Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged startups, academics, and industry leaders to link up on September 10. He wants an innovation loop that builds solutions for both local needs and global markets. He spoke at the MC² + Ignite outreach event, which was held by the Technology Incubation Centre at IIT Guwahati.
Sarma thinks deep tech is the future of energy. He believes the region can solve its own problems. "From our river islands to the depths of our riverbeds, Assam presents immense challenges, and it is our own innovators who are best equipped to build the solutions," he said.
The event drew massive crowds. Over 200 startups attended. More than 1,500 people registered, and 1,000 students joined to learn about entrepreneurship. This program is the first in India backed by public sector energy companies. It aims to pull technology out of the lab and onto the field.
Sarma opened the new MC²+ Co-Working Space and Innovation Node at the NRL Centre in Guwahati. The site packs in 50 workstations and 16 private cabins. It also includes specific offices for technical consultants and investors.
The MC² Foundation operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. A consortium of energy giants supports it, including ONGC, Oil India Limited, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, GAIL, and Petronet LNG. They committed Rs 455 crore over five years.
The plan maps a clear road for startups. It uses national grand challenges and milestone grants to drive progress. Successful firms get regulatory help and a clear path to sell their tech to public sector enterprises.
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