Odisha, IIT-Bhubaneswar, STPI to set up 'Virtual Reality' hub for startups

A Centre of Excellence on ‘Virtual and Augmented Reality’ tasked with incubating start-ups and fostering high-end, futuristic research, would start functioning at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The incubator, the first of the kind in the country, is expected to spur other institutes to set up similar facilities.

The Odisha MSME (micro, small & medium enterprises) department on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT, Bhubaneswar, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and Sushmita Bagchi, noted Odia writer and wife of Subroto Bagchi, chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA).

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, “I am sure the setting up of the incubator on Virtual and Augmented Reality at IIT, Bhubaneswar will be a landmark initiative in promoting research, technology incubation and product development in the country. The centre will be one of its kind in the country to be set up by this kind of collaborative research.”

Each of the four signatories to the MoU would contribute Rs 25 million (Rs 2.5 crore). While Susmita Bagchi has already contributed her share, the state government on Saturday handed over Rs 25 million to the Director of IIT Bhubaneswar, R V Rajkumar.

L N Gupta, additional chief secretary, MSME said, “The centre is going to be very futuristic. It will promote entrepreneurship. As many as 162 start-ups ranging from healthcare & life sciences to HR & household services, IT and IoT (Internet of Things) to finance technology and food services are registered under the Odisha Start-Up initiative and 20 of them are getting benefits. Besides, four recognised incubators and 20 others are working across the state”.

The centre will undertake state-of-the-art research, develop testing facility/laboratories for advanced algorithms, applications and methods in aid of Virtual and Augmented Reality for Immersive Visualization and allied areas. It will also offer highly focused courses on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to the students. That apart, the centre would help in developing application platforms for specific skill development programmes based on the industry need and relevance.

“The centre will be a state-of-the-art incubator for the benefit of the startups, researchers, faculty and budding entrepreneurs. It will leverage a high-performance computing facility available at IIT, Bhubaneswar and faculty resources for research and applications in the areas including AR/VR and other allied areas. IIT, Bhubaneswar will encourage its highly talented faculty and student resources to participate in carrying research, incubate technologies and take to entrepreneurship in AR/VR and related areas”, said the director at IIT, Bhubaneswar.

Speaking on the occasion, Omkar Rai, director general at STPI said, “The MoU with the state government and Susmita Bagchi to set up an incubator on AR/VR at IIT, Bhubaneswar is a landmark initiative. The STPI may encourage the incubates and start-ups graduating from IIT Bhubaneswar to join STPI. STPI would work along with IIT, Bhubaneswar in empowering the start-ups and entrepreneurs working in the area of AR/VR for the benefit of industry”.