New Delhi, Feb 15 (IANS) Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday praised the consortium-driven innovation model pioneered by IIT Madras Research Park, saying it has enabled immediate and appropriate commercialisation of technology and is now being adopted by several other academic institutions and universities across the country.

The Minister, who holds independent charge of the Science and Technology and Earth Sciences ministries and also serves in the Prime Minister’s Office, made the remarks during his visit to the Immersive Technology and Entrepreneurship Labs (ITEL) Foundation and other advanced research facilities at Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

“This model is now being keenly picked up by other academic institutions and universities as well,” he said.

During the visit, Dr. Singh reviewed ongoing projects in areas such as urban mobility, space technology, medical devices and brain research.

“The consortium approach, where industry partners are involved from the early stages of research and development, ensures that innovations are aligned with real-world needs,” Dr Singh stated.

“This integrated model allows research outcomes to be translated more quickly into practical and market-ready solutions,” he added.

The ITEL Foundation, established in July 2024 as a not-for-profit Section 8 company and recognised by the Department of Science and Technology, aims to position India as a global technology leader.

It brings together academic institutions, industry leaders and investors to jointly develop deep-tech innovations and transfer them directly to the commercial sector.

One of the key demonstrations during the visit was the HASHTIC mobility initiative, which aims to tackle traffic congestion in Indian cities.

The project proposes AI-enabled small electric vehicles running on elevated tracks above existing roads, with the goal of reducing a 15-kilometre commute to around 20 minutes.

Dr. Singh also reviewed the work of Agnikul Cosmos, a private space startup incubated within the IIT Madras ecosystem.

The company develops launch vehicles for flexible, on-demand satellite launches and successfully conducted its first mission in May 2024 with support from Indian Space Research Organisation and IN-SPACe.

The startup is now preparing for a commercial mission of its reusable rocket later this year — reflecting the growing role of private players in India’s space sector.

–IANS

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