Empowering telecom innovators, C-DOT’s ‘Samarth’ programme awards funding, lab access, and mentorship to 18 startups to scale next-gen solutions in India’s digital ecosystem.
The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has officially launched its flagship startup incubation programme ‘Samarth’ by awarding financial grants and infrastructure support to 18 startups selected for its first cohort.
The initiative, under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), focuses on businesses working on next-generation telecom and ICT (information and communication technology) innovations.
Each selected venture is set to receive up to ₹500,000 in funding, access to high-end lab facilities at C-DOT’s Delhi and Bengaluru campuses, and fully equipped office space for six months.
Speaking at the programme’s kick-off event held at C-DOT’s New Delhi campus, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, emphasised the need to foster deep-tech solutions tailored for India’s strategic telecom needs.
The selected startups span key domains such as 5G/6G, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, IoT, and quantum technologies. The programme is structured in two six-month cohorts, supporting up to 36 startups in total.
The first group was chosen through a rigorous evaluation process by a selection committee comprising experts from academia, industry, and the public sector.
In addition to seed grants, startups will receive mentoring from C-DOT technologists and industry leaders, with potential for further funding under the C-DOT Collaborative Research Program (CCRP). The incubation programme is being implemented in collaboration with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs).
The 18 startups selected for the first cohort of the Samarth programme include: Turtleneck Systems & Solutions Pvt Ltd, Matisoft Cyber Security Labs Pvt Ltd, Revino Solutions Pvt Ltd, Ajayan Consulting Pvt Ltd, Vital Carbon Pvt Ltd, Atibha Research and Development Pvt Ltd, Alphappleton Innovations Pvt Ltd, Agriverse Innovations Pvt Ltd, Haranzel Technologies Pvt Ltd, Threat Expert Cyber Solutions Pvt Ltd, Brahmi Systems (OPC) Pvt Ltd, Paravani Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, Purvanchal Engineering Systems Pvt Ltd, Aaizel International Technologies Pvt Ltd, Brenin Technologies Pvt Ltd, Jumps Automation LLP, Master Education Pvt Ltd, and Farsight Innovations Pvt Ltd.
The launch also featured the signing of an MoU between C-DOT and STPI, outlining joint efforts in mentoring, training, and future initiatives. The event concluded with the ceremonial awarding of the first grant cheque to Vital Carbon Pvt Ltd.
