On 6th December 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Social Alpha, a Non-profit Organization based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN), India’s first dedicated platform for innovation curation and venture development for the flourishing space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- This one of its kind public-private partnership between ISRO and Social Alpha for startups and SMEs in the Space industry is a significant step towards providing stimulus to the space reform policies of India.
- This partnership will also work to identify and explore the market potential of promising tech innovators and entrepreneurs in India.
- This partnership marks the entry of Social Alpha into the field of Space tech.
About SpIN:
SpIN will focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in 3 innovation categories:
- Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications.
- Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility.
- Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.
SpIN will create a level playing field for the stakeholders to collaborate and contribute to India’s space ecosystem.
SpIN’s first Challenge:
i.In line with this partnership, SpIN launched its 1st innovation challenge inviting applications from early-stage startups for developing solutions in areas like maritime, land transportation, urbanisation, mapping and surveying, disaster management, food security, sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, natural resources management among others.
ii.The applications are open from 6th December 2022 to 6th February 2023.
iii.The startups selected under this initiative will get access to the infrastructures and resources of both Social Alpha and ISRO.
iv.Active handholding in critical areas like access to product design, testing and validation infrastructure, intellectual property management, go-to-market strategy, and access to long-term patient capital and other technical and business inputs will be provided to the startups.
ISRO to Develop Spatial Infrastructure Geoportal for Ladakh
The government of Ladakh(Union Territory) and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), a unit of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has partnered to develop a “Spatial Data Infrastructure geoportal – Geo-Ladakh ” for Ladakh.
- Ladakh government and IIRS-ISRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the above development on 1st January 2022.
Key Points:
i.In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State(MoS) for Science and Technology(S&T) stated that this project encompasses spatial database generation (water resources, vegetation and energy potential) using remote sensing, geospatial techniques and the development of a Geo-portal for hosting this database.
ii.The project aims to train the UT’s officials on Geospatial techniques and applications.
iii.The portal will provide geospatial data visualization and analytics for UT-Ladakh, consisting of Spatial viewer, Carbon Neutrality, Geospatial utility mapping and Geo-Tourism.
Note: ISRO is setting up an optical telescope at Hanle for tracking spacecraft and space objects.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman – S. Somanath
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Established in– 1969
