News Highlight:
- ISRO inks MoU with Social Alpha to establish SpaceTech Innovation Network.
Key Takeaway:
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).
- SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN):
- About:
- India’s first dedicated platform for innovation and venture development for the space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Public-private collaboration for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises( SMEs) in the space industry.
- The primary focus of SpIN:
- SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories:
- Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications
- Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility
- Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.
- SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories:
- Innovation Challenge of SpIN:
- In line with the partnership announcement, SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge.
- Early-stage start-ups for developing solutions in areas of maritime and land transportation, urbanisation, mapping and surveying, disaster management, food security, sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, and natural resources management, among others, are encouraged to apply.
- The selected start-ups and innovators will be able to access both Social Alpha’s and ISRO’s infrastructure and resources as per the prevailing guidelines.
- They will be provided active handholding in critical areas including access to product design, testing and validation infrastructure, intellectual property management, go-to-market strategy, and access to long-term patient capital, among other technical and business inputs. Applications are open from December 6, 2022, to February 6, 2023.
ISRO:
- About:
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of India.
- The organisation is involved in science, engineering and technology to harvest the benefits of outer space for India and mankind. It also plays a huge role in the country’s development through educational, agricultural, communication, and defence sector projects.
- The activities of ISRO are guided by its Chairman, who would also be the secretary of DOS and Chairman of the Space commission – the apex body that formulates the policies and the implementation of the Indian Space Programme.
- ISRO, or Indian Space Research Organisation, is India’s space agency founded in 1969 to help develop an indigenous Indian space program. It is one of the six largest space agencies in the world today.
- ISRO maintains one of the biggest fleets of remote sensing (IRS) and communication (INSAT) satellites catering to the needs of the nation through a network of centres, offices, and research institutes in different parts of the country.
- Functions:
- ISRO functions in the following areas:
- broadcasting, weather forecasting, disaster management, geographic information systems, navigation, cartography (maps), telemedicine, distance education satellites, etc.
- ISRO functions in the following areas:
- The specialised field of ISRO:
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram – Space research activities were initiated in India under Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of the Indian space program, during the 1960s.
- Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram
- Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota
- Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad
- National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad.
- Program of operation:
- Design and development of launch vehicles and related technologies to provide space access.
- Design and development of satellites and related technologies for earth observation, communication, navigation, meteorology and space science.
- Indian National Satellite (INSAT) programme for meeting telecommunication, television broadcasting and developmental applications.
- Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) programme for managing natural resources and monitoring the environment using space-based imagery.
- Space-based Applications for Societal development.
- Research and Development in space science and planetary exploration.
About Social Alpha:
- Social Alpha is a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups that address the most critical social, economic, and environmental challenges through the power of entrepreneurship and market-creating innovations.
- Since its inception in 2016, Social Alpha has supported more than 200 start-ups, including 60+ seed investments
Pic Courtesy: The Hindu
Content Source: The Hindu