New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) on Monday said it has selected 18 startups in cohort 1 of its ‘Samarth’ programme.

It is a cutting-edge incubation programme for startups in telecom and ICT sector. The initiative is aimed at nurturing sustainable and scalable business models by providing startups with financial grant, advanced resources and guidance for transition from ideation to commercialisation.

These startups are provided financial grant, fully furnished office space and access to C-DOT’s lab facilities at Delhi and Bengaluru campuses.

The “Samarth” programme offers holistic support to startups and innovators working in telecom applications, cybersecurity, 5G/6G technologies, artificial intelligence, IoT, and quantum technologies.

Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO C-DOT, and Arvind Kumar, DG of the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), commended their collaborative effort in fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem and encouraged continued engagement of startups in future initiatives.

The event also marked the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between C-DOT and STPI, outlining areas of potential collaboration including mentorship, training, and joint initiatives.

The programme is structured in two cohorts of six months each, accommodating up to 18 startups per cohort — thus supporting a maximum of 36 startups under the initiative. STPI and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) have been selected as the implementation partner for the programme.

Delivered in a hybrid format, “Samarth” leverages state-of-the-art infrastructure, expert mentorship, and access to a strong network of investors and industry leaders to empower emerging entrepreneurs.

Each selected startup under the programme receives a grant of up to Rs 5 lakh, a fully-furnished office space for six months at C-DOT campuses in Delhi and Bengaluru, access to C-DOT’s lab facilities, and mentorship from C-DOT technologists and external experts.

Progressing startups will also be eligible for potential collaboration and further financial grants under the C-DOT Collaborative Research Program (CCRP), according to the government.

–IANS

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