IIT-M’s NCCRD is becoming a deep tech startup hub supporting at least seven since 2016.
What’s it about? The premier institute’s National Center for Combustion Research & Development (NCCRD) is in the same league as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), according to satellite startup Galaxeye’s founder Suyash Singh. Ten years ago, the government granted ₹90 crores to set up a combustion centre at IIT-M.
- It was built to foster and strengthen India’s deep tech ecosystem with a large-scale R&D facility for industrial projects. It has worked with companies like GE Aviation and Siemens, generating ₹200 crores in revenue.
- Over time, it became a startup hub by working with companies for business development. NCCRD has a hands-on approach to customer development and identifies markets for deep tech companies.
Testimonials and future plans: Among the startups helped by NCCRD are Galaxeye and The ePlane Company. Investors are enthusiastic about the NCCRD’s projects. It’s a mark of quality.
- The next step would be to turn NCCRD into a full-fledged incubator. It’ll help handle more startups at a given point. The centre could also evolve to provide sustainable growth opportunities for startups.