With a view to provide a platform to startups to come up with breakthrough innovations in the defence sector, Gandhinagar-based Karnavati University, in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is all set to host a Defence Innovation Challenge. The competition, which was launched in January, is being organised by the Defence Design and Technology Incubator of India (DDTII), one of the leading defence incubator in India. The initiative is being supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Gujarat and is being held on the sidelines of the third edition of the Ahmedabad Design Week. The winning teams will be rewarded with prize money and angel funding worth upto Rs 50 crore.

Mr Ritesh Hada, president, Karnavati University, said, “The challenge is aimed at supporting Startups, Micro Small and Medium Entreprises (MSMEs) and innovators to come up with unique solutions and breakthrough technology interventions in the area of National Defence and Aerospace. The challenge will encourage participants to create prototypes and also enable them to commercialise products and solutions they have developed.”

“The idea is to create a platform for innovators in the defence sector to showcase their ideas and prototypes and give them an opportunity to present it before the defence research personnel from DRDO. The initiative is very much in line with the Government of India’s mission of achieving Atmanirbharta in defence manufacturing,” Mr Hada further went on to say.

The objective of DIC is to support existing and new projects and also contribute towards ‘Make In India’ initiative. The vision of DIC is to help create functional prototypes of products and technologies relevant for national security (prototyping), and spur fast-moving innovation in the Indian defence-sector and help new technology products and technologies find a market and early customer (commercialisation) in the form of an Indian Defence Establishment.