Bengaluru: The Foundation for Science, Innovation, and Development (FSID) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) launched 'Pravriddhi', a product accelerator programme aimed at uniting premier Indian institutions and enterprises to develop "innovative solutions", on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch event, Prof Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc, stated, “As India strives to meet ambitious economic and industrial goals, challenges such as import dependency, global competitiveness, and workforce readiness persist. With Pravriddhi, we aim to address these challenges by providing access to IISc's world-class facilities, Research & Development (R&D) expertise, and a robust network of strategic partners across India.”

He further explained that by establishing innovation hubs nationwide, IISc intends to extend its proven programme model to a broader audience, empowering diverse industries and fostering sustained economic growth and innovation across the country.

Conceived by FSID, Pravriddhi provides a platform for enterprises, academia, research laboratories, and investors to collaborate on driving innovation and new product development for a self-reliant India, Govindan added.

Vipin Sondhi, former MD & CEO of Ashok Leyland, JCB India, and Tecumseh India, delivered the keynote address, highlighting that the collaboration between academia and industry—at the core of Pravriddhi—is crucial for pushing the boundaries of research and innovation.

FSID Director Prof B Gurumoorthy added, “Pravriddhi is being launched based on our experience in running an accelerator in the area of high-speed rotating machinery with support from the Ministry of Heavy Industry (MHI).”

He concluded that through Pravriddhi, they will establish "hubs of excellence" across the country, each strategically designed to support research, development, and collaboration in the technology domain.