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JUNE 16: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has launched its ambitious incubation program ‘Samarth’ to support innovation in the Telecom and ICT sectors. Under the first cohort of the initiative, 18 startups have been selected through a rigorous evaluation process and have been awarded financial grants along with access to high-end infrastructure and mentorship.
‘Samarth’ is a six-month cohort-based incubation program, structured to run in two phases each year, supporting up to 36 startups annually. The selected startups in Cohort-I will receive grants of up to ₹5 lakh, fully furnished office space at C-DOT’s Delhi and Bengaluru campuses, and full access to lab facilities and testing infrastructure. The program also offers deep mentorship, investor access, and potential entry into C-DOT’s Collaborative Research Program (CCRP) for advanced support.
The initiative aims to build sustainable and scalable startups in areas such as 5G/6G technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, IoT, and cybersecurity. STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) and TiE Delhi-NCR (The Indus Entrepreneurs) are the official implementation partners of the program, further boosting industry connect and support.
A Samarth Acceleration Session was held at C-DOT’s Delhi campus to kick off the first cohort, where the first tranche of funding was disbursed. During the event, Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay (CEO, C-DOT), Arvind Kumar (DG, STPI), and Atul Dhawan (President, TiE Delhi-NCR) addressed the gathering and praised the collaborative efforts in nurturing India’s next generation of telecom innovators.
A total of 18 startups were selected including Vital Carbon Pvt. Ltd., Turtleneck Systems, Agriverse Innovations, and others. A grant cheque of ₹1 lakh was formally presented to Vital Carbon Pvt. Ltd. at the event.
The evaluation process involved industry and academic experts assessing startups on innovation, market potential, team capability, and alignment with national priorities. A MoU was also signed between C-DOT and STPI to promote long-term collaboration in training, joint R&D, and startup development.
Through ‘Samarth’, C-DOT reinforces its commitment to making India a global hub for telecom and ICT innovation by bridging the gap between research, entrepreneurship, and commercialization.