DPIIT & Johnson Controls-Hitachi to Set Up Startup Incubator in Gujarat

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd have inked an initial pact to establish an incubator to support manufacturing-focused startups in Gujarat.

This marks a significant milestone in Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India's commitment to nurturing innovation and supporting the manufacturing ecosystem in the country, a statement said.

According to the statement, the startup incubator aims to provide a robust platform for startups focused on selected manufacturing sectors, fostering technological advancements, sustainability, and energy efficiency.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalised on Thursday under the leadership of Sumeet Jarangal, Director, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Sanjay Sudhakaran, Managing Director, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd, India & South Asia Region.

The pack was signed in the presence of DPIIT Joint Secretary Sanjiv.

Jarangal said that the Prime Minister's vision of 'design in India, design for the world' is ushering India towards a Viksit Bharat, according to the statement.

He added that the Government of India is committed to boosting the manufacturing sector with initiatives such as Make in India and production-linked incentive scheme.

He emphasised that a key element in boosting India's manufacturing sector is to create a pipeline of innovation and an ecosystem of startups that drive this innovation.

The incubator at Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India will provide mentorship and guidance to manufacturing startups on various critical aspects such as concept-to-prototype development, project viability assessment, and go-to-market strategies, the statement said.

The company will also support them in managing potential funding needs, along with other necessary services such as legal and IP filing, to enable commercialisation of innovative products.

Sudhakaran said in the statement that the Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India has invested heavily in India to establish world-class R&D and manufacturing capabilities.

Through this incubator, manufacturing-focused startups would get the much-needed guidance and nurturing required to bring their innovations to life.

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India headquarters in Kadi, Gujarat, is home to world-class Global Design Center, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, and now, Startup Incubator.

This incubator will not only provide startups an exposure to world-class R&D, prototyping, and testing processes, but also aims to support them in developing prototypes and commercialising the product, it added.