New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) India’s national research foundation will soon launch a programme to support startups and micro, small and medium enterprises in scaling up technologies for real-world application.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is set to launch a ‘Small Business Deep Tech Innovation’ programme which is inspired by global best practices, an official statement said after a review meeting of various science departments chaired by Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

In a bid to maximise national research infrastructure, ANRF will also roll out a ‘Cloud of Research and Innovation Infrastructure’ to allow deep tech startups and institutions to access underused equipment across the country, the statement said.

At the meeting, Singh called for positioning the ANRF as a critical organisation for all science ministries and departments across the government to anchor upscaled collaborations involving private players.

“All the science ministries must work with the intent to deliver market-relevant, public-good products,” the minister said.

He said that ANRF will not only act as a coordinating body but also serve as a catalyst to bring in private sector investment and innovation.

Singh underscored the importance of projects with visible public utility and cited CSIR’s HANSA-NG aircraft, the Department of Atomic Energy’s Bharat Small Modular Reactors, and space-based applications as models to emulate.

The review meeting of various science departments, chaired by Singh was attended by Tarun Kapoor, Advisor to the Prime Minister; Hari Ranjan Rao, Additional Secretary in the PMO; Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR; V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO, along with other senior officials. PTI SKU SKU SKY SKY