T-Works and T-Hub co-hosted a high-level DRDO team led by Director Nidhi Bansal to orient start-ups and MSMEs on DRDO’s Technology Development Fund Scheme.

Under the scheme, start-ups can compete for grants of up to ₹10 crore each for developing high-technology solutions against specific requirements.

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries and ITE&C Dept said “The Telangana government has been proactive in facilitating unique central government schemes such as DRDO-TDF to reach our start-ups. We have T-Works, T-Hub, We-Hub, and RICH as part of our innovation ecosystem to drive start-up growth in the State and country.”

T-Works, India’s largest prototyping centre, will enable start-ups to develop products for DRDO through access to industry-grade equipment and in-house technical experts. “The facility will lower barriers for participating companies by providing high-end prototyping techniques at affordable prices all under one roof in our 78,000 sft centre in Hi-tec City,” said Sujai Karampuri, CEO T-Works and Director Electronics, EV and ESS in the Telangana.

Nidhi Bansal, Director DRDO-TDF said, “Start-ups working with T-Works and T-Hub can make efficient use of the funds awarded by DRDO-TDF. In fact, 20 per cent of the awarded funds may be used by start-ups to utilise services of supporting incubators.”

Technology Development Fund has been established to promote self-reliance in Defence Technology as a part of ‘Make in India’ initiative. It is a programme of the Ministry of Defence and executed by DRDO to meet the requirements of the tri-Services, defence production and DRDO. The scheme encourages participation of public/private industries, with a preference for start-ups and MSMEs, so as to create an ecosystem for enhancing cutting edge technology capability in the defence sector.

The event was attended by Director Aerospace and Defence, Addl Director DRDO-TDF and 50 start-ups and MSMEs.

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