India, Taiwanese space-tech bodies tie up to support startups

India's SatCom Industry Association (SIA-India) and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan will collaborate to create a common platform for the space industry of both the countries.

An MOU between the two organisations was signed in Bengaluru on the sidelines of the first International SpaceTech Startup Support Programme jointly organised by SIA-India, ITRI, Taiwan Accelerator + (TACC+), and the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) IIT Bombay.

"The signing of MoU between ITRI and SIA-India would pave the way for collaboration in the space sector not only with industry to industry but also nurture the budding talents from startup and academic institutions with both the nations. Today the startup support program is a novel way of choosing the finest talent and offer them a chance to collaborate with the Taiwanese space industry is the first outcome of the MoU be more such interaction would be planned in near future," Subba Rao Pavuluri, president SIA-India and CMD Ananth Technologies, said.

While SIA-India is an association of Indian satellite operators, manufacturers, suppliers, startups, academic institutions, and other ecosystem partners, ITRI links Taiwan's design and manufacturing industry and nurture new tech ventures of that country. Taiwan's TACC+ aims to attract global spacetech startups interested in the Asia-Pacific market and facilitates engagements with Taiwan enterprises, access the supply chain, and network with the startup ecosystem for scale up. SINE is an umbrella organisation at IIT Bombay for fostering entrepreneurship and nurturing tech start-ups. The initiative is supported by Micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME's) administration and Ministry of Economic affairs, Taiwan.

The International SpaceTech Startup Support Programme is meant to enable Indian startups showcase their unique capabilities and collaborate with the space sector in Taiwan.

According to organisers, the Support Programme 14 Indian deep tech space start-ups showcase their applications, solutions and business strategy for market development. Three of them will be selected to spend a year in Taiwan and have a chance for collaborative studies supported by the Government of Taiwan.

SIA-India's mandate includes creation of platforms to forge international collaborations in the space tech sector.