Insufficient support for deep tech start-ups in India: study, Pg12

• Only 1 in 4 public-funded R&D labs in India support start-ups, and only 1 in 6 support deep tech start-ups. - Just 15% of labs collaborated internationally, and only half opened their facilities to external scholars and researchers. - The study was commissioned by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and executed by CII and C-TIER (Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research). Detailed Insights: ### 1. Low Support for Deep Tech: - Deep tech start-ups (AI, robotics, quantum, aerospace, biotech) need long-term incubation and R&D support. - Most labs still oriented toward academic output and national missions, not entrepreneurship or product development. ### 2. Data from 62 Parameters: - Institutions were surveyed on: - Share of R&D budget spent - Young researcher involvement - External collaborations - Facility sharing - Contribution to national missions like Deep Ocean Mission and Quantum Mission ### 3. R&D Spend Insights: - Government R&D spending in 2020–21: ₹55,685 crore. - Key R&D departments (DRDO, ISRO, DAE) were excluded from the study due to strategic sensitivity. - Among the studied institutions, 25% spent 75–100% of their budget on R&D — showing a skewed but deep commitment. ### 4. Institutional Gaps: - Weak engagement with industry, especially global firms. - High dependence on contractual staff in 2022–23. - Less than ideal access to lab infrastructure for external innovators and students. Recommendations: - Mandate that each lab: - Develop strategic innovation agendas - Create partnerships with deep tech start-ups - Open infrastructure to academia and industry - Improve staffing quality, incentivize young researchers, and create a product innovation mindset in labs. Significance: - Reveals the need to reform India's public research ecosystem to fuel the deep tech economy. - Highlights policy blind spots in lab-to-market transitions and commercialization of research. Urges alignment of R&D institutions with start-up ecosystems, which is crucial for national goals in technology sovereignty and self-reliance.

Mains Mock Question:

"Despite growing start-up culture in India, deep tech innovation remains under-supported. Discuss the challenges faced by public-funded R&D institutions in promoting cutting-edge technology entrepreneurship."