The Foundation for Innovation and Research Support (FIRST) of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur has partnered with the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Forum to support startups.
The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this respect took place at the India-ASEAN ScaleHub Programme 2024 in Bali, Indonesia.
The India-ASEAN ScaleHub Programme, funded by the Government of India, is a collaborative effort supported by the Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of External Affairs, and organised by FIRST, IIT Kanpur.
It aims to promote India-ASEAN partnerships through science, technology, and innovation-driven activities across the ASEAN community, and strengthen economic ties, encourage innovation, and promote sustainable development between ASEAN member states and India.
The event brought together a delegation of senior stakeholders from the Indian innovation ecosystem and 40 promising startups from diverse sectors like healthcare, agritech, cleantech, defence, aerospace, and AI/ML.
This platform provided growth-stage startups with resources, infrastructure, and mentorship to facilitate networking, collaboration, and business expansion across ASEAN markets.
Startups presented elevator pitches to distributors and channel partners, and received multiple awards during the closing ceremony.
The initiative aligns with ASEAN’s vision of fostering entrepreneurship and innovation while enhancing public-private partnerships for broader social and economic impact.
Prof Ankush Sharma, Professor in Charge at SIIC, IIT Kanpur said, “The collaboration marks a significant milestone in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across ASEAN nations. By leveraging our collective resources and expertise, we aim to provide startups with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in a competitive global market.”
Representatives from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the ASEAN Economic Community also actively participated in the event.
FIRST, the technology business incubator of IIT Kanpur, was established to strengthen the institute’s culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. It focuses on supporting startups that develop science and engineering-based solutions to address national challenges, particularly those impacting underprivileged communities.