DPIIT Partners with Blue Star to Boost Manufacturing and Startup Ecosystem in India

In a major push to strengthen India’s manufacturing and innovation landscape, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blue Star Limited, a leading air conditioning company.
 

The partnership is aimed at supporting startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the country, particularly those working in sectors such as HVAC technologies, digital solutions, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain innovation.
 

Through this collaboration, startups will benefit from structured industry engagement designed to help them build scalable and market-ready solutions. Key support measures include access to mentorship from industry experts, R&D laboratories, testing facilities, pilot project opportunities, and market linkages.
 

The initiative will also assist startups in achieving critical milestones like product validation, Proof-of-Concept (PoC) development, and integration into industry value chains.
 

Speaking on the occasion, DPIIT Joint Secretary Sanjiv highlighted that the partnership marks a significant step toward promoting industry-driven innovation. He emphasized that such collaborations enable startups to tackle real-world challenges and scale their solutions effectively.
 

As part of the agreement, DPIIT and Blue Star will explore organizing innovation challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge. Additionally, targeted hackathons will be conducted focusing on HVAC, digital technologies, and manufacturing domains.
 

Startups selected through these programs will have the opportunity to participate in structured PoC initiatives, with the possibility of pilot deployment and further collaboration with industry stakeholders.
 

The MoU also ensures startups access to technical support, infrastructure, and regular mentorship sessions to align their innovations with industry needs.
 

The agreement was formally signed by DPIIT Deputy Secretary T. L. K. Singh and Blue Star Limited Managing Director B Thiagarajan, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations.