- Department of Science & Technology has set up a task force for mapping of technologies by Start-Ups on COVID19
- To fund nearly market-ready solutions in the area of diagnostics, testing, delivery, equipment, etc.
- Invited two separate sets of proposals of relevant technology options
For addressing a large number of issues owing to COVID19 outbreak, as well as to look out for new and developing solutions more relevant to the country to help prepare the country for exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has come up with a task force for the start-up ecosystem in the country. The initiative will be an effort to upscale appropriate technologies and manufacturing available in India.
This DST set up a COVID 19 Taskforce will be used for mapping of technologies from R&D labs, academic institutions, startups, and MSMEs to fund nearly market-ready solutions in the area of diagnostics, testing, health care delivery solutions, and equipment supplies. Some of these solutions include masks and other protective gear, sanitizers, affordable kits for screening, ventilators and oxygenators, data analytics for tracking, monitoring, and controlling the spread of the outbreak through AI and IOT based solutions, etc.
The mapping group consists of representatives from DST, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Startup India and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The Task Force will identify the most promising startups that are close to scale up. It will further help the identified start-ups who may need financial or other help or connects or projected demand to rapidly scale up the production or services.
Nodal officers of concerned Ministries and Departments have been requested to personally speed up the process of obtaining information on startups and other entities supported by them that have technology solutions for any important aspect of COVID-19.
DST has already invited two separate sets of proposals as part of the mechanisms being used for the rapid development, manufacturing, and deployment of relevant technology options. These proposals are invited to support scientific solutions and commercial manufacturing of both new and existing solutions under the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) and Technology Development Board (TDB).
