IIT Delhi's IHFC partners with 10 institutions to launch Co-Innovation Centres in tech, AI and robotics

NEW DELHI: The Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, IHFC, is collaborating with 10 institutions in India to establish Co-Innovation Centres (CiCs). IHFC’s first CiC, with PES University, Bangalore, was inaugurated today, January 24, 2025. The initiative aims to nurture innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship among Indian youth, the official IHFC statement said.

Among all other institutes ready for the immediate launch of their CiCs are the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) Shibpur, Kolkata; Thapar Institute, Patiala; Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar; SRM University of Science and Technology, Chennai, including others.

CiC will soon be opened in partnership with other institutes, including Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (KITS) in Coimbatore, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT) in Bangalore, Crescent Innovation Incubation Council (CIIC) in Vandalur, Tamil Nadu, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology in Delhi, and Delhi Technological University (DTU) in Delhi.

"Through this initiative, IHFC aims to inspire India’s youth to innovate and experiment with new ideas in technology research and its translation. This is a significant step toward empowering the younger generation and equipping them with the skills to compete globally," the official IHFC statement adds.

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Vision behind Co-Innovation Centres (CiC)

The initiative aims to foster innovation and technological growth among India’s youth. The centers are being set up to improve the skills of aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators and encourage them to think outside the box.

Furthermore, the centres aim to promote research and development of deep-tech products which aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

"This initiative represents a significant step toward fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, paving the way for a brighter future for the nation," the IHFC official statement added.

Speaking on the occasion, Rangan Banerjee the director of IIT Delhi said: “We are enhancing the reach of IHFC to partner with innovation hubs across the country to create a more robust funnel of new ideas and innovations in collaborative robotics.”

The project director at IHFC SK Saha expressed his pride in the initiative and said: “It has been my constant endeavour and dream to provide India’s youth with a platform to ideate, innovate, and create solutions that make a difference to the world. These centers will not only promote lab-to-market concepts but also contribute to building a tech-savvy nation, creating more jobs, and offering transformative technology solutions.”