Sops for Gujarat tech startups offering sector-wise solutions

The Gujarat government Thursday launched a scheme under which it will incentivise technology startups which can provide solutions to sector- specific problems identified by the authorities.

Chief Secretary J N Singh made this announcement after inaugurating 'Vigyan Bhavan', a convention centre at the Science City here.

"The scheme endeavours to identify sector-specific problems unique to the public sector in the state and to facilitate deployment of solutions which have been specifically crafted for such needs," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of the programme.

The scheme, Technology Demonstration and Pilot Deployment', will be implemented by the Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST), which works under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat.

"The scheme will incentivise startups, innovators who design, develop solutions which have market in the public sector and which cannot be implemented in the public sector due to lack of adoption opportunities or procedural challenges," he said.

"Allowing pilot deployments for such complex solutions will not only provide an avenue to such innovators, but would open up huge public sector to the startup ecosystem," said the senior bureaucrat.

"For the state, it will allow low-cost testing for such innovations before the government commits for commercial solution," Singh added.

Under the scheme, a research proposal can be funded up to Rs 50 lakh for three years.

The Gujarat government had earlier announced its Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy. It has created a dedicated Innovation Fund of Rs 50 crore under the STI policy.

The new scheme will be financed under the Innovation Fund.