New Delhi, Mar 25 (BNP): The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has signed a memorandum of understanding with air conditioning major Blue Star Ltd to support startups and strengthen India’s manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.
The partnership aims to promote product startups working in areas such as HVAC technologies, digital solutions, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain innovation, officials said.
Under the collaboration, startups will receive mentorship from industry experts, access to R&D laboratories and testing facilities, pilot opportunities, and market linkages to help scale industry-relevant solutions.
DPIIT said the initiative will enable startups to achieve key milestones including product validation, proof-of-concept development, and integration into industry value chains.
Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Sanjiv, said the partnership would help foster industry-driven innovation by enabling startups to work on real-world challenges and scale solutions with tangible outcomes.
As part of the initiative, DPIIT and Blue Star will also explore organising innovation challenges and hackathons under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge, focusing on HVAC, digital technologies, and manufacturing sectors.
Selected startups will be offered opportunities for pilot deployment and further engagement through structured proof-of-concept programmes.
The MoU was signed by Deputy Secretary, DPIIT, T.L.K. Singh and Managing Director of Blue Star Ltd, B. Thiagarajan, in the presence of senior officials.
Officials said the collaboration is expected to strengthen linkages between startups and industry while enhancing innovation capacity in key manufacturing sectors.
