 Company under DSIR that aims to bridge the R&D and Industry.
