Shalini S Sharma
Availability of talent, availability of resources and a sustained policy push has made the modern Indian ecosystem of innovative products and services move beyond software apps to “deep-tech” hardware. Because of access to infrastructure, such as 3D printing and Government grants, young students in schools and colleges are building physical prototypes that solve complex global problems.
From placement cells to incubation centres
Earlier, the primary goal of a university was campus interview. Success was defined by a high-salary package at a multi-national company or an IT services firm. Entrepreneurship was seen as a “plan B” for those who couldn’t find a job.
Today, almost every tier-1 and tier-2 college has an e-cell (Entrepreneurship Cell) or a Government-funded Atal Incubation Centre. Students are encouraged to build prototypes while still in their dormitory rooms, with credits often given for start-up projects.
There has been democratisation of knowledge. Earlier, knowledge was “guarded.” If one wanted to learn how to build a rocket or a solar grid, one needed access to a physical library, a specific professor, or a high-end lab at an IIT or IISc.
Almost 25 years back, India’s IT boom centred on developing our software capabilities. Today it is all about hardware and prototypes.
Today, platforms like YouTube, Coursera, and MIT OpenCourseWare have levelled the playing field. A student in a small town can learn SolidWorks for space-tech or Python for clean-energy AI from the same sources as a student in Stanford. Launchpads now focus on application rather than just teaching.
Access to high-tech infrastructure
Earlier, prototyping was expensive and slow. Building a hardware product required a factory setup or expensive imported parts. Today, the rise of Makerspaces and 3D Printing has changed the game. One had to wait for weeks for a custom part, earlier. Today, one can 3D print a prototype overnight at a local hub like T-Works in Hyderabad, India’s largest prototyping centre.
Risk appetite and funding
Once upon a time, capital was scarce and conservative. Banks required collateral, like property, to give loans. “Venture capital” was a niche term known only in South Mumbai or South Bengaluru. Today, there is a multi-tier funding ladder.
There are grants available from organisations such as Birac, for biotechnology, or Nidhi-Prayas which provide Rs 10 – Rs 20 lakh for hardware prototyping without taking any equity.
Angel investors or high-net-worth individuals now actively “bet on the founder” rather than just the balance sheet.
Mentorship versus management
Guidance was earlier “top-down.” Today it is peer-to-peer and expert-led. Organisations such as Launchpad provide access to “founders who have been there.” They get advice from someone who built a unicorn three years ago, not just a textbook theory from 30 years ago.