In a bold move to strengthen India's defense innovation ecosystem, Institute for Defence Studies and Research (IDSR), Gujarat University and India Accelerator (IA) have announced the launch of ADVAIT — a strategic accelerator program designed to empower startups building cutting-edge technologies for defense and aerospace applications.
Coming at a time when India’s defence budget has surpassed ₹6 lakh crore and with a growing thrust on self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, ADVAIT is poised to play a catalytic role in nurturing next-generation defence startups. The program will focus on early and growth-stage ventures working in key areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, space tech, advanced materials, cybersecurity, and surveillance.
 |
Sharing his thoughts and vision for ADVAIT, Ashish Bhatia, Founder & CEO, IA, said-
Echoing this vision and elaborating on the program’s strategic framework, Mr. Arindam Mukhopadhyay, Partner at IA commented,
At its core, ADVAIT is structured around the Tripod Approach — a unique model that leverages the combined strengths of Industry, Academia, and Startups. This ensures that innovations emerging from the program are not only technically sound but also market-ready and strategically aligned with national priorities.
This collaborative framework delivers distinct value to all participants. The applications for the program are open from 5th May’25. Selected startups will gain access to domain-specific mentorship, opportunities to work on live problem statements from the defence sector, collaboration avenues with established industry players, and potential funding support. This initiative also gives academia a meaningful platform to translate its research into real-world impact, while fostering entrepreneurship on campus. Industry players, meanwhile, benefit from access to disruptive, cost-effective innovations with faster go-to-market timelines.
“This is a unique moment for India’s defense sector — one where innovation is no longer limited to labs or large contractors. Through ADVAIT, we’re enabling a new breed of defense-ready startups,” said Mr. Srinivasa Rao Sureddi, CEO, IDSR.
With this initiative, IDSR, IA and Gujarat University are laying the foundation for India’s future in defense tech, one startup at a time.
India is at an inflection point where our startups are not just solving commercial problems but are stepping up to serve national priorities. With ADVAIT, we’re creating a platform that gives these startups the tools, mentorship, and ecosystem support they need to build for Bharat’s strategic edge.
Echoing this vision and elaborating on the program’s strategic framework, Mr. Arindam Mukhopadhyay, Partner at IA commented,
ADVAIT is not just another startup program — it’s a mission to fast-track national security innovation. By bringing startups, academia, and industry into one unified platform, we’re building an engine for next-generation defense capability.
At its core, ADVAIT is structured around the Tripod Approach — a unique model that leverages the combined strengths of Industry, Academia, and Startups. This ensures that innovations emerging from the program are not only technically sound but also market-ready and strategically aligned with national priorities.
This collaborative framework delivers distinct value to all participants. The applications for the program are open from 5th May’25. Selected startups will gain access to domain-specific mentorship, opportunities to work on live problem statements from the defence sector, collaboration avenues with established industry players, and potential funding support. This initiative also gives academia a meaningful platform to translate its research into real-world impact, while fostering entrepreneurship on campus. Industry players, meanwhile, benefit from access to disruptive, cost-effective innovations with faster go-to-market timelines.
“This is a unique moment for India’s defense sector — one where innovation is no longer limited to labs or large contractors. Through ADVAIT, we’re enabling a new breed of defense-ready startups,” said Mr. Srinivasa Rao Sureddi, CEO, IDSR.
With this initiative, IDSR, IA and Gujarat University are laying the foundation for India’s future in defense tech, one startup at a time.
IndianWeb2.com is an independent digital media platform for business, entrepreneurship, science, technology, startups, gadgets and climate change news & reviews.
No comments
Post a Comment