Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and DPIIT Launches API Integration Between Startup India and I-STEM Portals to Strengthen Access to National Research Infrastructure

Key Highlights:

• The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) and DPIIT launched API integration between the Startup India Portal and the I-STEM Portal.
• The initiative aims to connect DPIIT-recognised startups with national scientific and testing research infrastructure.
• Launched on 6 November 2026, under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser.
• The integration seeks to lower R&D costs, avoid duplication of capital-intensive facilities, and enhance infrastructure utilisation.
• As of 6 November 2026, I-STEM lists 31,540 equipment items across 4,044 registered institutions.

Detailed Insights:

• The integration facilitates seamless, API-enabled interoperability, with future plans for Single Sign-On (SSO) functionality.
• It strengthens industry-academia linkages and provides access to specialised facilities for deep-tech startups in technology development and validation.
• The initiative simplifies the discovery of relevant facilities for startups, addressing infrastructure-related barriers to innovation.
• It reduces the need for startups to make independent capital investments in expensive equipment for research and testing.
• Individual requests for facility access will continue to be evaluated and approved by host institutions based on technical suitability and availability.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Startup India Portal: A government initiative to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in India.
• I-STEM Portal: A national web portal serving as a gateway to R&D facilities and equipment across India.
• API Integration: A software intermediary allowing two applications to communicate and share data seamlessly.
• Deep-tech Startups: Companies focused on advanced scientific discoveries and engineering innovations, often requiring specialized R&D infrastructure.