DPIIT, Blue Star Ink MoU to Drive HVAC and Boost Startup Innovation in Manufacturing

In a significant move to bolster India’s manufacturing and innovation ecosystem, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blue Star Limited, a leading air conditioning and refrigeration company.

The collaboration is designed to support startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs working in areas such as HVAC technologies, digital solutions, advanced manufacturing processes, and supply chain innovation. By fostering structured industry engagement, the initiative aims to help product startups develop scalable, industry-relevant solutions.

Under the agreement, startups will gain access to mentorship from industry experts, R&D laboratories, testing facilities, pilot opportunities, and market linkages. The partnership will also facilitate critical milestones such as product validation, Proof-of-Concept (PoC) development, and integration into industry value chains.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary at DPIIT, emphasized that the collaboration represents an important step towards industry-driven innovation in the manufacturing sector. “Such partnerships enable startups to engage with real-world problem statements and scale solutions with tangible outcomes,” he noted.

As part of the initiative, DPIIT and Blue Star will explore innovation challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge, alongside targeted hackathons focused on HVAC, digital technologies, and manufacturing domains. Selected startups will have opportunities to participate in structured PoC programmes, with potential for pilot deployment and deeper industry engagement.

The MoU also ensures startups can access testing facilities, R&D infrastructure, and technical support, complemented by structured mentorship programmes and periodic engagement sessions to align innovations with industry requirements.

The agreement was signed by Shri T. L. K. Singh, Deputy Secretary, DPIIT, and Shri B Thiagarajan, Managing Director of Blue Star Limited, in the presence of senior officials from both sides.