In a significant initiative to advance research commercialization, the Wadhwani Foundation has partnered with AICTE, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, IISc Bangalore, and C-CAMP. This collaboration aims to establish Wadhwani Innovation Network Centers of Excellence (WIN-COEs) to transform academic research into practical, marketable solutions.

These centers will focus on accelerating research in emerging technologies like advanced AI, synthetic biology, bioengineering, health tech, semiconductors, quantum computing, and space tech. Each WIN-COE will receive up to $1 million annually, with additional support from AICTE’s 13 Indovation Centers, which will contribute $10 million yearly to support over 100 higher education institutes.

Currently, less than 1% of Indian higher education institutions engage in research, contributing just 9% to the country’s Gross Expenditure in Research and Experimental Development (GERD). This initiative aims to address this gap, fostering an ecosystem of innovation that bridges academia and industry.

Dr. Ajay Kela, President & CEO of Wadhwani Foundation, emphasized the transformative potential of this collaboration. He highlighted that their previous partnership with IIT Bombay funded around 100 projects, with about 10 achieving commercial success. Establishing WIN-COEs will amplify such efforts, propelling India towards scientific and economic progress.

Aligned with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation’s vision, these centers will focus on socio-economic issues, with selected projects receiving both funding and in-kind support to become commercially viable.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science & Technology, praised the initiative, stating that these WIN-COEs will engage India’s youth and advance scientific solutions to the country’s pressing challenges.

The collaboration will see each WIN-COE supporting 25 interdisciplinary projects annually, while the 13 AICTE Indovation Centers will collectively support over 1000 projects each year. The focus areas for each participating institute include bioengineering and biotechnology at C-CAMP, health tech and bioengineering at IIT Delhi, synthetic biology, biotechnology (therapeutics), and AI at IIT Kanpur, quantum computing at IISc Bangalore, AI, health tech, and biotechnology (therapeutics) at IIT Bombay, and health tech, advanced computing, and AI at IIT Hyderabad.

Prof. TG Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, highlighted the importance of fostering innovation in India’s youth, stating that this collaboration advances innovation and entrepreneurship in top institutions, empowering young minds to lead with groundbreaking ideas.