Call for EIR/ PRAYAS/ Startup Proposals

Call for EIR/ PRAYAS/ Startup Proposals

TiHAN at IIT Hyderabad Call for EIR/ PRAYAS/ Startup Proposals(Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)/ Promotion and Acceleration of Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs (PRAYAS) /Startups)

DST NM-ICPS Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems (UAVs, ROVs, etc.) –TiHAN at IIT Hyderabad importantly focuses on the research, design, and development of autonomous navigation and data acquisition systems for UAVs, ROVs, etc. With a synergistic industry and academic collaborations, the hub aims at realizing the utilization of autonomous navigation and data acquisition systems. Hence, the hub would like to invite proposal for EIR/ PRAYAS/ Startups funding in the following thrust areas or verticals, but not limited to:

Autonomous and Intelligent Navigation Systems for Ground, Aerial, and Water Surface Vehicles; Applications of Autonomous Navigation Technologies in Agriculture, Infrastructure Monitoring (Power Line, Constructions, Pipelines, Railway Tracks, etc.), Surveillance (Maritime, Airtime, Terrestrial), and Environmental Monitoring (Air, Water, Industrial Pollutants, etc.).

The proposals should aim towards translational technology research and development, considering the commercialization aspects in the aforementioned areas. The proposals can focus on the development of one or more technological aspects (provided below) for usage in the afore-mentioned thrust areas:

• AI/ML Frameworks for autonomous navigation and efficient multi-sensory data aggregation using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), etc.
• IoT and CPS architectures for efficient usage of UAVs, ROVs, etc., in the Indian context.
• Communications and Networking for Autonomous Navigation like DSRC, CV2X, etc.
• Efficient edge computing architectures for multi-sensory information processing
• Robotics related to autonomous systems
• Design for Smart Mobility (aerial/terrestrial)
• Autonomous vehicle swarms and their applications
• Control, Power, and design aspects of UAVs, ROVs, etc.
• Connected unmanned aerial/terrestrial/underwater/underground systems

Hub is currently seeking proposals for a duration of 12 to 18 months for funding EIR/SSS/ Startups working in the above core areas with proven track records.

1. Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) – to encourage graduating students to take entrepreneurship as career by providing support in the form of fellowship.
   • Eligibility for Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR):
     • The EIR applicant should be a citizen of India.
     • An Indian citizen is defined as one who is in possession of a government-approved proof of nationality such as a valid passport, voter’s id, etc.
     • The EIR applicant should have completed/pursing of formal full-time undergraduate/postgraduate/Ph.D./Post-Doctoral Fellow education programme and relevant experience is mandatory.
     • Applicant should have a scalable Technology based business idea in a prescribed format.

Funding: The financial aid will be up to INR 6 Lakhs for the accepted proposal.

2. Promoting and accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Startups (PRAYAS) – for funding cutting edge technology development in the areas of autonomous navigation and data acquisition systems.

Eligibility for PRAYAS Program:

The PRAYAS applicant should be a Citizen of Indian. The applicant should be in the age group of a minimum of 18 years, as on date of application.

1. Individual Innovator OR Team of Innovators
   • The Innovator should have the knowhow of the PRAYAS project.
     • For team of innovators there has to be an agreement among the team about the lead innovator who would apply, and the funds will be transferred to the lead innovator’s account (after selection).
     • IP generated would vest with the innovator/team and it would be further taken for commercialization.
2. Founders, Co-founders of Start-up applying for PRAYAS
   • At the time of application, the period of existence of a start-up and its operations should not exceed 7 years from the Date of Incorporation.
   • The start-up should develop the prototype for a new product, for which they may have not received similar kind of support.
   • The start-up should have annual turnover/ funding not exceeding Rs. 15 lakhs for any of the financial year since its inception.
   • The equity shareholding of the Indian applicant/s should be 51% or more in the start-up.
   • The recipient cannot be the promoter or significant (>10%) share holder/beneficiary of another company at the time of applying for and receiving the grant approval.
   • IP generated would vest with the start up.
3. Innovators in employment OR Students with any R& D organisation / Academic Institution
   • It is mandatory that the innovators pursuing PRAYAS should have the Project know how and own the IP.
   • The innovator has to seek the NOC from their organisation/institution. The NOC should have the following:
     • Permission to apply for PRAYAS and the innovator will be granted sufficient time to work on the PRAYAS project.
     • IP generated would vest with the innovator/team and it would be further taken for commercialization.

Other Terms and Conditions:

• The applicants are supposed to fully committed to work towards the prototype development for which the support is being sought and should not treat this as a stop gap arrangement to support any other pursuits.
• Applicant and their team member should not have availed of any PRAYAS grant in the past or similar support previously for the same innovative concept as proposed in this form.
• Applicant if selected for PRAYAS, then they (applicant and their team members) can avail support for their project from only one PRAYAS Centre (PC).
• Applicant & their Team members cannot avail the funding support simultaneously from both the schemes i.e PRAYAS and EIR, from the same or different TBIs.

Funding: The financial aid will be up to INR 6 Lakhs for the accepted proposal.

3. Startups – to encourage graduating students to establish their dream venture in the technological verticals in the areas of autonomous navigation and data acquisition systems.

Eligibility criteria for Startup:

1. Applicant must be an Indian company registered under the Companies Act or comply with the definition of Start-up as per the latest notification of DIPP (Available at http://startupindia.gov.in).
2. [Indian company: 51% or more shareholding is with Indian citizen or a person of Indian origin].
3. If applicant is not yet registered as a startup, they are still allowed to participate but are required to get registered if they get selected for the final grant-in-aid.

To download related documents such as template,endorsement letter and to apply click the link here

Kubota Fund