In the ‘Race for Space’, this is what Karnataka’s Centre for Excellence hopes to achieve…

The Centre of Excellence (CoE) SpaceTech Foundation, an initiative of the Government of Karnataka established in collaboration with SIA-India (Space Industry Association of India), was formally inaugurated recently at Ananth Technologies, Aerospace Park, Bengaluru.

The initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening Karnataka’s space technology ecosystem through integrated collaboration across government, academia, industry, and startups, while also positioning India for its next phase of space sector growth.

The inauguration ceremony was led by Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT, Biotechnology and Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka, who inaugurated the facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by the traditional lighting of the lamp.

The event was graced by Padma Shri Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, and Dr. N. Manjula, Secretary, IT, Biotechnology and Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka.

The event witnessed participation from over 180 members of the space ecosystem, including representatives from research institutions, industry, startups, MSMEs, policy bodies, legal firms, and scientific communities.

The gathering also saw international participation from consulate representatives based in Bengaluru, including those from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and Australia, reflecting the growing global interest in India’s space sector.

India’s space economy is currently estimated at $10-13 billion, with a national target of reaching $44 billion by 2033. While recent policy reforms have catalysed private sector participation and innovation, the next phase of growth will depend on how effectively these innovations are translated into scalable commercial outcomes.

With 400-plus startups now active across the space value chain, a nearly tenfold increase since 2020 and over $600 million in cumulative investments, the ecosystem is entering a critical inflection point.

However, a gap remains between technological capability and market deployment.

The CoE SpaceTech Foundation has been designed to address this gap by acting as a structured, execution-led platform that bridges innovation, validation, and commercialization.

Vision and role of the CoE

Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman and Managing Director, Ananth Technologies and President, SIA-India, appreciated the Government of Karnataka for its forward-looking initiative.

He emphasised that while India had built strong capabilities in space technologies, institutional mechanisms like the CoE were essential to ensure consistent translation of innovation into commercial success.

Following this, D.S. Govindarajan, Director, CoE SpaceTech Foundation, outlined the vision and strategic direction of the Centre.

He highlighted the CoE’s four core pillars thus:

• Training and Capacity Building
• Startup and Incubation Support
• Research and Innovation
• Ecosystem Engagement

He emphasised the Foundation’s unique positioning in focusing on space technologies for societal impact, while also enabling structured pathways for startups to move from development to deployment.

The CoE will focus on emerging and high-impact areas including:

• In-space bio-manufacturing
• Space data centres
• Space robotics
• Strengthening upstream, midstream, and downstream capabilities
• Institutional Collaboration with SIA-India

A key distinguishing aspect of the CoE is its collaborative foundation with SIA-India, which brings deep industry alignment and ecosystem connectivity. This partnership ensures that the CoE is not only policy-backed but also industry-driven and execution-oriented, enabling stronger linkages between startups, enterprises, investors, and global stakeholders.

Speaking on the occasion, Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India, noted that as space technologies become integral across sectors, institutional platforms like the CoE were critical to scaling innovation systematically, and reaffirmed SIA-India’s commitment to supporting the initiative over the coming years.

Strategic Partnerships and MoUs

A key highlight of the event was the exchange of the following strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), reinforcing the CoE’s collaborative approach:

• Partnership with Dassault Systèmes India to enable access to advanced engineering and simulation platforms
• Collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for space biology and microgravity research
• Engagement with Helogen Corporation for in-space bio-manufacturing initiatives
• Association with ABLE (Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises) to strengthen cross-sector collaboration
• Partnership with Ideabazaar to support startup ecosystem development

Future outlook

The event also included the circulation of brochures for India Space Congress 2026, in collaboration with ecosystem stakeholders including SIA-India.

An interactive open-house session with the Minister brought together stakeholders across industry, academia, startups, and international delegates. Key recommendations included:

• Development of a dedicated space biology ecosystem
• Establishment of a coastal Karnataka space cluster
• Expansion of space applications in agri-tech
• Strengthening international collaboration
• Enhancing capacity-building initiatives

Conclusion

The establishment of the CoE SpaceTech Foundation represents a critical institutional milestone, not just for Karnataka but for India’s broader space ecosystem.

By bridging the gap between innovation and commercialization, and through its collaboration with SIA-India, the CoE is positioned to play a central role in enabling a more structured, scalable, and execution-driven space economy.