BYST

Bharatiya Yuva Trust (BYST) has been providing loans to young entrepreneurs of rural India. They signed a VC agreement with IFC for a fund of 5 million US dollars to help one lakh entrepreneurs. TePP innovators can take their assistance to start their enterprises. Contact :
Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust
C/o, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
23, Institutional Area, Lodi Road
New Delhi - 110 003
Tel: (011) 24629994 - 7.
Telefax: (011) 24693079.
e-mail: byst.delhi@ciionline.org
Contact Person: Ms. Jyoti Chaudhary

Financial assistance from Coconut development board

Coconut development board under technology mission offers financial assistance for technology development, demonstration and adoption. Support is offered for programs like `Management of Insect Pests & Diseases affected Coconut Gardens' and `Processing and Product Diversification'. TePP innovators in related areas are advised to avail the benefits.

94th Indian Science Congress

Indian Science congress will be meeting at Chidambaram from 3rd to 7th Jauary 2007. Several TePP innovators will be partipitaing in the exhibition organised during the congress. List of innovators invited:

1.Shri M.S. Raju, Vision-Aid Charitable Services Society, Visakhapatnam, 2. Shri A.N. Shukla, New Delhi, 3. Shri I. Panneerselvam, PARAMAKUDI, 4. Shri V.K Ajikumar, Tiruchirappalli
5. Dr. B. Ramesh, Ernakulam, Kerala, 6. Shri T. Sriramkumar, Coimbatore, 7. Shri Balaji Sowmyanarayanan, Chennai, 8. Dr. A. Jagadeesh, RMK Engg. College, Kavaraipettai (Chennai)
9. Prof.(Ms) Vimala Devi, Pondicherry, 10.Shri G. Gnanamani, Perambur, 11.Dr. Sanjay S. Lakade, Aurangabad, 12.Shri R.A. Yadav, Former Scientific Adviser to CNS, M/o Defence, Delhi
13.Shri KVKL Narasimha Rao, Hyderabad, 14. Shri Deepak Raj Rao, Chennai, 15. Shri K. Nagarajan, Dindigul, 16. Shri N. Rajendran, Erode, 17. Dr. Vijayan Ravi Kumar, Trithala (Kerala)

Taking innovations to market

Taking innovations to market is often more challenging than cretaing an innovation. During my visit to PDMA international conference held at R.M.K.Engineering College (near Chennai) on 20th December 2006, I came across two organisations succeful in this task. SELCO ,based in Bangalore takes solar appliances to masses with an innovative fiancial package. They can be contacted at SELCO, #313, 12th Main, 15th Cross , 5th Phase, J P Nagar, Bangalore - 560078, India. International Development Enterprises (India) based in Delhi has successful track record of taking farmer friendly technologies to market in a sustainable way. They can be contacted atINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ENTERPRISES (INDIA), C 5/43, Safdurjang Development Area (1st & 2nd Floor), New Delhi 110016. The orgnaisation received Ashden award 2006 for diffusion of `treadle plump'. Other notable Indian awardee is Appropriate Technology Institute (ARTI) for compact biogas system and Vivekananda Kendra - NARDEP (VK-Nardep) for a series of advances to biogas designs.

Patent for Dr Ravikumar

Dr V. Ravi Kumar, well known dentist from Palakkad developed `Endodontic Instrument For Root Canal Sterilization' with support under TePP. His innovation has now received Indian patent (No:202137).

Congratulations to Dr Ravi Kumar for bringing root canal treatment real and affordable.

Inventions from SN Mathur

Sri SN Mathur is a serial innovator and has developed Energy Efficient Geyser with TePP support. One can set temp at comfortable level and take direct shower using this Geyser. He also patented Punchureless tyre, Energy efficient Dessert cooler, Mosquito trap, Air conditioner and econoiser for cooking stove. All those innovations are licensed/ marketed by Mars International, located at Ghaziabad. Contact person, SN Mathur, alokaa11@hotmail.com

Triple helix model

The interaction meeting held on 28th & 29th Novemeber 2006 at IIT Kharagpur, with TePP network partners has been a stimulating experience. Some information on Triple Helix model is shared here.

University based incubation , assisting the growth of spin-off firms through a dedicated facility providing subsidized space, consultation and other help to encourage entrepreneurship is a world wide phenomenon. This originated in the USA at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) two decades ago as an explicit organizational format and since had spread all over the globe. Incubator development varies according to academic and regional conditions, the focus was on spin-offs from faculty in USA, reverse engineering adaptation in catching- up economies and an emphasis on student organized firms in Sweden etc. Triple Helix model of university-industry-government has at its core a university as a source of new technologies and had its origins at MIT and Stanford in the early 20th century. At MIT incubation was needed to revive a declining industrial region and at Stanford the need was to develop a green field site in a region largely lacking in industry.

The triple helix comprises universities and other knowledge producing institutions, industry including high tech start-ups, MNCs and government at various levels.The incubator format is reinterpreted and re-invented to respond to local conditions, opportunities and problems. The flexibility of the incubator model has allowed its adaptation to the problems of low-tech as well as high tech firms, the formation of cooperatives as well as corporations, linear extension of academic research and reverse linear importation of industrial problems and business concepts into academia. The principles of incubation in a triple helix of university-industry relationships can be expressed in the following propositions ( Henry Etzkowitz):

-The development of science and technology is increasingly embedded in the triadic relationship of university, industry and government.
-Institutions in each sector play hybridised roles that move them away from classical understanding of the sector, for instance, entrepreneurial academics, academic industrialists and business strategy in government.
-Incubators are organisations that internalise the triadic relationship and encourage and provide home for these hybridised roles.
-Networks at various levels, among incubator firms, incubators and institutional spheres have the potential to enhance the rate of innovation and inventive activity, both technological and organisational.
-High-tech innovation is universalised as developing countries with the ability to develop human capital in niche areas are able to translate these competencies into internationally competitive technologies and firms.
-Incubation exemplifies the emergence of a triple helix science, technology and innovative policy.

RMP Jawahar-International Champion of Business Incubation for the year 2006

TePP network partner, RMP Jawahar- Executive Director of TREC-STEP has been awarded International Champion of Business Incubation for the year 2006 by UKBI during UKBI's Annual Conference Sustainable Features at Birmingham on 20th Nov 2006. It is an honour he richly deserves for his untiring efforts in promoting entrepreneuship in the country.

Opulence 2007

Industry-Institute Partnership Cell & Entrepreneurship Development cell of Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University are organising a 3 day workshop on genesis of entrepreneurial ventures from technological innovations during 12thto 14th January 2007. Interested ? contact- Dr PK Mishra, Co-ordinator of TePP Outreach Center at drpkm18@rediffmail.com

Play Pump-innovation from S Africa

At the end of another school day in Acornhoek – a rural community in the semi-arid eastern part of South Africa – children shriek with laughter as they whirl each other around on a colorful merry-go-round. Women carry home buckets of water. But there is more to this scene than meets the eye. Forty meters under ground, each turn of the merry-go-round powers a pump. At 16 rotations per minute, it pumps water effortlessly to a 2,500-liter storage tank, supplying the needs of the entire community at the turn of a tap. Read the fascinating story.

2nd global forum on business incubation

2nd global forum on business incubation was held at Hyderabad from 6-10 November 2006. Delegates from over 60 countries participated. Three TePP innovators
Shri Ajee Kamath, Kochi
Ms. Natasha Sodhi, Guwahati
Shri VVS Rao,Secunderabad
participated in the exhibition held during this event.Their innovations were greatly appreciated by all the delegates.

free assistance in Provisional patent filing

India Patent Agent Arjun Bala and Abhishek Raju, an IP enforcement expert offer consultancy in IP strategy. They offer free assistance in provisional patent filing to selected TePP innovators.
Check their web site http://myipstrategy.net/default.aspx.
Interested- contact us.

General Information on Research & Development Funding Schemes of Central Government Departments/Agencies

Many innovators have enquired about this. They can download this information from DST web site.
http://dst.gov.in/r&d_funding/rdfs2.htm#dst

NABARD-SDC RURAL INNOVATION FUND (RIF)

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in association with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has constituted the "NABARD-SDC Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) " . Like in TePP independent innovators are also eligible to apply. As those that would be eligible for NABARD grant would not be considered for support under TePP, applicants for agriculture related innovations may approach NABARD. For details of NABARD program see their website.

An illustrative list of areas is given below :

* Biological and Engineering measures/techniques which improve productivity of water.
* Design of economic and efficient water harvesting structures.
* Efficient water use systems : low cost micro-irrigation technology/ micro tube irrigation technology, etc.
* Diversification of farm activities - agro-forestry, silvipasture, agro-horticulture and animal husbandry etc.
* Organic farming - bio-fertilisers and pesticides.
* Development of location specific crops and agronomic practices.
* Development of small hand operated/ power operated tools/ implements that will support system diversification in rainfed farming/ crop husbandry.
* Support for design, development, plan and adoption of traditional efficient water harvesting systems.
* Support for documentation of farmers' innovations/indigenous technological knowledge.
* Innovative rain water harvesting for rural dwellings.
* Rural energy from biomas, agri waste.
* Storage devices for agricultural and rural products.
* Materials and designs for rural roads.
* Rural sanitation and waste disposal.

TePP innovator Ramesh Nibhoria

Ramesh Nibhoria's innovation` Sanjha Chulha' was extensively covered in Business World special issue, Volume 26, Issue 21, for the week 10-16 October 2006 under the heading `innovation'. The article by Geetanjali Krishna says Sanjha Chulha (translated it means a combined cookstove) design is simple. It has a combustion chamber into which briquettes are fed at a rate of about 15 kg an hour. Above it are hotplates, designed to provide uniform heat. Three small electric fans control the flow of gases through the stove, providing the primary air flow to get the briquettes burning, and the secondary air to burn the emanating volatile gases. A 400-litre water tank around the chimney absorbs heat from the exhaust gases, and provides hot water for cooking and making tea.His invention has won the 2005 Ashden Award, the green Oscar coveted the world over, which he received from Prince Charles.

Drugs & Magic Remedies Act, 1954

Innovators submitting applications to TePP, for Ayurvedic/ Siddha, Unani & Homeopathy formulations for treatment of Asthma, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Kidney stones etc are advised to refer to this act, which prohibits such claims. Check the list of treatments covered in the schedule of the act at http://www.indialawinfo.com/bareacts/druma.html

TePP Innovation fund camps

To reach out to the independent innovators, TePP has been organising `Innovation fund camps' at different places in the country. These camps provide an opportunity to innovators of the region to meet TePP officials and discuss their plans. Till date camps were held at Trichy,Kavaraipattai, Gudur, Ambala, Gurgaon,Davengere,Belgaon,Vadodara ,Patiala and Pune.
In the next round camps are planned at Vishakhapatnam,Vijaywada,Tirupati,Hisar,Rewari,Mohali,Baddi,Surathkal,
Chhapra,Muzzafarpur,Patna,Bhagalpur,Ranchi ,Jamshedpur,
Sonagaon (Satara),Akaluj (Solapur) and Karad (Maharashtra).

Before the camps are held, the event is advertised in local press. Innovators interested in attending the camps can contact TePP.

Innovator Identification Camp in Chennai on 26th September,2006

This camp was organised by TePP outreach centers, VITTBI,TREC STEP and PSG STEP along with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Honeywell Technology Solutions Labs, SIDBI, Indian Bank and Technology Development Board.The idea was to inform the participants about the start up eco system prevailing in the incubator to mitigate risks in the initial period. The camp, first of its kind, was a success in reaching out to 64 prospects, in providing them sufficient information and knowledge about the Incubation activity, enlightening them about the emerging business opportunity in the Industry and increasing their awareness about the fund raising opportunity. The event also has generated wide publicity in the media and eight popular dailies have given good coverage in their papers. The presentations made in Chennai camp is available for download in the following link:
http://www.knowledgebiz.org/downloads/kbiz_iic_downloads.asp
The next camp is scheduled in Coimbatore on 7th OCtober'06.

Design support for innovators

India is home to several design firms offering creative solutions to innovators. See the list of product development designers (source:Design in India). Others, not listed there, can respond to this post and offer their services to TePP innovators.

Rothschild Petersen collection of patent models

From 1790 to 1880, anyone applying to the U.S. Patent Office was required to submit a working model of the invention. Patent models were to be no more than 12 inches square, with paperwork and diagrams explaining the item's purpose, construction and operation. Click to access over 700 models in the Rothschild Petersen collection.

Creativity & Innovation Library

Lots of free articles, papers and tools to help you and your company be more creative and innovative. Click on this page of jpb.com

Role of Technology Financing: YS Rajan

Read the paper ' Turning India Vision 2020 into reality - role of technology financing' where different programs of Government of India are explained in a lucid manner by Sri YS Rajan, joint author of 'India 2020' with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

Profiles of 46 TePP innovators

Profiles of 46 TePP innovators are covered in the booklet `Creative India' which can be downloaded from http://www.dsir.gov.in. Technopreneur Promotion Programme [TePP].

Satyanarayana NV

One of the TePP innovator is Sri NV Satyanarayana, a creative genius. While travelling in a bus he conceived the idea- why not use the wind power to charge battery, to charge mobiles etc. His musing of a person sitting in a bus and generating power using a hand held portable windmill cutting into the wind resulted in an amazing product and set him on the road to creativity. This serial innovator since then spawned several innovative products like Stolen mobile finder, Human traccking with mobiles.

TePP Phase-II funding

In the recently concluded TePP workshop on'Taking Innovations to market' , held on 1st & 2nd Sept 2006 at INSA, Delhi, over 30 TePP innovators presented their past achievements and future plans. One question in the mind of many is -Why TePP phase-II?

George R. white and Margaret.B.W.Graham in their paper ` How to spot a technological winner' published in Harvard Business review (Reprint 78212) listed 2 essential conditions. They are 'Technology Potency' and 'Business advantage'. Technology potency has 2 components ,'Inventive merit' & 'Embodiment merit'. Similarly Business advantage accrues from 'Operational merit' & 'Market merit'.

TePP Phase-1 aims at 'innovation incubation', developing Inventive merit & Embodiment merit. Whereas in Phase-II, the emphasis shifts to 'enterprise incubation' where the efforts would be on generating 'Operational merit & Market merit'.

Tiruchi Regional Engineering College Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP)

TREC-STEP is the first partner agency in Southern India for the implementation of TePP, funded by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC). Speaking of their experiences " About 100 persons approached us for availing the fund. After preliminary screening, we took the applications for about 40 projects. On further evaluation by our experts, we selected 23 viable proposals and forwarded them to the DSIR," the Executive Director of TREC-STEP R.M.P. Jawahar told The Hindu. Read details at http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/08/31/stories/2006083123710300.htm

Technology Bazar

TECHNOLOGY BAZAAR, 2005, Hyderabad , an event facilitated by TePP and managed by ICFA, several technologies of interest to small entrepreneurs were exhibited. See details at http://www.indianinnovatorsforum.org/tech_bazaar2005.htm
Do you have a technology to offer to entrepreneurs?

Perpetual motion machines

TePP periodically receives proposals for development of perpetual motion machines. We advise innovators to prove their new theory by referring same to peer referred journals. TePP is not competent to judge veracity of new theories. Apparently, devices such as these have been in popping up in news for a long time and are called perpetual motion devices. The US patent office however, discourages such claims and has issued a policy not to grant patent without seeing a working model. According Wikipedia no such device has been proven to exist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion.

If any one has knowledge of perpetual motion device in working, pl share with us.

Invitation from A.S.Rao

I invite all our innovators, network partners, experts helping the innovators and other stake holders to use this form to share views/ experiences and learning on 'Innovation'.