ISRO launches 3 space tech incubation centers

ISRO launched three space tech incubation centers at National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, Bhopal and Rourkela. ISRO Chairman, K Sivan also briefed about the S-TIC program. Sivan stated that the S-TIC concept is conceived with one major academic institute takes the lead in a region and provides opportunities for final year graduate, post-graduate and research scholars for entrepreneurship.

Practical relevant projects linked to the ongoing and future missions of ISRO to be made available to students at S-TIC and the research outcome of these students will be translated into a PoC through industries within their region.

The three new incubation centers will be the focal center of particular regions.

• S-TIC, VNIT Nagpur for western region including states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.
• S-TIC, MANIT Bhopal for states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• S-TIC, NIT Rourkela for eastern region including states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and UT of Andaman and Nicobar.

Scientific Secretary, ISRO, R Umamaheswaran also stated that the setting up of these centers will be a boost to space related activities in these regions and hope to produce many space entrepreneurs and leaders.

Setting up the three new S-TICs takes the total count of these centers to six. Currently, three S-TICs are functioning, one each at NITs of Agartala, Jalandhar and Tiruchirappalli for North-Eastern, Northern and Southern region each.